The College Football The first 25 top ranked teams for the 2025 campaign will be released on Tuesday, as we enter the final month of this year’s campaign. This gives us an idea of how the Playoff Selection Committee views the top teams in the country based upon a number of factors. We’ll also get a detailed explanation of “record strength,” a new metric designed to further credit teams for how they perform against their schedule. The idea is to give teams an extra boost when they beat quality opponents, while reducing the penalties for losing to tougher opponents. According to CFP guidelines the selection committee ranks teams according to the members’ assessment of their performance on the playing field. They use conference championships, strength of schedules, head-tohead results, and comparisons of results with common opponents in order to determine which teams are comparable.”Each member of the selection panel creates a 30 team list they consider the best in college-level football. Three or more members must agree to rank the teams in each group.
Tuesday’s rankings will be the first of a series of five rankings that will lead up to Selection Day in December, when the Power Four Conference Championships and Group of Six Conference Championships are determined.
Texas to return to College Bowl Football Miami’s chances of making the playoffs are fading.
Brad Crawford
The Buckeyes are the only team that has passed the proverbial “eye test” and been as dominant. Through Week 10, Ohio State has won over Texas, Washington, and Illinois. No opponent other than the Longhorns during the season opener has been within two touchdowns. This team is more complete than the squad that won last year’s national championship.Wonderful wins over teams projected to be in the CFP Top 25 include:
We don’t think Tennessee will be ranked after their home loss to Oklahoma in Tuesday’s initial playoff poll. Why is Alabama ahead of the SEC’s only remaining unbeaten (Texas A&M) here? We can guess that the selection committee cites the Crimson Tide’s superior strength of schedule.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 3
This is a team which rarely plays around with food, and that’s something the selection committee will like. Also notable are the Hoosiers’ Big Ten victories at Iowa and their 53-point thrashing of Illinois. No. The fact that Indiana is ranked No. 2 in the game control category will continue to be a strength throughout the rest of this season. Indiana’s final three Big Ten opponents combined are 0-16 against each other in conference games. Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 2
4. Texas A&M (8-0)Coming from behind to beat Notre Dame on the road along with the recent clobbering of LSU in Death Valley are high marks for the Aggies. LSU’s win will not be counted in the first selection committee poll but it is still a good away victory. The most likely SEC Championship Game scenario right now is Texas A&M vs. Alabama with both teams getting first-round byes if they win out in the regular season.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
Georgia will only have one win against a top-25-ranked team if Tennessee does not get ranked on Tuesday. That would be Ole Miss. The Bulldogs have a very impressive resume, as the Vols won at Neyland Stadium and they also had a road victory against Auburn. Their only loss was to arguably the top SEC team. Georgia has a chance of moving into the top four with wins over Texas and Georgia Tech.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
6. Ole Miss (8-1-1)As of now, the Rebels have only won one game, a road victory at Oklahoma in late October. However, Ole Miss beat LSU, when they were ranked number 1 and unbeaten. 4. If the Green Wave beat Memphis this weekend, then Tulane’s win will strengthen the Rebels’ resume. The win over Tulane strengthens the Rebels’ resume if the Green Wave beat Memphis this weekend.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
7. BYU (8 0)The Cougars will play their most important game for several years on Saturday in Texas Tech. They are one of the only four unbeaten teams in the Power Four. It’s an opportunity for both teams to build their resumes. The game will determine the half of teams that play in the conference championship next month. BYU’s win over Utah on Oct. 18 is its best up to this point.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
It was expected that the Ducks would win a big game at Penn State, but they only have one victory this season against a team who has a winning record. Oregon, on the other hand, has been able to dominate every opponent except for the two losses at home, one against Indiana, and the victory in double-overtime at Happy Valley.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 0
9. Texas Tech (8-1-1)This victory will impress the selection committee because few teams have defeated Utah on the road under Kyle Whittingham. Ranking No. Red Raiders ranked third in game control for the season. Their loss at Arizona State came as a result of Behren Morton’s absence. Strength of schedule metrics won’t help Texas Tech’s case in the long run, but a win over BYU this weekend puts Joey McGuire’s squad back in the Big 12’s poll position.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
