College Football Playoff 2025: Live Bracket Projections and Predictions

As the 2025 college football season hits its peak, the latest College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings and bracket projections are stirring up plenty of buzz and debate. With the conference championship games wrapped up, the CFP selection committee has locked in the top 25 teams and the 12-team playoff bracket.

This weekend’s wild mix of upsets and blowouts has left a real mark on the road to the national title.

Conference Championship Highlights

The conference championships on Friday, Dec. 5, handed the CFP selection committee some pretty decisive data to work with. Here’s a quick look at the key games and what went down:

• Big Ten Championship: No. 2 Indiana stunned No. 1 Ohio State, 13-10.
• SEC Championship: No. 3 Georgia rolled over No. 9 Alabama, 28-7.
• Big 12 Championship: No. 4 Texas Tech dominated No. 11 BYU, 34-7.
• American Championship: No. 20 Tulane took down No. 24 North Texas, 34-21.
• Sun Belt Championship: James Madison handled Troy, 31-14.
• ACC Championship: Duke toppled No. 17 Virginia in overtime, 27-20.

Big Ten Championship: Indiana vs. Ohio State

No. 2 Indiana knocked off the top-ranked Buckeyes, 13-10, in a game that might not have shaken up the bracket much, but sure was memorable. Indiana’s defense held strong, stopping Ohio State on a fourth-and-short.

• Ohio State missed a 27-yard field goal that would’ve tied it up.
• Fernando Mendoza’s touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt gave Indiana the lead for good.

SEC Championship: Georgia vs. Alabama

No. 3 Georgia’s 28-7 win over No. 9 Alabama pretty much ended Bama’s playoff hopes. Gunner Stockton led Georgia’s offense, and the defense just wouldn’t let up.

• Stockton hit Zachariah Branch for a touchdown.
• Georgia’s defense forced two big turnovers on downs.
• Ty Simpson’s pass to Germie Bernard kept Alabama from getting shut out.

Big 12 Championship: Texas Tech vs. BYU

Texas Tech ran away with the Big 12 title, beating BYU 34-7 and snagging a CFP spot with a first-round bye. Their defense really set the tone, shutting BYU down and creating turnovers.

• Ben Roberts picked off a pass and set up a touchdown.
• Behren Morton found Coy Eakin for a score.
• Cameron Dickey punched it in from 11 yards after a BYU turnover.

American and Sun Belt Championships

No. 20 Tulane beat No. 24 North Texas 34-21 in the American championship, locking in at least the No. 12 seed. James Madison’s 31-14 win over Troy in the Sun Belt, plus Duke’s upset of Virginia, gave them a real shot at sneaking into the playoff as a top conference champ.

ACC Championship: Duke vs. Virginia

Duke came out on top against No. 17 Virginia in overtime, 27-20. That win handed Duke the ACC crown and, honestly, threw a wrench into the CFP selection process.

• Darian Mensah’s touchdown pass to Jeremiah Hasley in OT sealed it.
• Virginia forced overtime with a late touchdown.
• Duke’s defense came up with a clutch interception to end it.

Final CFP Rankings and Bracket Projections

With the dust settled, the CFP committee dropped the final top 25 and the 12-team playoff bracket. The top four teams, earning first-round byes, are:

• No. 1 Indiana (13-0)
• No. 2 Georgia (12-1)
• No. 3 Ohio State (12-1)
• No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1)

The rest of the playoff bracket shakes out like this:

• No. 5 Oregon (11-1)
• No. 6 Mississippi (11-1)
• No. 7 Texas A&M (11-1)
• No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2)
• No. 9 Notre Dame (10-2)
• No. 10 Miami (10-2)
• No. 11 Tulane (11-2)
• No. 12 James Madison (12-1)

First-Round Matchups

First-round CFP games are set up like this:

• No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon
• No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Mississippi
• No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M
• No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma

These games are scheduled for Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20. Winners move on to the quarterfinals, hosted by the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl.

The semifinals will play out in the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl, and the national championship game is set for Monday, Jan. 19. Should be a wild ride.

Looking Ahead

The 2025 college football season has been wild—thrilling games, shocking upsets, and some truly dominant teams. Nobody could’ve predicted half of what we’ve seen so far.

With the CFP just around the corner, the excitement’s about to hit another level. Who’s going to take the crown this year? Feels like anything could happen.

For more detailed coverage and live updates, check out the full article on USA TODAY Sports here.