The College Football Playoff selection committee loves a good loss.Just ask Iowa — a team neither I nor the AP ranked — or Texas, which somehow sits behind a Notre Dame squad with losses to Miami and the last undefeated team in the SEC (Texas A&M). It’s clear that if you lose valiantly, it could help you get into the top 25. While the Group of six teams scratch their heads and wonder what else they need to do to be respected, here are my thoughts on the first CFP rankings. Ohio State and Indiana lead the wayPerhaps the strongest indication that these two programs are the best in the country is that Iowa — who played Indiana closest so far this season — and Texas — the only team to play Ohio State to a one-score game — are each ranked among the top 20 teams in this week’s CFP ranking.No team defends like Ohio State. The Buckeyes are giving up just 6.9 points and 214.8 yards per game — both the best marks in the country. The Hoosiers, meanwhile, are tops on both sides of ball. They lead the nation in scoring (46.4 points per match) and point differential (+321), while ranking third for scoring defense (10.8 PPG). Indiana is only one of two FBS teams to have won two games against AP Top-10 opponents. Oregon (No. The table must be dominated by Ole Miss (No. 6) need to run the tableA few weeks ago, Oregon’s double-overtime win over No. It looked like Oregon’s double-overtime win over No. But after Penn State’s five-game skid, the Ducks’ most impressive win is now at Northwestern — the only team they’ve faced with a winning record. In the second half of the season, Dan Lanning’s squad needs to bolster its résumé with wins over tougher opponents like Washington, Iowa, and USC.While the Rebels are a near lock to make their first College Football Playoff appearance, they’ll likely need to run the table this month to keep that position. The strength of their schedule is ranked at No. Another loss in the FBS could allow a program such as Oklahoma or Texas, currently ranked 56th, to move into the spot that is reserved for Ole Miss going into Week 11.3. Texas (No. 11) is going to have a difficult time making the 12-team fieldThe team that opened the season as the AP’s preseason No. The College of Charleston team that started the season as the AP’s preseason No. 1 may not make it to the College Football Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and Missouri are also on the outside of the Playoff. With Virginia — the highest-ranked ACC team — sitting behind Texas, the Cavaliers would currently claim a 12-team CFP spot as a Power 4 champion with an automatic bid.For Vanderbilt, the head-to-head loss to Texas is a major setback in any résumé comparison. Missouri’s only losses are to Vanderbilt and Alabama, but the Tigers still lack a signature win.Oklahoma, meanwhile, might have the best case to climb in the rankings. Wins over Michigan and Tennessee give the Sooners a foundation to argue for a higher spot than Texas in the coming weeks — especially if an ACC champion finishes ahead of this SEC quartet on Selection Sunday.4. Only 28 teams are still alive in the CFP chaseAnd that’s it. The 108 FBS teams know that they will not be playing postseason football to compete for the national championship and their fans won’t have a chance to host a playoff game at home. The 12-team CFP simply doesn’t keep as many programs alive as a 24-team field would. Fewer teams stay in the mix for a postseason run at the national title — or for one more home game in what would be the biggest, loudest atmosphere of the year, and in some places, the biggest ever.In my 24-team CFP, 43 teams are still in the mix because the format allows for teams to take on three or four losses during the regular season and still have a chance to earn not just a bid to the CFP, but perhaps even a home game as those teams try to make it all the way to the national title game.RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Want great stories delivered straight to your inbox, follow him on Twitter @RJ_Young. Sign up for a FOX Sports account or create one. Follow leagues, players and teams to receive personalized daily newsletters!
2025-11-05 03:31:37
4 Takeaways From the First CFP Rankings Release of 2025
