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The top five teams may not have changed in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, but there were some newcomers entering the fold.
The Ohio State Buckeyes remain at the top of the list, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia to round out the top five.
After that, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma and BYU make up the top 12 in the rankings.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) throws a pass during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Western Michigan Broncos at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY Network/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
Instead of Memphis being the top-ranked Group of Five champion, the USF Bulls, ranked No. 24, are now in the mix. They would replace BYU currently because five conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the 12-team playoff.
Miami, which is projected to win the ACC, would also replace Oklahoma if the season ended today.
As the bracket stands, Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Alabama would each receive a first-round bye as the top four teams.
OHIO STATE TOPS FIRST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKING WITH INDIANA BEHIND NO. 2
After this week’s exciting games, there was one big question about the top teams in the rankings: How should the selection committee view the Hoosiers’ comeback win over Penn State on the road?
Fernando Mendoza, with 36 seconds left at Beaver Stadium, found Omar Cooper Jr. for a 7-yard touchdown pass, where the latter made a miraculous effort to not only secure the football, but also get his foot in bounds for the game to stand. Indiana went up 27-24 and kept its undefeated season alive.
The Nittany Lions have now lost six straight games and have seen their season go downhill, leading to the firing of James Franklin as head coach.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) celebrates a win over Penn State after an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in State College, Penn. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
However, the selection committee decided to keep his second place intact at the top.
“That was one of our longer discussions in our meeting,” CFP committee chairman Mack Rhoads, who serves as Baylor’s athletic director, told ESPN Tuesday night about the Hoosiers remaining No. 2. “Indiana, we gave them the edge defensively, and certainly offensively as well. You think about how Indiana has found a way to work. … Indiana.”
Meanwhile, the Aggies blew out another ranked opponent and defeated Missouri, which is no longer in the top 25, on the road.
Looking at more of the top 12, the Red Raiders moved up two spots from No. 8 to No. 6 after a dominating 29-7 win over BYU over the weekend. Unfortunately for the Cougars, their first loss meant they dropped five spots from the initial ranking to No. 12.
Rhoads said the committee saw a “convincing victory” by Texas Tech over BYU.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) looks to pass against Penn State in the first half of an NCAA college football game. The game took place in State College, Pennsylvania on November 8, 2025. (Barry Reeger/AP Photo)
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In the middle of the pack, Utah was ranked No. 13 by the committee, with Vanderbilt, Miami, Georgia Tech, USC, Michigan, Virginia and Louisville following.
To round out the top 25, the committee chose Iowa, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, USF and Cincinnati in that order. USF and Cincinnati were both first-timers in the rankings. As mentioned, Missouri fell out of the top 25, as did Washington after losing last week.
