Look, the dust is still settling. If you’re checking for top 25 college football scores today, you’ve probably noticed the scoreboard isn’t ticking right this second. It’s Wednesday, January 14, 2026. We are currently in that weird, breathless purgatory between the chaos of the semifinals and the looming National Championship game.
The biggest news? Indiana—yes, the Indiana Hoosiers—just finished dismantling Oregon in a way that felt almost illegal.
Honestly, nobody saw this coming three years ago. If you told a Hoosier fan in 2023 that they’d be sitting at 15-0 and prepping for a title game at Hard Rock Stadium, they would’ve asked what you were drinking. But here we are. The scores from the last few days have reshaped everything we thought we knew about the "blue blood" hierarchy.
The Semifinal Shockers You Might Have Missed
The College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinals just wrapped up, and the scores tell a story of two very different paths to Miami.
Indiana 56, Oregon 22
This wasn’t a game; it was a statement. Played at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl, Indiana’s defense was basically a brick wall. They forced three turnovers in the first half alone. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza—who, by the way, just won the Heisman—was surgical. He tossed five touchdowns. Oregon's Dante Moore tried to keep pace, but the Ducks were missing key pieces in the backfield, and it showed.
Miami 31, Ole Miss 27
The Fiesta Bowl was the complete opposite. It was a gritty, down-to-the-wire scrap. Miami (FL) came in as the #10 seed, the ultimate "Cinderella" of the new 12-team (and now expanded) era. They trailed for a good chunk of the game but found a way to stifle Lane Kiffin’s offense when it mattered most.
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Recent Top 25 Bowl Scoreboard
To get you caught up on the final scores of the ranked teams that played over the New Year’s stretch:
- #1 Indiana 38, #9 Alabama 3 (Rose Bowl Quarterfinal)
- #6 Ole Miss 39, #3 Georgia 34 (Sugar Bowl Quarterfinal)
- #10 Miami 24, #2 Ohio State 14 (Cotton Bowl Quarterfinal)
- #5 Oregon 23, #4 Texas Tech 0 (Orange Bowl Quarterfinal)
- #13 Texas 41, #18 Michigan 27 (Citrus Bowl)
- #23 Iowa 34, #14 Vanderbilt 27 (ReliaQuest Bowl)
- #15 Utah 44, Nebraska 22 (Las Vegas Bowl)
- TCU 30, #16 USC 27 (Alamo Bowl - OT)
It’s been a rough month for the SEC. Usually, they own this time of year, but seeing Georgia and Alabama both tumble out before the semifinals felt like a glitch in the Matrix.
Why These Scores Matter for the Final Rankings
Even though the "Today" scoreboard is empty, the implications are massive. The AP Poll and the Coaches Poll are basically in a holding pattern until the National Championship on January 19.
Right now, Indiana is the undisputed #1. They’ve stayed perfect. But the real debate is further down. How do you rank a 13-2 Oregon team that just got blown out vs. a 12-2 Georgia team that lost a nail-biter? Most experts, including the folks over at CBS Sports and ESPN, are leaning toward keeping Oregon in the top 5 simply because they made it a step further in the bracket.
Then there’s the "Group of Five" representation. Schools like James Madison (#19) and North Texas (#23) have finished their seasons with incredibly respectable wins. North Texas just edged out San Diego State 49-47 in a New Mexico Bowl that was arguably the most entertaining game of the entire December slate.
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What’s Actually Happening Today?
Since there are no live games on January 14, the "scores" are happening in the transfer portal and the coaching offices.
Today’s biggest "score" isn't on a field—it’s the news that TJ Finley has officially signed with Incarnate Word. This is his seventh college program. Seven. The guy is a living legend of the portal era.
Also, Penn State just made a splash by hiring Savon Huggins as their new running backs coach. If you're looking for movement in the top 25, that's where it is. Teams like Ohio State and Texas are already rebuilding their rosters for the 2026 kickoff, throwing NIL money around like it's Monopoly currency.
Misconceptions About the New Playoff Format
A lot of fans are still confused about why #10 Miami is playing for a title instead of #2 Ohio State. Basically, the 12-team bracket rewards "peaking at the right time."
- The BYE isn't a guarantee: The top four seeds got a week off, but it clearly didn't help Georgia or Ohio State. They looked rusty.
- Strength of Schedule is king: Miami had a couple of losses in the regular season, but their road win at Texas A&M in the first round gave them a momentum boost that the higher seeds lacked.
- The Score Gap: We’re seeing more blowouts in the semifinals. When the talent gap is exposed at this level, it’s ugly. Indiana winning by 34 points in a semifinal is proof that even in an expanded field, there’s a massive gulf between the "Great" and the "Elite."
What To Do Next
If you’re craving football, you’ve got a few days to kill. The National Championship isn't until Monday night.
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Keep an eye on the injury reports for Indiana's backfield. They ran the ball 40 times against Oregon, and that kind of workload takes a toll. Also, watch the betting lines. Indiana opened as a 7.5-point favorite over Miami, but the "hometown" advantage for the Hurricanes (since the game is in Miami Gardens) is starting to slim that margin.
You can also check the final stats for the season's top performers. Fernando Mendoza is sitting at 3,800+ yards and a ridiculous touchdown-to-interception ratio. He’s the player to watch if you want to understand why Indiana's scores have been so lopsided all year.
Quick Checklist for the Weekend:
- Verify the kickoff time (7:30 PM ET, Jan 19).
- Check the final AP Top 25 update (usually drops Tuesday after the title game).
- Monitor the Transfer Portal—the window closes for many on January 16.
The 2025-2026 season has been a fever dream. Enjoy the silence today, because Monday is going to be loud.