New York, November 23, 2025
The College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings remain stable as Ohio State leads the projected Top 12 heading into Rivalry Week, which will play a decisive role in shaping the final playoff picture. These rankings reflect current assessments through Week 12 of the 2025 season and underscore the significance of the upcoming high-stakes matchups.
Projected CFP Rankings Hold Steady
The latest projections place Ohio State at the No. 1 position with a perfect 10-0 record. Closely trailing are Indiana (11-0) and Texas A&M (10-0), followed by Georgia (9-1) and Texas Tech (10-1) completing the top five. This grouping indicates a clear front-runner cadre, with little deviation from previous rankings.
Outside the top five, the projected Top 12 lineup includes Ole Miss, Oregon, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama, BYU, and Utah. These rankings align closely with analyses from ESPN and the official CFP Selection Committee, reinforcing confidence in their accuracy.
Rivalry Week: A Crucial Turning Point
Rivalry Week’s timing near the end of the regular season places it at a pivotal juncture for teams aiming to secure playoff berths. Key matchups between top-ranked teams and traditional rivals will likely drive significant movement in the rankings. For programs ranked outside the top five, Rivalry Week presents both an opportunity and a threat, as outcomes can either cement playoff positioning or jeopardize postseason chances.
The intensity and stakes of these rivalry games, often involving conference title implications, mean that the results will carry substantial weight in final playoff considerations. The week’s outcomes will be instrumental in determining which teams claim automatic bids through conference championships and which may rely on at-large selections.
Conference Implications and Playoff Prospects
Several conference title deciders slated for Rivalry Week underscore the importance of these games beyond their rivalry history. The implications extend to shaping the CFP field, especially for teams vying to break into the top four or to maintain firmly held playoff spots.
Given the projected rankings, teams in the mid-tier—such as Ole Miss, Oregon, and Oklahoma—face the greatest uncertainty. Their performances during Rivalry Week could alter their postseason fates dramatically, either propelling them upward or causing them to fall below the cutoff.
Context and Consistency in the Rankings
Thus far, the 2025 CFP race has yielded a relatively predictable set of rankings through the first 12 weeks. The consistency across major sports analysts and the official Selection Committee indicates no major upsets or unexpected breakthroughs among frontrunners.
This stability provides a clearer narrative surrounding playoff contenders while heightening the anticipation for Rivalry Week’s potentially game-changing contests. The CFP picture remains mostly defined, with the remaining regular season games presenting the final opportunity for teams to secure or improve playoff positioning.
As Rivalry Week unfolds, all eyes will be on these critical matchups whose results will finalize the College Football Playoff field and shape the postseason landscape for the nation’s top programs.