College Football Playoff Rankings: Week 10 Highlights and Predictions
The initial College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings for 2025 have kicked off a storm of chatter among fans and analysts. Ohio State leads, with Indiana, Texas A&M, and Alabama right behind, setting up a wild finish for the season.
Let’s break down what’s going on with these rankings, poke at some surprises, and toss around a few what-if scenarios as teams scramble for those precious playoff spots.
Contents
Breaking Down the Top 12
Ohio State sits at No. 1 in the first CFP rankings of 2025. Indiana is No. 2, Texas A&M lands at No. 3, and Alabama rounds out the top four.
The rest of the top 12? Here’s how it looks:
- Georgia
- Ole Miss
- BYU
- Texas Tech
- Oregon
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Oklahoma
Virginia, ranked No. 14, is the ACC’s top team. Memphis, even though it didn’t crack the CFP Top 25, is the highest-rated Group of 5 team out there.
That leaves Texas and Oklahoma as the first two teams out if the season ended tonight. If you want the nitty-gritty, here’s the full article.
Surprises and Snubs
Indiana’s High Ranking
Indiana at No. 2? That’s got plenty of folks scratching their heads. Many expected Texas A&M to snag that spot, but the committee had other ideas.
Indiana’s resume is solid—they’ve got two top-20 road wins, a rare feat this year. Still, their jump ahead of the Aggies is fueling a lot of debate.
Utah’s Unexpected Boost
Utah at No. 13 is another eyebrow-raiser. They don’t have a Top-25 win and got blown out by Texas Tech at home.
Yet, somehow, they’re five spots higher than Miami. Analysts aren’t exactly sure what the committee is seeing here.
Inconsistencies and Patterns
Every season, people try to decode the committee’s reasoning. This year, it seems like they’re putting a premium on big wins and clean records.
But, honestly, the logic feels a bit fuzzy. Oregon, for example, is three spots lower in the CFP rankings than in the AP Top 25, while Utah is four spots higher. Go figure.
Group of 5 Exclusion
One thing stands out: not a single Group of 5 team made the CFP Top 25. Memphis is No. 22 in the AP poll but didn’t make the CFP cut.
It’s the first time since 2014 that this has happened. That’s a tough pill for smaller programs.
Potential Scenarios
So, what might shake out as the season winds down? Here are a few wild possibilities.
Big Ten Drama
Oregon’s November could make or break the Big Ten’s shot at the CFP. If they run the table against Iowa, Minnesota, USC, and Washington, a playoff spot seems likely.
But if they stumble, other Big Ten teams could sneak in. Nothing’s settled yet.
SEC Showdowns
The SEC’s always a mess—in a good way. If Texas A&M, Alabama, Georgia, and Ole Miss all win out, the league could have four teams with at least 11 wins.
On the flip side, a few upsets and suddenly you’ve got seven SEC teams finishing 10-2 or better. That’d be chaos, but who doesn’t love a little chaos?
ACC Intrigue
Don’t count out the ACC. Miami, Pitt, and Duke are all lurking, hoping for a shot.
Miami could finish 10-2 with some key wins. Pitt and Duke also have paths to strong finishes, and maybe—just maybe—they’ll make things interesting for the committee.
Final Thoughts
Five weeks left until Selection Sunday. The college football world feels like it’s holding its breath.
The committee’s first rankings have definitely raised the stakes. Every game from here out could flip the script.
Fans and analysts are glued to their screens, waiting to see which teams claw their way into the College Football Playoff.
If you want to dig into the rankings or play out some wild scenarios, check out the original article.
There’s a lot to watch as the season winds down. Upsets, rivalries, and a handful of teams with everything on the line—does it get much better?
Whether you’re all about the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, or somewhere else, these next few weeks are going to be a rollercoaster. Only a few will make it, and honestly, it’s anyone’s guess who pulls it off.
