The final week before the College Football Playoff field is set brought a shakeup in the AP Top 25, and there’s no shortage of storylines as we head into championship weekend.
Texas A&M Tumbles, Texas Tech Soars
After spending two months comfortably inside the top five, Texas A&M took a hit in the rankings, sliding four spots to No. 7 following a 10-point loss at Texas. That stumble opened the door for Texas Tech, which now finds itself at No. 5-its highest ranking since 2008. The Red Raiders have been quietly building momentum all season, and now they’re front and center heading into the Big 12 title game.
Top Two Hold Steady-But Not for Long
Ohio State and Indiana remain locked in at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, for the seventh straight week. Both teams are undefeated, both have Heisman-caliber quarterbacks in Julian Sayin (Ohio State) and Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), and both will settle things on the field this Saturday in the Big Ten Championship Game. This isn’t just a battle for the conference crown-it’s a de facto national semifinal.
Indiana’s offense has been electric, putting up 532 points this season-one of only two teams to break the 530 mark. On the flip side, Ohio State’s defense has been historically stingy, allowing just 93 points all year. This is strength vs. strength, and something’s got to give in Indianapolis.
Georgia-Alabama, Part IV
The SEC Championship Game will feature a familiar heavyweight clash: No. 4 Georgia vs.
No. 10 Alabama.
This is their fourth meeting in the conference title game since 2018, and the stakes are as high as ever. Alabama handed Georgia its only loss of the season back in late September-a tight 24-21 contest.
Since then, the Bulldogs have rattled off eight straight wins and look every bit like a team ready to avenge that loss.
Big 12 Title Game: First-Timers with a Lot to Prove
No. 5 Texas Tech and No.
11 BYU will meet in Arlington for the Big 12 Championship, marking the first appearance in the title game for both programs. The Red Raiders dominated the regular-season meeting between these two, winning 29-7 in Lubbock.
But BYU has been resilient all year, and you can bet they’ll come into this one looking to flip the script.
Group of Five Making Noise
It’s been a banner week for Group of Five programs. Four G5 teams are now ranked-a season high-and they’re not just sneaking in at the bottom.
James Madison leads the way at No. 19 and will host Troy for the Sun Belt title on Friday. Behind them are three American Athletic Conference squads: No.
20 North Texas, No. 21 Tulane, and No.
23 Navy.
North Texas and Tulane will square off in the American title game on Friday, a matchup that could have New Year’s Six implications depending on how things shake out across the board. Navy, fresh off a 28-17 win at Memphis, is ranked for the first time this season and heads into the annual Army-Navy game with its highest ranking since 2019.
Other Notables Around the Top 25
- Miami surged to No. 12 after a dominant 31-point road win over Pittsburgh, leapfrogging Vanderbilt, which dropped to No. 13 despite a convincing win over Tennessee.
- Arizona is back in the rankings at No. 22 for the first time since September 2024, riding a five-game winning streak after beating rival Arizona State 23-7.
- Missouri returns to the poll at No. 25 after a two-touchdown win over Arkansas, while Tennessee, Pittsburgh, and SMU all dropped out.
Conference Snapshot: Who’s Represented Where?
- SEC leads the way with eight ranked teams, including Georgia (No. 3), Mississippi (No.
6), Texas A&M (No. 7), Oklahoma (No.
8), Alabama (No. 10), Vanderbilt (No.
13), Texas (No. 14), and Missouri (No. 25).
- Big Ten has five: Ohio State (No.
1), Indiana (No. 2), Oregon (No.
4), USC (No. 17), and Michigan (No. 18).
- Big 12 comes in with four: Texas Tech (No.
5), BYU (No. 11), Utah (No. 15), and Arizona (No.
22).
- ACC places three: Miami (No. 12), Virginia (No. 16), and Georgia Tech (No.
24).
- American also lands three: North Texas (No. 20), Tulane (No. 21), and Navy (No. 23).
- Sun Belt has one: James Madison (No. 19).
- Notre Dame, as the lone Independent, holds steady at No. 9.
Looking Ahead: Championship Week is Loaded
Here’s what’s on tap for a wild Saturday:
- Big Ten Championship: No. 1 Ohio State vs.
No. 2 Indiana in Indianapolis.
Undefeated vs. undefeated. Sayin vs.
Mendoza. Playoff spot on the line.
- SEC Championship: No. 4 Georgia vs.
No. 10 Alabama in Atlanta.
A rematch with revenge and playoff implications written all over it.
- Big 12 Championship: No. 5 Texas Tech vs.
No. 11 BYU in Arlington.
Two first-timers with a shot at history.
- ACC Championship: No. 16 Virginia vs. unranked Duke. Virginia’s looking to lock in a marquee win and maybe sneak into the playoff conversation.
- American Championship: No. 20 North Texas vs.
No. 21 Tulane.
Winner could be the highest-ranked G5 team, with a New Year’s Six bowl in play.
- Sun Belt Championship: No. 19 James Madison hosts Troy on Friday night.
The regular season may be over, but the drama is just heating up. With the playoff field still wide open and championship games stacked with top-tier talent and high stakes, this coming weekend has all the makings of a classic. Buckle up.