The College Football Playoff picture is finally starting to take shape - and after Week 14, it’s anything but settled.
Tuesday night’s penultimate CFP rankings gave us one last look at how the committee sees things before Championship Weekend decides who’s in and who’s out. And with Texas A&M picking up its first loss, Ole Miss losing Lane Kiffin to LSU, and teams like Texas, Miami, and Notre Dame making late pushes, the top 25 is brimming with storylines.
Let’s break it down.
The Top Four: Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech
Ohio State and Indiana remain college football’s final two unbeaten teams heading into the postseason, and the committee rewarded them accordingly. The Buckeyes hold the top spot, with Indiana right behind - setting up a high-stakes Big Ten Championship matchup that could lock in a No. 1 seed and potentially knock the other out of the top four entirely.
Georgia sits at No. 3, still very much in the hunt, while Texas Tech has climbed into the fourth spot, a testament to how much weight the committee is putting on their strength of schedule and recent form. It’s a bold move, but not without logic - the Red Raiders have been stacking quality wins at the right time.
Ole Miss at 11-1, But Without Lane Kiffin
Ole Miss checks in at No. 6 after finishing the regular season 11-1, but the bigger story might be what’s happening off the field. Lane Kiffin is heading to LSU, leaving the Rebels without their head coach heading into the postseason. That kind of disruption could loom large depending on how the committee evaluates coaching changes in the final rankings.
Still, Ole Miss has done enough on the field to stay firmly in the mix. Whether they can keep it together without Kiffin - and whether the committee factors that into their final decision - remains to be seen.
Texas A&M Drops, Bubble Teams Rise
Texas A&M’s first loss of the season came at the worst possible time, and it cost them. The Aggies slid to No. 7, now on the outside looking in. There’s still a path back in, but it’s narrow - and they’ll likely need chaos above them to sneak into the top four.
Meanwhile, Texas (No. 13), Miami (No. 12), and Notre Dame (No. 10) are all gaining momentum.
Each picked up key wins over the weekend and are positioning themselves as viable alternatives if one of the top teams slips up during conference championship week. Notre Dame, in particular, is lurking just outside the top 10 and could be the committee’s fallback if things get messy.
The Full CFP Top 25 After Week 14
Here’s how the committee stacked the field heading into the final weekend:
- Ohio State
- Indiana
- Georgia
- Texas Tech
- Oregon
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Miami
- Texas
- Vanderbilt
- Utah
- USC
- Virginia
- Arizona
- Michigan
- Tulane
- Houston
- Georgia Tech
- Iowa
- North Texas
- James Madison
It’s a fascinating mix of bluebloods, upstarts, and late-season risers. Vanderbilt at No.
14? That’s one of the more surprising placements, but it speaks to how wide open the second tier of contenders has become.
Championship Weekend Stakes
The Big Ten Championship between Ohio State and Indiana is the headliner, with both teams undefeated and both holding top-two rankings. The winner likely locks up the No. 1 seed - the loser could fall out of the playoff entirely, depending on how the rest of the weekend shakes out.
Georgia will look to solidify its spot in the SEC title game, while Texas Tech, Oregon, and Ole Miss all have a shot to make a final statement. And don’t forget about Alabama and Oklahoma - both sitting just outside the top four, both with enough brand power and résumé to make a late surge if the dominoes fall their way.
National Championship Odds: Ohio State, Indiana Lead the Pack
With two undefeated teams left, the odds market is leaning heavily toward the Big Ten. Ohio State and Indiana are the favorites to win it all, with Georgia not far behind. The Buckeyes have looked dominant on both sides of the ball, while Indiana has been one of the season’s biggest surprises - and they’ve earned every bit of their current standing.
But odds don’t win championships - performances do. And with so many teams still in the hunt, this weekend could be one of the most consequential in recent memory.
What’s Next
The final College Football Playoff rankings drop Sunday, Dec. 7 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN. That’s when we’ll know who’s in, who’s out, and who’s headed where in the New Year’s Six.
Until then, buckle up. Championship weekend is here, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.