The Oregon Ducks (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten Conference) made their entrance in the first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings of 2025 at No. 9. This announcement came from the CFP selection committee and was broadcast by ESPN on Tuesday evening. Oregon”s initial ranking at No. 9 represents a three-spot drop from their previous position at No. 6 in the Associated Press” top-25 poll.
Despite this setback, the Ducks are still in contention for consecutive playoff appearances. Under the current rankings, if the season were to conclude today, Oregon would not secure a first-round bye. Instead, they would face No. 8 Texas Tech in a first-round matchup in Lubbock.
This marks the second consecutive year that Oregon has debuted in the top 12 of the playoff rankings, solidifying their place in the playoff discussion. In 2024, the Ducks achieved a remarkable feat by debuting at No. 1 and became the first team in the CFP era to hold on to the top spot throughout the conference championship weekend.
The 12-member selection committee consists of seven current or former athletic directors, three former head coaches, one former player, and one media representative. While the CFP rankings align closely with the Associated Press” Top 25 poll, it is the selection committee”s rankings that ultimately shape the 12-team playoff bracket.
Notably, the NCAA has modified the playoff”s seeding format for 2025. Last season, the five highest-ranked conference champions received automatic bids, with the top four earning first-round byes and advancing directly to the semifinals. This season, the five automatic bids remain, but the committee”s top four seeds now secure first-round bye weeks, regardless of whether they are conference champions.
2025 College Football Playoff Rankings Overview
The inaugural 2025 College Football Playoff rankings, released on November 4, are as follows:
- 1. Ohio State (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten)
- 2. Indiana (9-0, 5-0 Big Ten)
- 3. Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC)
- 4. Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC)
- 5. Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC)
- 6. Ole Miss (8-1, 5-1 SEC)
- 7. BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12)
- 8. Texas Tech (8-1, 5-1 Big 12)
- 9. Oregon (7-1, 4-1 Big Ten)
- 10. Notre Dame (6-2, Independent)
- 11. Texas (7-2, 4-1 SEC)
- 12. Oklahoma (7-2, 3-2 SEC)
- 13. Utah (7-2, 4-2 Big 12)
- 14. Virginia (8-1, 5-0 ACC)
- 15. Louisville (7-1, 4-1 ACC)
- 16. Vanderbilt (7-2, 3-2 SEC)
- 17. Georgia Tech (8-1, 5-1 ACC)
- 18. Miami (6-2, 2-2 ACC)
- 19. USC (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten)
- 20. Iowa (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten)
- 21. Michigan (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten)
- 22. Missouri (6-2, 2-2 SEC)
- 23. Washington (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten)
- 24. Pittsburgh (7-2, 5-1 ACC)
- 25. Tennessee (6-3, 3-3 SEC)
Oregon”s Remaining Schedule and Playoff Implications
With the release of the rankings, the final month of the Ducks” regular season has become increasingly significant. Three of Oregon”s last four games will be against ranked opponents, depending on weekly updates. Their next challenge lies with the Iowa Hawkeyes, who entered the CFP rankings at No. 20 after being unranked in the AP poll until now.
Oregon”s last two adversaries, USC and Washington, have also made their mark in the CFP rankings, debuting at No. 19 and No. 23 respectively.
It is noteworthy that the CFP rankings exclusively consist of teams from the Power Four conferences—SEC, ACC, Big 12, and Big Ten. Although currently unranked, Memphis (8-1, 4-1 American) is the committee”s frontrunner for the fifth automatic bid and the 12-seed, with the Tigers holding a No. 22 ranking in the AP poll. In a similar vein, the committee recognizes No. 14 Virginia as the leading candidate to secure the ACC title, despite their positioning outside the top 12.
If Memphis and Virginia were to win their respective conferences while remaining unranked, two teams currently within the top 12 would miss out on the playoffs. In this scenario, No. 11 Texas and No. 12 Oklahoma would be on the outside looking in.
Hypothetical Playoff Bracket Based on Current Rankings
Should the season conclude today, the College Football Playoff bracket would appear as follows, with seeds indicated in parentheses:
- BYE WEEKS
- (1) No. 1 Ohio State
- (2) No. 2 Indiana
- (3) No. 3 Texas A&M
- (4) No. 4 Alabama
- FIRST-ROUND MATCHUPS AT HIGHER SEED”S HOME SITE
- (12) Memphis at (5) No. 5 Georgia – Winner plays No. 4 Alabama
- (9) No. 9 Oregon at (8) No. 8 Texas Tech – Winner plays No. 1 Ohio State
- (11) No. 14 Virginia at (6) No. 6 Ole Miss – Winner plays No. 3 Texas A&M
- (10) No. 10 Notre Dame at (7) No. 7 BYU – Winner plays No. 2 Indiana