10. Texas (7-2)Steve Sarkisian & Arch Manning are on fire at the perfect time. Texas’s most recent win over Oklahoma is the Red River head-tohead. If both of these teams have identical records at the end, the committee must give the Longhorns an advantage based on their performance. Opportunities against top-5 Georgia and Texas A&M remain for a squad in great standing.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25:: 2
Miami will be the last team ranked according to our projections if Tuesday’s rankings reflect what we think. In light of recent events, the Hurricanes will rely on early-season successes to establish themselves as contenders. Miami’s losses against Louisville and SMU could be considered devastating. However, we will have to wait to see what the committee thinks of Miami’s recent slide.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 2
12. Notre Dame (6-2)Notre Dame has three wins over teams with winning records — Boise State, NC State and USC — with more coming down the stretch vs. Navy and Pitt if all goes well for Marcus Freeman. In a couple of weeks, we think that’s enough to beat a Miami team with 10 wins. After all, the Hurricanes lost their head-to-head matchup on Aug. 31, so that might be enough. For now, though, it’s hard to see the selection committee slotting the Fighting Irish over Miami given that result.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
13. Oklahoma (7-2)After beating Tennessee for their second win this season over a team we’re projecting to be in the first CFP rankings, the Sooners would virtually guarantee a spot in the bracket by winning out against Alabama, Missouri and LSU.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 2
14. Georgia Tech (8-1)After their first loss of the season, at NC State on Saturday night, there is no metric to respect the Yellow Jackets. The strength of record rating at No. This week, Georgia Tech will be behind Miami.
Wins against teams in CFP Top 25 projected:: 0
What weight will the Commodores wins over South Carolina, LSU and other teams in the projected CFP Top 25 have on those who are deciding before the reveal? Those two have flatlined.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
The Cavaliers are the only unbeaten team in ACC competition. They have won three games that went to overtime. Their only loss was at NC State, but it did not count towards a conference match as they were the only ones. Tony Elliott’s team controls their own playoff destiny as a potential league champion.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
17. Louisville (7-1-1)Louisville is four points from being undefeated, but there are some plays they would have liked to have gotten back in the overtime loss against Virginia. The Miami victory is considered one of the top victories in college football.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
18. Utah (7-2)The Utes obliterated previously-ranked Arizona State and Cincinnati, so that’s an important note when both losses came to Big 12 frontrunners leaders BYU and Texas Tech.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 0
19. USC (6-2). The selection committee will consider the Trojans’ comeback victory at Nebraska, since it came against a full-strength team that had a winning record on the road. The head-to-head win over Michigan matters, too.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
20. Michigan (7-2-1)After three consecutive victories since their loss at USC Michigan will have a chance to win over voters at Ohio State. This would be one out of two victories over ranked teams if the Wolverines finished 10-2, provided Washington maintains its current form.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
21. Washington (6-2). The Huskies have a golden opportunity in their final game against Oregon. Win that one against the Ducks for a 10-2 finish and there’s going to be lots of eyes on that final reveal.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
22. Memphis (8-1-1)Despite American’s wild and crazy season, Memphis has been the undisputed leader going into Friday’s matchup at home against Tulane. This would make them the No. 12 seed as the auto-bid from the Group of Six.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
23. Illinois (6-3). This is the team we will talk about this week. The only three-loss team could be in the top 25, and that’s why it’s important. Why? The Fighting Illini have the best strength of schedule. The Fighting Illini’s losses came against Ohio State, Indiana, and Washington. Their wins over Duke, USC and Washington were impressive.
Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 1
24. Missouri (6-2).The Tigers’ quarterback Beau Pribula was injured last month, just a few days after a win over Vanderbilt. Four more games with SEC competition remain for a team that’s fading.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 0
Will the committee include Bulls in order to ensure that one of Miami’s best wins this season remains? Potentially. USF missed a chance to take control of its destiny at Memphis a few weeks ago. If not USF here, Iowa (6-2) could be the choice.Wins over teams in projected CFP Top 25: 0
2025-11-05 00:30:43
