As the dust settles on the 2025 college football season, one thing is clear: Indiana didn’t just win a national title - the Hoosiers earned it in every sense of the word. Their 27-21 win over Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship capped off a flawless 16-0 campaign, and according to ESPN’s final SP+ rankings, Indiana didn’t just finish on top of the scoreboard - they finished on top of the advanced metrics, too.
Bill Connelly’s SP+ model, which measures team efficiency and performance adjusted for opponent and tempo, gave Indiana a final rating of +32.4 - meaning the Hoosiers were 32.4 points per game better than the average FBS team. That number isn’t just elite - it’s historic. It’s the best end-of-season rating since Georgia’s 2022 squad posted a +35.3, and it even edges out LSU’s 2019 team, which finished at +33.1, a benchmark many Tiger fans still hold in high regard.
Indiana’s rise to the top of the SP+ rankings mirrors their dominance on the field. This wasn’t a fluky run or a team getting hot at the right time.
The Hoosiers were consistently excellent, week in and week out, and the advanced numbers back that up. They were balanced, efficient, and relentless - the kind of team that doesn’t just win games, but controls them.
Right behind Indiana in the final SP+ standings was Ohio State at +30.1, another Big Ten powerhouse that spent the season knocking on the door of the playoff. The Buckeyes didn’t get their shot at the title, but they were clearly one of the most complete teams in the country.
Texas Tech came in at No. 3 with a +27.6 rating, a sign of just how far the Red Raiders have come. Their placement in the top three speaks volumes about their development on both sides of the ball, and it’s the kind of finish that could signal a new era in Lubbock.
Oregon (+25.9) and Notre Dame (+24.4) rounded out the top five, each showing the kind of consistency and firepower that made them tough outs all season long.
The SEC was led by Georgia at No. 6 (+24.1), with Ole Miss right behind at No.
7 (+24.0). While the SEC didn’t produce the national champion this year, the league still showed its depth, placing nine teams in the top 25 - matching the Big Ten for the most in the country.
Miami, despite falling short in the title game, still earned a top-10 finish at No. 9 (+20.7).
It’s a testament to the Hurricanes’ year-long resilience and the fact that they were no fluke contender. They belonged on that championship stage.
Texas A&M rounded out the top 10, also coming in at +20.7. The Aggies were one of the more quietly consistent teams in the country this year, and their strong finish in the SP+ rankings reflects that.
One of the biggest surprises? Vanderbilt.
The Commodores landed at No. 11 with a +20.3 rating - a massive leap for a program that’s typically been on the outside looking in. Their rise is one of the more compelling storylines heading into the offseason.
Other notable SEC teams in the top 25 include Oklahoma (No. 14), Texas (No.
17), Tennessee (No. 19), Alabama (No. 20), and Mizzou (No.
21). That kind of representation underscores just how brutal the SEC schedule can be - and how battle-tested these teams are by year’s end.
The Big Ten, meanwhile, continues to assert itself as the dominant force in college football. With Indiana’s title, the conference has now claimed three straight national championships.
And with Ohio State, Penn State (No. 15), Iowa (No.
12), Michigan (No. 25), and Illinois (No. 24) also cracking the top 25, it’s clear the Big Ten isn’t just top-heavy - it’s deep.
Here’s a look at the full SP+ top 25, with each team’s final rating - a number that represents how many points per game better they were than the average FBS team:
- Indiana (+32.4)
- Ohio State (+30.1)
- Texas Tech (+27.6)
- Oregon (+25.9)
- Notre Dame (+24.4)
- Georgia (+24.1)
- Ole Miss (+24.0)
- Utah (+22.2)
- Miami (+20.7)
- Texas A&M (+20.7)
- Vanderbilt (+20.3)
- Iowa (+19.7)
- Washington (+18.4)
- Oklahoma (+18.3)
- Penn State (+18.1)
- USC (+16.9)
- Texas (+16.2)
- BYU (+15.9)
- Tennessee (+15.0)
- Alabama (+14.8)
- Mizzou (+14.4)
- North Texas (+13.8)
- SMU (+13.4)
- Illinois (+12.9)
- Michigan (+12.4)
From Indiana’s crowning moment to Vanderbilt’s unexpected surge, the final SP+ rankings give us a data-driven snapshot of the 2025 season. And while the scoreboard tells one story, the numbers tell another - one that confirms just how dominant, deep, and unpredictable this year’s college football landscape really was.