CFP Rankings: Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, Ohio State form initial top 4
The first edition of this season's College Football Playoff Top 25 was unveiled Tuesday night - and its top four features a slight difference compared to the latest AP Poll.
The CFP selection committee gave the top ranking to Alabama, followed by Notre Dame, Clemson, and Ohio State. The Buckeyes earned a spot in the top four despite playing in just four games this season and traded spots with Clemson in the CFP rankings after placing No. 3 in the AP Poll.
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | 7-0 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | 8-0 |
| 3 | Clemson | 7-1 |
| 4 | Ohio State | 4-0 |
If the playoff started today, Alabama and Ohio State would meet in one semifinal, while ACC powers Notre Dame and Clemson would face off in the other. The Fighting Irish, playing in the ACC this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, beat the Trevor Lawrence-less Tigers 47-40 two weeks ago.
A pair of one-loss SEC schools close out the top six: Texas A&M heads into Week 13 ranked fifth, while Florida sits at No. 6. The Aggies defeated the Gators 41-38 in October.
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Texas A&M | 5-1 |
| 6 | Florida | 6-1 |
At No. 7, Cincinnati is the highest-ranked team outside of the Power 5. The Bearcats, who are off to an impressive 8-0 start, are the highest-ranked Group of 5 school since the CFP format started in 2014.
Oklahoma is the best Big 12 representative on the list at No. 11, while Oregon tops all Pac-12 programs as the 15th-ranked team.
BYU was one of the biggest surprises on the committee's first list. Despite a perfect 9-0 record, the Cougars earned just the 14th spot.
LSU, unsurprisingly, wasn't ranked after starting the season 3-3. The Tigers are the first defending national champion to miss the top 25 since the CFP began.
Here's how the rest of the rankings shake out:
| Rank | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Cincinnati | 8-0 |
| 8 | Northwestern | 5-0 |
| 9 | Georgia | 5-2 |
| 10 | Miami | 7-1 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 6-2 |
| 12 | Indiana | 4-1 |
| 13 | Iowa State | 6-2 |
| 14 | BYU | 9-0 |
| 15 | Oregon | 3-0 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 2-1 |
| 17 | Texas | 5-2 |
| 18 | USC | 3-0 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 6-2 |
| 20 | Coastal Carolina | 8-0 |
| 21 | Marshall | 7-0 |
| 22 | Auburn | 5-2 |
| 23 | Oklahoma State | 5-2 |
| 24 | Iowa | 3-2 |
| 25 | Tulsa | 5-1 |