The College Football Playoff selection committee released its first set of rankings for this season on Tuesday.
Texas (7-1) earned the No. 5 ranking in the initial poll but will be seeded sixth. Oregon, Ohio State, Georgia and Miami earned the top four spots in that order. However, the top four conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and would be guaranteed first-round byes. For example, while BYU was ranked ninth, it would be the fourth seed in the CFP bracket.
SMU (8-1) and Texas A&M (7-2) were just outside of the top 12 in the poll, ranking No. 13 and 14, respectively.
See the full College Football Playoff rankings and how they compare to the AP Top 25 poll below.
College Football Playoff rankings
Texas clinched its first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff in last year’s four-team format and is in a strong position to compete in the expanded 12-team field this year. The No. 5 Longhorns have a 78% chance to reach the CFP, according to ESPN’s predictor, and can theoretically build a strong enough resume without the help of an SEC Championship. No. 13 SMU and No. 14 Texas A&M can both best be described as bubble teams; conference titles will all but certainly garner CFP invitations, but strong regular season finishes could sway the selection committee too.
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | 9-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 7-1 |
| 3 | Georgia | 7-1 |
| 4 | Miami | 9-0 |
| 5 | Texas | 7-1 |
| 6 | Penn State | 7-1 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 7-1 |
| 8 | Indiana | 9-0 |
| 9 | BYU | 8-0 |
| 10 | Notre Dame | 7-1 |
| 11 | Alabama | 6-2 |
| 12 | Boise State | 7-1 |
| 13 | SMU | 8-1 |
| 14 | Texas A&M | 7-2 |
| 15 | LSU | 6-2 |
| 16 | Ole Miss | 7-2 |
| 17 | Iowa State | 7-1 |
| 18 | Pitt | 7-1 |
| 19 | Kansas State | 7-2 |
| 20 | Colorado | 6-2 |
| 21 | Washington State | 7-1 |
| 22 | Louisville | 6-3 |
| 23 | Clemson | 6-2 |
| 24 | Missouri | 6-2 |
| 25 | Army | 8-0 |
Note: These rankings differ from The Associated Press’ weekly rankings. To see AP’s latest top 25, click here.
Where Texas teams stand in the AP Top 25
The Longhorns were idle Saturday but still rose one spot in the AP Top 25 thanks to Penn State’s loss vs. Ohio State. No. 2 Georgia — which beat Texas earlier this season — is the only SEC team ranked above them. SMU, at No. 13, beat previously undefeated Pitt this weekend to clinch its highest position in the AP Top 25 since 1985 and is one of two teams (alongside No. 4 Miami) still undefeated in ACC play. Texas A&M dropped five spots, from No. 10 to 15, after its loss to South Carolina. The good news: The Aggies are still in a de facto five-way tie for first in the SEC with just one conference loss on their ledger.
Here’s a look at where teams stand in the AP Top 25 polls. When it comes to CFP, the AP rankings have no bearing.
Big 12 teams in the AP top 25
They’re all chasing undefeated No. 8 BYU after a hectic weekend of conference play. No. 17 Iowa State and No. 21 Colorado both have just one Big 12 loss each, but Texas Tech — which beat the Cyclones this weekend — aren’t all that far behind at 6-3. The Red Raiders were the lone Texas team in the Big 12 that received votes in this week’s AP poll as Baylor, Houston and TCU are each 3-3 in conference play.
SEC teams in the AP Top 25
There are currently seven SEC teams ranked in the Top 25.
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