2025 College Football Playoff Bracket and Final Rankings Revealed
The 2025 college football season? It’s been a wild ride—seriously, just one surprise after another. Fans have barely had a chance to catch their breath. Now, with the season wrapping up, the College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee has finally dropped the last rankings and revealed the official 12-team bracket.
Debates have raged, outcomes have shocked, and the 2025 CFP is shaping up to be a wild sprint to the finish. So, what’s the deal with this year’s playoff structure—and who actually made the cut?
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2025 College Football Playoff: The Road to Glory
This season’s journey to the playoff? Not exactly boring. It started with 133 FBS teams, all chasing that dream of glory.
After 15 weeks of intense games, only 12 teams are left standing. The CFP selection committee, led by Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek, had their hands full—especially after the chaos of the conference championships.
Key Highlights from the Conference Championships
The conference championships really threw a wrench into the rankings. Some moments just stood out:
- Alabama’s Upset: Alabama, sitting at No. 9, lost 28–7 to Georgia in the SEC title game. Ouch.
- Duke’s Triumph: Duke somehow made it to the ACC championship despite five losses, then took down No. 17 Virginia 27–20 in overtime.
Those twists just fueled more speculation. Fans and analysts couldn’t stop guessing which teams would sneak into the playoff bracket.
The Final CFP Rankings and Bracket
The CFP selection committee revealed the final rankings on Selection Show Sunday. Here’s how the top 25 shook out, with playoff teams in bold:
- Indiana (13–0)
- Ohio State (9–0)
- Georgia (12–1)
- Texas Tech (12–1)
- Oregon (11–1)
- Ole Miss (11–1)
- Texas A&M (11–1)
- Oklahoma (10–2)
- Alabama (10–3)
- Miami (10–2)
- Notre Dame (10–2)
- BYU (11–2)
- Texas (9–3)
- Vanderbilt (10–2)
- Utah (10–2)
- USC (9–3)
- Arizona (9–3)
- Michigan (9–3)
- Virginia (10–3)
- Tulane (11–2)
- Houston (9–3)
- Georgia Tech (9–3)
- Iowa (8–4)
- James Madison (12–1)
- North Texas (11–2)
The top four—No. 1 Indiana, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas Tech—all get a first-round bye. They’ll wait for the dust to settle in the opening round before jumping in.
Automatic and At-Large Bids
Five automatic bids went to the highest-ranked conference champs:
- Indiana (Big Ten)
- Georgia (SEC)
- Texas Tech (Big 12)
- Tulane (American)
- James Madison (Sun Belt)
The seven at-large spots? They went to:
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Miami
Notre Dame, even though they were ranked ahead of Miami last Tuesday, missed the cut. Miami’s win over Notre Dame way back in the season opener ended up being the difference that got the Hurricanes in.
The Matchups and Schedule
The CFP’s second-ever 12-team bracket became official on ESPN’s Selection Show. Here’s the schedule, if you want to mark your calendar:
- Friday, Dec. 19
- Saturday, Dec. 20
- Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Thursday, Jan. 1
- Thursday, Jan. 8
- Friday, Jan. 9
- Monday, Jan. 19
The top four seeds will be watching closely, waiting to see who they’ll face in the quarters. Expect some fireworks—these games almost never disappoint, and honestly, who doesn’t love a good underdog story or last-second finish?
What to Expect
We’re almost there—the 2025 College Football Playoff is right around the corner. Fans and analysts are buzzing about a handful of storylines that could shape the whole thing.
- Indiana stands out as the only undefeated team. That’s got everyone watching.
- Ohio State is chasing perfection, hoping to keep their record spotless.
- Georgia just put on a show in the SEC championship. Can they keep that fire?
- Tulane and James Madison? They’re the underdogs, but you never know. Upsets happen.
The matchups are set, and anticipation is off the charts. The 2025 Playoff could bring wild drama and those moments you talk about for years.
If you want a deeper dive, check out Sports Illustrated for coverage and updates.
We’ll be following every game, breaking down performances, and tracking the march toward the national title. Ready or not, it’s almost kickoff.
