Ohio State, Indiana lead 1st CFP rankings

The rest of the country is looking up at the Big Ten in the first release of the College Football Playoff rankings for the 2025 season.

Defending national champions Ohio State and Indiana top the initial list that dropped Tuesday, with the Big Ten duo sitting at a perfect 17-0 on the season thus far. Texas A&M and Alabama sit third and fourth, respectively, and would be the final two teams to receive a bye for the opening round of the playoffs if the season ended today.

While Memphis is not ranked in the top 25, the Tigers would be included in the 12-team playoff field as the highest-ranked Group of 5 conference champion. That would eliminate Oklahoma from the playoff in this scenario, as Virginia also nabs an automatic spot as the ACC winner, bumping out Texas.

Last year saw the top-4 conference champions receive the first-round bye - a situation that saw Arizona State and Boise State avoid playing in the opening round. That rule was amended in the offseason to drop the conference champion requirement and just reward the four best teams.

The SEC leads the way with six teams in the initial top 12, as Georgia, Ole Miss, Texas, and Oklahoma join the aforementioned Crimson Tide and Aggies. The Big Ten is next with three teams after Oregon found the No. 9 slot.

BYU once again entered the first CFP release undefeated, with the Cougars sitting at 8-0 for the second straight season. They have a massive Big 12 tilt with No. 8-ranked Texas Tech this weekend.

Notre Dame also finds itself in the initial field again despite losses to Miami and Texas A&M to start the season. The Fighting Irish have reeled off six straight wins, but likely have to run the table to lock down a playoff spot.

Here's how the committee ranked the remaining top 25: