CFP Rankings Show the Old Guard Holding Strong, Newcomers Stepping Up
The College Football Playoff rankings have been released, and while there's been no significant shakeup at the top five, a handful of newcomers have squeezed their way into the mix. The SEC continues to dominate, with eight teams claiming spots in the top 25, followed closely by the Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12.
Ohio State and Indiana continue to sit atop the rankings, with Texas A&M and Alabama rounding out the top four seeds, which are now determined by team strength rather than conference affiliation. This shift reflects a new era for the CFP, where the best teams will be rewarded regardless of their conference background.
Meanwhile, Oregon has remained steady at No. 8, despite a close loss to Iowa earlier this month. The Ducks' position is precarious, with another slip-up and they could find themselves on the outside looking in. A single loss to Minnesota or USC/Washington would put them firmly in CFP bubble territory, where results from other conferences will have a direct impact.
Notre Dame continues to defy expectations, moving up one spot to No. 9 as the highest-ranked two-loss team. The Irish's run game is being touted as among the best in the country, with committee chair Mack Rhoades praising their complete team package. While Notre Dame can't access the CFP through an automatic bid, their high ranking will make it harder for other at-large teams to secure a spot.
The Longhorns, meanwhile, are a fascinating wild card. With upcoming showdowns against Georgia and Texas A&M, could a split of these games allow them to become the first three-loss team to make the CFP? It's a tantalizing prospect, but their path remains uncertain.
Brigham Young has taken a significant hit, sliding from No. 7 to No. 12 after a lopsided loss to Texas Tech. The selection committee doesn't seem to view the Cougars as playoff-caliber at the moment, leaving them with a tough road ahead.
In contrast, Utah's position remains solid at No. 13, despite a head-to-head loss to BYU. The Utes' schedule is looking increasingly bleak, making an at-large berth all but impossible.
The ACC has struggled to find its footing this season, and Miami's No. 15 ranking reflects the conference's chaotic results. Meanwhile, USC and Michigan are quietly waiting in the wings, with high-profile games against Iowa and Oregon/Texas A&M looming large.
Finally, South Florida has made a surprising leap into the rankings at No. 24, thanks to wins over Boise State and Florida. The Bulls' consistency is being praised by committee chair Rhoades, who believes they're among the most reliable Group of Five teams so far.
As the season enters its final stretch, these rankings will likely continue to evolve. But for now, it's clear that the old guard is holding strong, with the SEC and Big Ten vying for dominance.
The College Football Playoff rankings have been released, and while there's been no significant shakeup at the top five, a handful of newcomers have squeezed their way into the mix. The SEC continues to dominate, with eight teams claiming spots in the top 25, followed closely by the Big Ten, ACC, and Big 12.
Ohio State and Indiana continue to sit atop the rankings, with Texas A&M and Alabama rounding out the top four seeds, which are now determined by team strength rather than conference affiliation. This shift reflects a new era for the CFP, where the best teams will be rewarded regardless of their conference background.
Meanwhile, Oregon has remained steady at No. 8, despite a close loss to Iowa earlier this month. The Ducks' position is precarious, with another slip-up and they could find themselves on the outside looking in. A single loss to Minnesota or USC/Washington would put them firmly in CFP bubble territory, where results from other conferences will have a direct impact.
Notre Dame continues to defy expectations, moving up one spot to No. 9 as the highest-ranked two-loss team. The Irish's run game is being touted as among the best in the country, with committee chair Mack Rhoades praising their complete team package. While Notre Dame can't access the CFP through an automatic bid, their high ranking will make it harder for other at-large teams to secure a spot.
The Longhorns, meanwhile, are a fascinating wild card. With upcoming showdowns against Georgia and Texas A&M, could a split of these games allow them to become the first three-loss team to make the CFP? It's a tantalizing prospect, but their path remains uncertain.
Brigham Young has taken a significant hit, sliding from No. 7 to No. 12 after a lopsided loss to Texas Tech. The selection committee doesn't seem to view the Cougars as playoff-caliber at the moment, leaving them with a tough road ahead.
In contrast, Utah's position remains solid at No. 13, despite a head-to-head loss to BYU. The Utes' schedule is looking increasingly bleak, making an at-large berth all but impossible.
The ACC has struggled to find its footing this season, and Miami's No. 15 ranking reflects the conference's chaotic results. Meanwhile, USC and Michigan are quietly waiting in the wings, with high-profile games against Iowa and Oregon/Texas A&M looming large.
Finally, South Florida has made a surprising leap into the rankings at No. 24, thanks to wins over Boise State and Florida. The Bulls' consistency is being praised by committee chair Rhoades, who believes they're among the most reliable Group of Five teams so far.
As the season enters its final stretch, these rankings will likely continue to evolve. But for now, it's clear that the old guard is holding strong, with the SEC and Big Ten vying for dominance.
i mean, how can ohio state and indiana be at the top again? shouldn't some new team from a different conference get some love? 
and what's up with oregon being so inconsistent? one week they're 8th, the next they're almost out 
it's like they're playing to their own agenda. and don't even get me started on the longhorns - are they just messing with us? 
could they really become the first three-loss team to make the cfp? it's crazy talk, but you never know what's going on behind the scenes 
and i gotta say, it's interesting to see ohio state and indiana still sitting pretty at the top 
their strength over conference affiliation makes sense now that the cfp has changed up its game 
meanwhile, oregon's position is precarious – one more loss and they're in big trouble 
and i love how notre dame is defying expectations with a high ranking despite having two losses 
but brigham young's decline from 7 to 12 is wild 
. But hey, Utah's position remains solid at #13 and Miami is creeping up, so it's all good! The SEC and Big Ten are looking strong as usual 
. And who knows, maybe South Florida can make some noise in the final stretch? 
the sec is on fire lol but omg oregon's position is so weird they're like barely hanging in 
meanwhile, notre dame is defying expectations with that run game tho 
but brigham young taking a hit after that blowout loss 
what's up with that selection committee tho? 
The SEC is still killing it, but I'm curious to see how these newbies like Oregon and Indiana will hold up against tougher opponents. Ohio State and Alabama are looking solid at the top, but Texas A&M's loss to the Buckeyes was a major bummer for them. 
! They're definitely making it harder for other teams to get in the CFP. On the flip side, BYU took a huge hit after that Texas Tech loss... 
what happened?
The CFP rankings are always so dramatic and unpredictable, can't wait to see how this all plays out! 
. You've got your established powerhouses like Ohio State and Alabama, but then you've got these newcomers trying to shake things up. It's all about who can adapt and play the game, just like in politics - who can pivot and come out on top? 
. Their path is uncertain, and we've seen teams drop out of contention after one more loss 
. Their consistency and wins over big opponents like Boise State and Florida show that they're reliable, even if they're not in the top tier 
. The ACC still has some work to do to find its footing this season 
, but teams like USC and Michigan are quietly waiting for their chance to shine 
.