The College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings are the official weekly standings used to select and seed teams for the national championship playoff in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Unlike the longer-standing AP and Coaches polls, these rankings are determined by a special selection committee and are the sole determinant for which teams enter the postseason playoff. This system was established to crown an undisputed national champion in a sport where the NCAA itself does not officially award a title at this level.
These rankings are notable because they directly dictate the postseason fate of top college football teams. The committee's evaluations influence which universities compete for the national championship and their seeding in the playoff bracket, making each weekly release highly consequential for the teams, their fans, and the broader college football landscape. The process is closely scrutinized due to its subjective nature, as the committee weighs factors like win-loss records, strength of schedule, and head-to-head results.
The CFP rankings have been a prominent news topic recently following the latest weekly update from the selection committee. Multiple sports outlets reported on significant movements within the top 25 teams, including a notable drop for Alabama and the continued dominance of top-ranked teams like Ohio State and Georgia. The committee chair also made headlines by publicly explaining the rationale behind specific team placements, such as justifying Notre Dame's ranking above Miami based on the perceived quality of each team's losses, highlighting the detailed analysis behind the decisions.
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- College Football Playoff rankings live updates: Alabama drops to No. 10, Top 3 stay the same - The Athletic - The New York Times 2025-11-19 11:20 · The New York Times
- CFP committee chair says Notre Dame is ahead of Miami because of quality of losses - USA Today 2025-11-19 11:16 · USA Today
- College Football Playoff Rankings: Georgia moves into top four, Oklahoma makes key move in new top 25 - CBS Sports 2025-11-19 11:15 · CBS Sports
- Alabama Football Plummets in the CFP Rankings - Roll 'Bama Roll 2025-11-19 11:08 · Roll 'Bama Roll
- College Football Playoff rankings: Ohio State and Indiana on top (again) as SEC teams dominate the top 10 - The Mercury News 2025-11-19 11:06 · The Mercury News
- One team is being overvalued compared to Oklahoma in third CFP rankings - Stormin in Norman 2025-11-19 11:03 · Stormin in Norman
- Oklahoma Sooners climb in latest CFP Rankings after win over Alabama Crimson Tide - Sooners Wire 2025-11-19 11:02 · Sooners Wire
- CFP rankings keep setting stage for Ryan Day's Michigan revenge to be glorious - Scarlet and Game 2025-11-19 11:00 · Scarlet and Game
- Notre Dame gets major boost from new CFP rankings despite not moving positions - Irish Star 2025-11-19 10:52 · Irish Star
- Indiana, Notre Dame hold steady in College Football Playoff rankings, hold onto No. 2 and No. 9 spots - Fox 59 2025-11-19 10:50 · Fox 59