The College Football Playoff Selection Committee dropped its fourth rankings of the 2025-26 season on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time — and the landscape couldn’t be clearer. Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Georgia hold the top four spots, all undefeated at 11-0. This isn’t just a snapshot — it’s a declaration. The race for the inaugural 12-team playoff is now a high-stakes chess match, and these four teams are playing for checkmate.
The Top Four: Unbeaten and Unshakable
Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M aren’t just winning — they’re dominating. Each has cruised through their schedules with precision, shutting down opponents and controlling tempo. Georgia, despite a tougher path than the top three, held firm against ranked opponents and now sits just behind them. The committee didn’t flinch: no movement among the top four, no surprises. That’s rare in a season this unpredictable.
Here’s the kicker: all four still have conference championship games ahead. Ohio State faces Michigan. Indiana plays Iowa. Texas A&M takes on LSU. Georgia meets Alabama in the SEC title game. A single loss — even by a field goal — could shatter their top-four standing. But for now, they’re untouchable.
The Chase for the Final Spots
Behind the top four, the scramble is brutal. Texas Tech (10-1) climbed to No. 5 after a late surge, leapfrogging Oregon and Ole Miss. Oregon (10-1) fell to No. 6 after a narrow loss to Washington. Ole Miss (10-1) dropped to No. 7, but still looks like a lock for an at-large bid. Oklahoma (9-2) held steady at No. 8, while Notre Dame (9-2) and Alabama (9-2) cling to the edge of the bubble.
But the real story? The Group of Five.
Tulane (9-2), ranked No. 24, is the highest-ranked non-Power Five team. The American Athletic Conference champion — if Tulane wins its final two games — gets an automatic bid under the new 12-team format. That’s huge. For the first time ever, a team from outside the Power Five has a realistic shot at the semifinals. The committee has said repeatedly: conference championships matter. And Tulane is playing like a team that knows it’s one win away from history.
The New Rules: Why This Playoff Is Different
Forget the old four-team era. The 2025-26 season introduced a seismic shift: 12 teams. Five automatic bids go to the highest-ranked conference champions. The other seven? At-large. That means even a 9-3 team from the Big Ten or SEC can sneak in — if they’ve got enough resume points.
And it’s not just about wins. The committee watches how you win. Margin of victory? Not a factor. Strength of schedule? Critical. Head-to-head? Huge. And they’re watching the little things: third-down efficiency, red-zone stops, road wins. That’s why Miami (FL) (8-2) is projected as the highest-ranked ACC team — even though they’re ranked No. 11 — and why SMU and Pittsburgh, both 8-3, jumped into the top 25 after strong finishes.
Hero Sports’ projection that James Madison could sneak in as the next Group of Five contender? That’s a long shot — but not impossible. The committee has never had to pick between multiple Group of Five champions. This season, they might have to.
What’s Next? The Final Countdown
The next ranking — the fifth — drops on December 1, 2025. The final, decisive one? December 7, 2025. That’s when the playoff field is set. The semifinals follow on January 2, 2026, with the championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 12, 2026.
What happens between now and then? Ohio State vs. Michigan. Georgia vs. Alabama. Indiana’s showdown with Iowa. Texas A&M’s trip to LSU. And Tulane, needing wins over UCF and Houston, must avoid a slip-up. One loss by any of the top four? Chaos. One loss by Tulane? Their dream dies.
The committee’s job just got harder. They’re no longer choosing between four teams. They’re sorting through a dozen contenders — and every game from now on is a referendum on their worthiness.
Historical Context: A New Era Begins
This is the first time since 2014 — when Mississippi State briefly topped the inaugural CFP rankings — that a new playoff structure has been introduced. The four-team model lasted 11 seasons. Now, the game’s scale has expanded to match its popularity. TV deals, fan engagement, revenue — all of it grew. The committee had no choice but to adapt.
But with expansion comes complexity. Who gets left out? Is a 9-2 Notre Dame more deserving than a 10-1 Ole Miss? Can a 9-2 Tulane, with a win over Cincinnati and a late surge, really be better than a 9-2 Oklahoma? These aren’t theoretical questions anymore. They’re real, urgent, and will be debated for weeks.
And here’s the quiet truth: this isn’t just about who makes the playoff. It’s about who gets to play for the national title. The old system gave us a handful of matchups. This one gives us a tournament. And that changes everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Group of Five team make the College Football Playoff semifinals?
Yes — for the first time ever. Under the new 12-team format, the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion gets an automatic bid. Tulane (9-2, ranked No. 24) is projected to win the American Athletic Conference and could become the first non-Power Five team to reach the semifinals if they finish strong and the committee ranks them high enough. The committee has signaled it won’t automatically favor Power Five teams if a Group of Five champion has a stronger resume.
Why is Georgia ranked fourth despite not being undefeated?
Georgia isn’t undefeated — they’re 10-1, with their only loss coming to Alabama in a close game. But their strength of schedule, including wins over LSU and South Carolina, and dominant performances against top-10 opponents like Tennessee, gave them enough resume points to edge out other one-loss teams. The committee values quality wins over perfect records when the schedule is tough enough.
What happens if Ohio State loses to Michigan?
If Ohio State loses to Michigan, they’d likely drop to No. 5 or lower, opening the door for Texas Tech or Oregon to jump into the top four. But they wouldn’t be eliminated. With a 11-1 record and a win over Indiana earlier this season, they’d still be a strong at-large candidate. The real danger? If Indiana also loses, the entire top-four structure collapses, and the committee would have to reassess the entire field — possibly elevating a 10-1 team like Ole Miss or Oklahoma.
How does the 12-team format affect teams like Alabama and Notre Dame?
Teams like Alabama (9-2) and Notre Dame (9-2) are now on the bubble — but in a good way. Under the old four-team system, they’d be out. Now, they’re in the conversation. Their losses came against ranked opponents, and they’ve beaten top-15 teams. The committee will weigh their head-to-head results, conference strength, and late-season momentum. A win in their conference title game — Alabama over Georgia, Notre Dame over USC — could vault them into the top seven.
When will the final playoff field be announced?
The final rankings — and thus the official playoff field — will be revealed on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time on ESPN. That’s when the four semifinal matchups are set, with the top four seeds hosting the quarterfinals. The committee will release the full bracket live, and the selections will be analyzed for hours across every sports network.
Why is Tulane ranked so low if they’re projected to win their conference?
Tulane’s No. 24 ranking reflects their overall schedule strength — they’ve played mostly Group of Five opponents and haven’t faced a top-10 team yet. The committee prioritizes quality wins, and Tulane’s best win is over Cincinnati (ranked 18th at the time). But because they’re projected to win the American Athletic Conference, they’re guaranteed a spot in the playoff — even if they’re ranked lower than some 9-2 Power Five teams. It’s a safety net built into the new format.
