Next College Football Playoff Rankings Release Schedule and Key Dates

The College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings are a big deal every season. They shape the postseason and decide which teams get to fight for the national championship.

This week, the CFP selection committee has a bit of a puzzle. BYU, which had been undefeated, just lost, and now the rankings are in for a shakeup.

The committee has to figure out how to rearrange the top ten. Plus, the Group of Five spot is up for grabs after Memphis lost—so now USF, North Texas, and James Madison are hoping to get noticed.

Here’s what’s coming up with the CFP rankings and the rest of the season’s schedule.

Upcoming CFP Rankings Release Schedule

The committee will announce the second CFP rankings on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Eastern. ESPN’s got the broadcast, so fans can tune in for the latest playoff drama.

Here’s the full CFP rankings release schedule for the 2025 season:

• CFP rankings release No. 1: Tues., Nov. 4 at 8 p.m.
• CFP rankings release No. 2: Tues., Nov. 11 at 7 p.m.
• CFP rankings release No. 3: Tues., Nov. 18 at 8:30 p.m.
• CFP rankings release No. 4: Tues., Nov. 25 at 7 p.m.
• CFP rankings release No. 5: Tues., Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
• Selection Sunday: Sun., Dec. 7 at 12 p.m.

How the Rankings Are Determined

The committee builds the top 25 by looking at how teams actually perform. It’s not just about wins and losses—they use a handful of different metrics to try to get a full picture.

According to the College Football Playoff guidelines, each member makes a list of 30 teams they think are the best. When three or more members agree, those teams get ranked together, and the process keeps going from there.

Impact of Recent Games

BYU’s loss to Texas Tech is one of the biggest stories this week. The Cougars got blown out by 22 points, which isn’t great for their ranking hopes.

The committee will probably look at the margin and see it as a pretty costly loss for BYU. This could open the door for other teams to move up.

Teams in the top ten are going to shuffle around. It’s anyone’s guess who takes advantage of the chaos.

Group of Five Selection

The Group of Five spot is wide open now. Memphis was the favorite, but after losing to Tulane, it feels like anything could happen.

USF, North Texas, and James Madison are all making their case. The committee will be watching them closely.

Whoever gets picked from the Group of Five gets a shot at a New Year’s Six bowl. That makes this decision even bigger for those programs.

Looking Ahead

With every new set of rankings, the pressure ramps up. Teams are going to be fighting for every spot, and every game matters more now.

There’s a lot of unpredictability, honestly. Upsets could come out of nowhere, and the committee’s choices will be under the microscope as Selection Sunday gets closer.

Conclusion

The College Football Playoff rankings really set the tone for the rest of the season. They decide which teams get a shot at the national title, so yeah, they’re a big deal.

This week’s rankings drop on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. With BYU’s recent loss and all the chaos among the Group of Five, things could get pretty wild.

If you’re curious, you can watch the live announcement on ESPN. It’s always a little nerve-wracking waiting to see how it all shakes out.

Want to dig deeper? There’s a full article over at Sports Illustrated with more details and analysis.