College Football Rankings: B/R's Final Regular-Season Official Top 25
Championship weekend only included about one-fourth of the nation's FBS teams, but those games included many of the best teams in college football. And those final regular-season matchups lived up to the hype, resulting in several great finishes.
As well as a good amount of movement in the final Bleacher Report Top 25 of the 2015 regular season.
Nineteen members of our college football staff voted in this week's Top 25: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Ed Feng, Justin Ferguson, Bryan Fischer, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Adam Kramer, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh; video experts Michael Felder and Sean McManus; and editors Eric Bowman, Hunter Mandel and Eric Yates.
First-place votes were worth 25 points, with each subsequent rank worth one fewer point, all the way down to one for 25th place. The 25 highest vote-getters made our list, with the rest falling into the "others receiving votes" category.
See where everyone falls after the 2015 regular season has finished, and then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Others Receiving Votes
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San Diego State won its first conference title since 1986, knocking off Air Force 27-24 on Saturday night in the Mountain West Championship Game. It was the Aztecs' ninth consecutive win, but that wasn't enough to get them into the final regular-season Top 25.
Here's a list of the schools that landed votes, but not enough to end up in the rankings.
- Temple (35)
- Western Kentucky (35)
- Georgia (31)
- Arkansas (12)
- UCLA (11)
- Bowling Green (10)
- Mississippi State (7)
- San Diego State (7)
- Toledo (6)
- Memphis (5)
- South Florida (4)
- BYU (3)
- Washington State (3)
- Arkansas State (1)
- West Virginia (1)
No. 25 Tennessee Volunteers
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Voting points: 37
Last week's ranking: Not ranked
Most recent result: Won 53-28 vs. Vanderbilt (on Nov. 28)
Tennessee (8-4, 5-3 SEC) takes a five-game win streak into the postseason, finishing with its most victories since 2007.
The Volunteers are ranked 21st nationally in rushing, at 223.5 yards per game, thanks to a backfield of sophomores Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara and quarterback Joshua Dobbs, who combined for 2,426 yards with 26 touchdowns.
No. 24 USC Trojans
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Voting points: 40
Last week's ranking: 21st
Most recent result: Lost 41-22 vs. Stanford in Pac-12 Championship Game (in Santa Clara, California)
USC (8-5, 6-3 Pac-12) had no answer for Stanford's Christian McCaffrey, who gained 461 yards in all manners.
The Trojans, who fell 41-31 at home to Stanford in September, had a 16-13 lead midway through the third quarter on a 27-yard rushing touchdown from Ronald Jones II. But Stanford scored twice more before the period was over, and after USC pulled within 27-22, it couldn't score again.
Cody Kessler threw for 187 yards with a TD and also ran for a score, while Justin Davis ran for 99 yards. It was USC's first game since naming Clay Helton, who had been the interim coach for the previous seven games, as its permanent coach.
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No. 23 Wisconsin Badgers
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Voting points: 60
Last week's ranking: 25th
Most recent result: Won 31-21 at Minnesota (on Nov. 28)
Wisconsin (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) finished in third place in the West Division thanks to the nation's top-ranked scoring defense, which allowed 13.1 points per game. The Badgers were also third nationally in total defense, yielding 267.1 yards per game.
Joel Stave, in his fourth season starting games at quarterback for Wisconsin, has thrown for 2,470 yards. He needs 25 yards in the Badgers' bowl game to set a career high.
No. 21 (tie) Utah Utes
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Voting points: 86
Last week's ranking: 22nd
Most recent result: Won 20-14 vs. Colorado (on Nov. 28)
Utah (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12) registered its most regular-season wins since joining the conference in 2011, though two losses in November knocked it out of the hunt for the South Division title.
The Utes first made headlines back in September when they beat Michigan in Jim Harbaugh's coaching debut, part of a 6-0 start. All year long they were paced by running back Devontae Booker, who ran for 1,261 yards and 11 touchdowns before missing the final two games because of a knee injury.
No. 21 (tie) Navy Midshipmen
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Voting points: 86
Last week's ranking: 23rd
Most recent result: Lost 52-31 at Houston (on Nov. 27)
Navy (9-2, 7-1 American) had a strong performance in its first season as a member of the AAC, going undefeated in conference play before losing last week. The Midshipmen ended up finishing in second place in the West Division.
Quarterback Keenan Reynolds became the all-time FBS leader in rushing touchdowns this season with 83, scoring 19 this year. That career number is also tied for the FBS record of total TDs from scrimmage with Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Dixon and former Wisconsin running back Montee Ball.
Navy still has one regular-season game, the upcoming clash with rival Army on Dec. 12 in Philadelphia.
No. 20 Florida Gators
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Voting points: 94
Last week's ranking: 19th
Most recent result: Lost 29-15 vs. Alabama in SEC Championship Game (in Atlanta)
Florida (10-3, 7-1 SEC) put forth another listless performance on offense, losing a second straight game in the process.
The Gators managed only 180 yards of total offense, with just 15 coming on 21 rushing plays. They didn't score on offense until the fourth quarter, when Treon Harris hooked up with C.J. Worton on a 46-yard jump-ball touchdown catch. Harris threw for 165 yards on 9-of-24 passing.
Antonio Callaway gave Florida a 7-2 lead early in the second quarter on an 85-yard punt return TD, and that was the only good play it had on special teams. Before that the Gators had both a punt and a field goal blocked, the former resulting in a safety.
No. 19 LSU Tigers
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Voting points: 98
Last week's ranking: 24th
Most recent result: Won 19-7 vs. Texas A&M (on Nov. 28)
LSU (8-3, 5-3 SEC) began the season 7-0 before running into a wall, nearly losing coach in the process. But after ending with a home win against Texas A&M, Miles learned he'd remain the Tigers' coach for at least an 12th season.
Leonard Fournette leads FBS in rushing yards per game, at 158.27, though during a three-game losing streak, he averaged 76.7 per game as LSU's offense shut down.
No. 18 Baylor Bears
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Voting points: 136
Last week's ranking: 12th
Most recent result: Lost 23-17 vs. Texas
Baylor (9-3, 6-3 Big 12) had to resort to using a wide receiver as its quarterback after Chris Johnson was hurt early, resulting in an ugly and disappointing home loss.
Johnson, the Bears' third different starting QB this season, went down in the first quarter and was replaced by Lynx Hawthorne. He was just 10-of-22 for 64 yards and two interceptions, though he did run for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Baylor trailed 20-0 before becoming almost strictly a run team, finishing with 395 yards and two TDs on 66 carries. Johnny Jefferson had a career-high 158 yards and a TD, and he also attempted Baylor's last-ditch pass in the final seconds because Hawthorne couldn't throw the ball deep.
After starting the season 8-0, Baylor ended up dropping three of four. The 17 points were its fewest since November 2013.
No. 17 Michigan Wolverines
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Voting points: 185
Last week's ranking: 17th
Most recent result: Lost 42-13 vs. Ohio State (on Nov. 28)
Michigan (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) had a huge first season under coach Jim Harbaugh, though the 29-point loss to rival Ohio State to end it wasn't as enjoyable.
Iowa transfer Jake Rudock came alive at quarterback during the second half of 2015, finishing with 2,739 yards and 17 touchdowns. He averaged 324 yards with 11 TDs in the Wolverines' final four contests.
The Wolverines finished the regular season fourth nationally in total defense, allowing 281.3 yards per game.
No. 16 Houston Cougars
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Voting points: 203
Last week's ranking: 18th
Most recent result: Won 24-13 vs. Temple in American Athletic Conference Championship Game
Houston (12-1, 7-1 American) claimed its first conference title since 2006, continuing a stellar season under first-year coach Tom Herman, and the victory should clinch a bid into a major bowl game.
“The only Group of Five drama on Sunday will be whether Houston is heading to Atlanta or Arizona,” Matt Brown of Sports on Earth wrote, noting that the highest-ranked non-power conference champion figures to land a spot in either the Peach or Fiesta Bowl.
The Cougars never trailed, scoring on their first possession after intercepting a Temple pass. They forced two turnovers, giving them 30 takeaways this year.
Javin Webb scored on a one-yard run for that 7-0 lead, but after that it was all Greg Ward Jr. The junior quarterback ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns, including a 47-yard scamper, giving him 19 rushing scores to go with 16 passing TDs. He also topped 1,000 rushing yards for the season, joining Navy's Keenan Reynolds as the only passers in FBS to reach 1,000 on the ground.
Houston won despite putting up its second-lowest scoring output of 2015.
No. 15 Oklahoma State Cowboys
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Voting points: 213
Last week's ranking: 14th
Most recent result: Lost 58-23 vs. Oklahoma (on Nov. 28)
Oklahoma State (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) lost its final two games after winning 12 consecutive games dating back to last season, despite hosting the rest of the conference's top teams at home in November.
The Cowboys averaged 41.2 points this season, nearly 50 percent better than in 2014, thanks to a two-quarterback system. Mason Rudolph threw for 3,591 yards and 21 touchdowns, while J.W. Walsh had 13 TD passes and 11 rushing scores.
No. 14 Northwestern Wildcats
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Voting points: 227
Last week's ranking: 13th
Most recent result: Won 24-14 at Illinois (on Nov. 28)
Northwestern (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) rode a lockdown defense to its second 10-win season in the past four years, giving up just 16.4 points per game.
The Wildcats won their final five games, all of which were decided by 10 or fewer points. They also got things off to a great start by holding Stanford to six points in a season-opening win. Stanford had at least 30 points in every other regular-season game.
Justin Jackson ran for 1,344 yards, making him the first Northwestern back with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons since 2005-06.
No. 13 Oregon Ducks
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Voting points: 233
Last week's ranking: 15th (tie)
Most recent result: Won 52-42 vs. Oregon State (on Nov. 27)
Oregon (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) won its final six games after an uneven 3-3 start, with transfer quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.'s health having a lot to do with that late push.
Adams, who missed time with a broken finger on his throwing hand, averaged 310.8 passing yards per game with 21 touchdowns in those final six games.
Royce Freeman, a sophomore, has run for 1,706 yards and 14 TDs. He's 99 short of the single-season school mark set in 2011 by LaMichael James.
No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels
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Voting points: 246
Last week's ranking: 15th (tie)
Most recent result: Won 38-27 at Mississippi State (on Nov. 28)
Ole Miss (9-3, 6-2 SEC) finished in second place in the ultra-tough West Division and can lay claim to being the only team in the country to knock off Alabama in 2015.
The Rebels were paced by a record-setting season from quarterback Chad Kelly, a junior college transfer who threw for 3,740 yards with 27 touchdowns and added 427 rushing yards with 10 scores. His passing, total TD and total offense numbers were all single-season school records.
No. 11 North Carolina Tar Heels
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Voting points: 265
Last week's ranking: 8th
Most recent result: Lost 45-37 vs. Clemson in ACC Championship Game (in Charlotte)
North Carolina (11-2, 8-0 ACC) had its 11-game win streak snapped on the same field where it lost to begin the year, but not without a spirited effort throughout the night.
The Tar Heels looked like they had a chance to play for a tie with just over a minute left, recovering an onside kick after Marquise Williams threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Switzer, but they were called for being offsides. A second onside attempt bounced off a Clemson player, but UNC couldn't come up with the ball.
Williams had 305 yards of total offense and accounted for four TDs, throwing three TD passes (two of which went to Switzer) and rushing for 81 yards with a score.
But UNC couldn't slow down Clemson's attack, allowing a season-worst 608 yards.
No. 10 TCU Horned Frogs
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Voting points: 266
Last week's ranking: 11th
Most recent result: Won 28-21 (in 2 OT) vs. Baylor (on Nov. 27)
TCU (10-2, 7-2 Big 12) hit a wall in the final month of the regular season, losing to both Oklahoma schools to fall out of the conference and playoff race. But then the Horned Frogs avenged a painful loss from the year before, edging rival Baylor in double-overtime to finish on a high note.
Injuries sapped TCU's depth on both sides of the ball, and it was when the bug hit the offense that the bottom fell out. Senior quarterback Trevone Boykin missed six quarters, yet still had 4,187 yards of total offense and 40 total TDs, while senior receiver Josh Doctson had 1,327 yards and 14 TDs despite missing the last two games because of injury.
Aaron Green remained healthy all season and has run for 1,171 yards, the most for a TCU rusher since 2000.
No. 9 Florida State Seminoles
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Voting points: 317
Last week's ranking: 10th
Most recent result: Won 27-2 at Florida (on Nov. 28)
Florida State (10-2, 6-2 ACC) watched the conference title game from home rather than playing in it for the first time since 2011. The Seminoles had to replace a slew of standouts from the 2014 team who were drafted, yet they still managed to reach 10 wins for the fourth year in a row.
Sophomore Dalvin Cook has run for a school-record 1,658 yards with 18 touchdowns despite missing one game and getting only two carries in another due to injury. On Friday he was named the winner of the Jim Brown Award, given to the nation's top running back.
Everett Golson, a transfer from Notre Dame, started the year as FSU's quarterback but eventually deferred to Sean Maguire. The duo combined for 2,906 yards and 20 TDs with only five interceptions.
No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
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Voting points: 327
Last week's ranking: 9th
Most recent result: Lost 38-36 at Stanford (on Nov. 28)
Notre Dame (10-2) hit the 10-win mark for the fourth time since 2002, but last week's last-second loss at Stanford ended any hope of making the College Football Playoff.
The Fighting Irish succeeded despite a rash of injuries, turning to sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer and freshman running back Josh Adams as the season went on. Kizer accounted for more than 3,000 yards of total offense and 28 touchdowns, while Adams averaged 7.4 yards per carry and had 100-yard games in three of the last four outings.
Wide receiver Will Fuller, a junior who has already stated he'll be coming back for the 2016 season, caught 13 TD passes on 56 receptions, averaging more than 20 yards per catch.
No. 7 Iowa Hawkeyes
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Voting points: 352
Last week's ranking: 5th
Most recent result: Lost 16-13 vs. Michigan State in Big Ten Championship Game (in Indianapolis)
Iowa (12-1, 8-0 Big Ten) came within one last drive of continuing the improbable run it had been on all season, giving up a touchdown with 27 seconds left for its first loss since January.
The Hawkeyes led nearly the entire fourth quarter thanks to an 85-yard TD pass from C.J. Beathard to Tevaun Smith with 14:49 left. Beathard had 216 yards on 18-of-26 passing, but he wasn't able to convert in the red zone, throwing an interception in the end zone and having to settle for a field goal on another drive.
Marshall Koehn had field goals of 24 and 43 yards, Iowa's only scoring before the long fourth-quarter TD. Iowa had 268 yards, with just 52 coming on the ground.
The Hawkeyes couldn't get a stop on Michigan State's last drive, which took 22 plays and lasted more than nine minutes. Though they won't get into the playoffs, the 12 wins are still the most in school history.
No. 6 Stanford Cardinal
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Voting points: 376
Last week's ranking: 7th
Most recent result: Won 41-22 vs. USC in Pac-12 Championship Game (in Santa Clara, California)
Stanford (11-2, 8-1 Pac-12) won the conference title for the third time in four years, and while it was a team-wide accomplishment, it may as well have been the Christian McCaffrey show. That's how it's been most of the season, anyways.
“Christian McCaffrey has been Stanford's do-it-all back all season,” CBS Sports' Robby Kalland wrote. “In the Pac-12 Championship Game, he took it to a whole new level.”
The sophomore amassed 461 all-purpose yards and scored touchdowns as a running back, receiver and quarterback. Along the way he surpassed Barry Sanders' FBS single-season all-purpose mark, ending up with 3,496 yards.
McCaffrey threw an 11-yard TD pass to quarterback Kevin Hogan to give Stanford a 10-0 lead. In the fourth quarter, he scored on a 28-yard reception and a 10-yard run. He ran for 207 yards, had 105 receiving yards and 149 yards on punt and kickoff returns.
Stanford's defense also chipped in with a key play late in the third quarter, when Blake Martinez stripped USC quarterback Cody Kessler and Solomon Thomas returned the fumble 34 yards for a TD. That gave the Cardinal a 27-16 lead.
Hogan also had TDs passing, rushing and receiving as Stanford beat USC for the second time this season.
No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes
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Voting points: 382
Last week's ranking: 6th
Most recent result: Won 42-13 at Michigan (on Nov. 28)
Ohio State (11-1, 7-1 Big Ten) is still the defending national champion, though after failing to win the East Division, it's likely to be prevented from repeating.
