The College Football Playoff used to be a predictable party for the SEC and Big Ten blue bloods. Honestly, if you told me a year ago that we’d be heading into the national championship with Indiana at number one, I’d have asked to see your crystal ball. But here we are. The college football top 25 has been flipped on its head by a guy named Curt Cignetti and a Miami team that just refuses to die.
Indiana is 15-0. Read that again.
They aren't just winning; they are "pissing excellence," as Cignetti likes to joke. They basically dismantled Oregon 56-22 in the semifinal, and now they sit atop the AP Poll with 66 first-place votes. It’s the kind of story that makes you love this sport, or hate it, depending on if you’re a Buckeye fan.
The Chaos of the Post-Season Rankings
Rankings in January are always a weird mix of "what have you done lately" and "who did you beat in the cold." The current college football top 25 reflects a brutal December. Ohio State, who spent much of the year looking like the best team in history, fell to number three after losing to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and then getting stunned by Miami in the Cotton Bowl.
That’s the thing about the 12-team playoff. It doesn't care about your preseason hype.
Texas Tech is sitting at number four. Who saw that coming? Joey McGuire has the Red Raiders at 12-2, and even though they lost their quarterfinal, they’ve earned the respect of every voter in the country. Meanwhile, Georgia is still looming at number two, watching the chaos from the sidelines after a 12-2 campaign that felt "quiet" only because Indiana was stealing every headline in the Midwest.
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Where the Top 10 Stands Right Now
- Indiana (15-0) - The undisputed kings.
- Georgia (12-2) - Still the standard, even if they aren't in the final game.
- Ohio State (12-2) - The "what if" team of the season.
- Texas Tech (12-2) - Big 12's shining star.
- Oregon (13-2) - Explosive, but couldn't stop the Hoosier train.
- Ole Miss (13-2) - Lane Kiffin’s best work yet.
- Texas A&M (11-2) - A defense that stood tall until the end.
- Oklahoma (10-3) - Brent Venables has them trending upward.
- Notre Dame (10-2) - Solid, consistent, but lacked the "it" factor.
- Miami (13-2) - The "Cardiac Canes" playing for a title as a 10-seed.
The Miami Hurricanes: The 10-Seed Miracle
You've gotta talk about Mario Cristobal. Miami was the last team to squeeze into the 12-team field. They were the 10th seed, a spot usually reserved for teams that get bounced in the first round. Instead, they went into Kyle Field and beat Texas A&M 10-3 in a game that looked like 1950s football.
Then they took down the giant.
Beating Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl was the moment everyone realized the college football top 25 wasn't just a list; it was a target. Carson Beck, who found a second life in Coral Gables, has been surgical. His three-yard touchdown scramble to beat Ole Miss 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl is already being called the most famous play in Miami history since the 2001 era.
It's kinda wild. They have seven wins over Top 25 opponents this year. If they beat Indiana, they'll tie Alabama for the most ranked wins in a single season.
Mid-Major Respect and the Bottom Half
We can't ignore the "little guys" who aren't so little anymore. Tulane is up to number 17. North Texas at 23? James Madison at 19? The Group of Five didn't just show up this year; they kicked the door down.
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Navy is at 22, sitting with an 11-2 record. Seeing a service academy in the final college football top 25 is always a win for the sport. They aren't there because of a soft schedule; they’re there because they can actually play.
Vanderbilt is still ranked at 13. Let that sink in. Diego Pavia and the Dores became the most annoying team for the SEC elite to play against, and the voters rewarded them for it. They finished ahead of Texas (14) and Michigan (18).
What Most People Get Wrong About These Rankings
Everyone thinks the AP Poll is just about who has the most talent. It’s not. It’s about momentum.
Look at Alabama at 11. They have four losses. Usually, a four-loss Bama team would be forgotten, but because they beat Oklahoma in the first round and hung tough in the SEC, they stay in the top tier. The pollsters are rewarding the "grind" of the new playoff format.
There’s also the Virginia factor. Tony Elliott has them at 20th with an 11-3 record. They dropped four spots after a rough bowl outing, but the fact that they are even in the conversation shows how much the ACC has improved beyond just Clemson and Florida State.
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The Struggles of the Preseason Favorites
- Florida State: Started high, finished 5-7. A total collapse.
- Penn State: Finished 7-6 and barely received votes.
- Michigan: A 9-4 season kept them at 18, but the spark from the Harbaugh era feels like it's dimming.
Why the National Championship Changes Everything
On Monday night, number one Indiana plays number ten Miami.
If Indiana wins, they become the first team since the 1800s to go 16-0. It would be the greatest single-season turnaround in the history of the sport. If Miami wins, the college football top 25 will likely end with them at number one, despite those two regular-season losses.
The voters usually put the national champion at the top of the final poll, regardless of what happened in October. That means a team that was ranked 13th in early December could end up as the official number one.
Actionable Insights for the Final Poll
If you're tracking the movement for the final "final" poll after Monday, keep an eye on these three things:
- The Scoring Margin: Indiana leads the nation at +28.6. If they lose a close one, they might stay in the top 3. If they get blown out, they could slide.
- The "Others Receiving Votes" Trap: Watch teams like North Texas and UNLV. If they get a bump in the final poll, it sets them up for a massive preseason ranking in August 2026.
- The SEC Tax: Expect Georgia and Ole Miss to remain high regardless. The committee and the AP voters have shown a massive bias toward the depth of the SEC this year.
To get the most out of the final rankings, check the individual ballots of the AP voters. Often, the "consensus" hides some really interesting outliers—like the three voters who still have Ohio State at number one because of their advanced analytics. Understanding the gap between the "eye test" and the "stat sheet" is how you actually win your office pick'em next year.