First CFP rankings drop, Memphis shocks the field

By Chris Marler

The first College Football Playoff rankings dropped Tuesday night. Fans expected drama at the top—but the reveal, like the broadcast, fell flat.

The top five of the rankings mirrored the AP and Coaches Polls. Nine SEC teams made the initial rankings, including four in the top six. The Big Ten, however, held the top two spots with Ohio State and Indiana being ranked No. 1 and 2.

THE FIRST 12-TEAM CFP BRACKET PROJECTION OF THE SEASON‼️

The committee selected Memphis as the best team from the remaining conferences. pic.twitter.com/EU6NCc33Ds

— ESPN (@espn) November 5, 2025

The biggest surprise? No Group of Six teams cracked the Top 25. That means Memphis, despite being unranked, would currently claim the G6 spot in the 12-team playoff.

Here’s how the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket would look if the season ended today.

12-team CFP Field

1. Ohio State (First Round Bye)
2. Indiana (First Round Bye)
3. Texas A&M (First Round Bye)
4. Alabama (First Round Bye)

• No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 Memphis 
• No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Virginia 
• No. 7 BYU vs. No. 10 Notre Dame 
• No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Oregon

Week 1 Rankings

Here’s the full Top 25, along with how many teams each Power 4 conference placed in the rankings.

1. Ohio State 
2. Indiana 
3. Texas A&M 8-0 
4. Alabama 7-1 
5. Georgia 7-1
6. Ole Miss 8-1 
7. BYU 8-0 
8. Texas Tech 8-1
9. Oregon 7-1
10. Notre Dame 6-2
11. Texas 7-2
12. Oklahoma 7-2
13. Utah 7-2
14. Virginia 8-1
15. Louisville 7-1
16. Vanderbilt 7-2
17. Georgia Tech 8-1
18. Miami 6-2
19. Southern Cal 6-2
20. Iowa 6-2
21. Michigan 7-2
22. Missouri 6-2
23. Washington 6-2
24. Pittsburgh 7-3
25. Tennessee 6-3

By Power 4 Conference 

• SEC – 9
• Big Ten – 7
• ACC – 5
• Big 12 – 3