The Buckeyes averaged 35 points per game, nearly 10 points below last year's tally, as shuffling at quarterback contributed to uneven production. They still got consistent yards from junior running back Ezekiel Elliott, who tallied 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns to become the first OSU running back since Archie Griffin with consecutive 1,500-yard seasons.
OSU's defense, which allows 14 points per game, ranks second in the nation.
No. 4 Michigan State Spartans
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Voting points: 418
Last week's ranking: 4th
Most recent result: Won 16-13 vs. Iowa in Big Ten Championship Game (in Indianapolis)
Michigan State (12-1, 7-1 Big Ten) won its second conference title in the last three seasons (and probably a playoff bid) by the narrowest of margins, needing every inch of a second-effort lunge by freshman running back L.J. Scott for the game-winning touchdown.
Scott's one-yard scoring run, with 27 seconds left, came at the end of an epic 22-play, 82-yard drive that took up more than nine minutes.
“That drive was as impressive as anything you'll see,” Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press tweeted. “Legendary. Stories will be written.”
MSU's offense had managed only three field goals prior to that, with Connor Cook throwing for 191 yards on 16-of-32 passing with an interception while nursing a shoulder injury. The Spartans gained 365 yards, with 174 coming on the ground, led by Scott's team-high 73 yards.
The Spartans held Iowa to 268 yards, including 52 on the ground, but fell behind 13-9 early in the fourth quarter after allowing an 85-yard TD pass.
No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners
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Voting points: 435 (one first-place vote)
Last week's ranking: 3rd
Most recent result: Won 58-23 at Oklahoma State (on Nov. 28)
Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) won the conference by knocking off Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State during the final month of the regular season. That helped erase the Sooners' loss to rival Texas in October and should earn them a playoff bid.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield has made a huge difference in his first season with the program, throwing for 3,389 yards and 35 touchdowns along with seven rushing scores. With him at the helm, Oklahoma scored 45.8 points per game, which was third-best in FBS.
Oklahoma also had the top defense in the offense-heavy Big 12, allowing 350.7 yards per game and 4.68 yards per play.
No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide
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Voting points: 457 (three first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 2nd
Most recent result: Won 29-15 vs. Florida in SEC Championship Game (in Atlanta)
Alabama (12-1, 7-1 SEC) won its second straight conference title and fourth in Nick Saban's nine seasons, locking up a spot in the playoff.
The Crimson Tide actually trailed for a good chunk of the second quarter, after Florida went up 7-2 on a punt return touchdown, but after that the Tide completely controlled the game. Derrick Henry had a lot to do with that, following up last week's 46-carry, 271-yard effort against Auburn with 189 yards and a TD on 44 carries.
Along the way he became the SEC's single-season rushing leader, surpassing Georgia great Herschel Walker. His 23rd rushing TD leads FBS.
“Derrick Henry's averaging 209 rushing yards per game in Alabama's last six SEC games,” Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman tweeted.
Jake Coker threw for 204 yards and two second-half TDs on 18-of-26 passing, while the Tide held Florida to 15 rushing yards on 21 carries.
No. 1 Clemson Tigers
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Voting points: 465 (15 first-place votes)
Last week's ranking: 1st
Most recent result: Won 45-37 vs. North Carolina in ACC Championship Game (in Charlotte)
Clemson (13-0, 8-0 ACC) will be having a pizza party after winning its 16th consecutive game while claiming its first conference title since 2011.
The Tigers racked up 608 yards against the Tar Heels, with quarterback Deshaun Watson accounting for 420 yards with five total touchdowns. It was the fifth time this season the sophomore has been responsible for 400 or more yards, and overall he's been a part of 41 TDs.
Clemson trailed three times in the first half, including at 16-14, but Watson threw a one-yard TD pass to Jordan Leggett with two seconds left before halftime. In the second half, the Tigers built their lead to 19 points on two occasions, but UNC got within eight with 1:13 left. The Tar Heels then appeared to recover an onside kick but were called for offsides on the play.
Wayne Gallman had 255 all-purpose yards, rushing for 187 yards and a TD and catching four passes for 68 yards and a score.
The Tigers figure to be either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the playoffs. Coach Dabo Swinney had promised during the season the Tigers would have a pizza party in Death Valley if they made the semifinals.
All slides written by Brian J. Pedersen. Follow the author on Twitter at @realBJP.
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