Power Ranking the 2025 College Football Playoff Teams After the First Round
Eight teams are left standing in the 2025 College Football Playoff field after Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Tulane and James Madison were sent packing in the first round of this year's 12-team battle for a national championship.
Oregon, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Miami were the winners of those first-round games, and they now advance to face the top four seeds—Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech—who have been waiting in the wings with a first-round bye.
Ahead, we've ranked the eight teams that are still standing, with a breakdown of some notable offensive and defensive stats, along with a rundown of players to watch and potential X-factors.
The Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl are on deck on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, and those four games will determine the semifinalists for this year's playoff field.
8. Miami Hurricanes (vs. Ohio State in Cotton Bowl)
1 of 8
Offense
Points: 32.2 ppg (29th in FBS)
Passing: 262.5 ypg (32nd in FBS)
Rushing: 151.9 ypg (76th in FBS)
The Hurricanes have a quarterback in Carson Beck with plenty of big-game experience, but the rushing attack has anchored their offense. Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career-high 172 yards on 17 carries against Texas A&M on Saturday, but he faces a tough task against the Ohio State defense. The Buckeyes have not allowed an individual 100-yard rusher all season, and they have surrendered 100 total rushing yards just three times.
Defense
Points Allowed: 13.0 ppg (6th in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 194.5 ypg (30th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 87.0 ypg (7th in FBS)
If the Hurricanes are going to pull off the upset against Ohio State, it will be their defense that carries the day. All-American Rueben Bain Jr. leads the nation with 52 quarterback hurries, while Akheem Mesidor is tied for third with 42. That tandem anchors arguably the best defensive line in the country. Can they neutralize the running game and keep Julian Sayin uncomfortable under center?
7. Ole Miss Rebels (vs. Georgia in Sugar Bowl)
2 of 8
Offense
Points: 37.5 ppg (10th in FBS)
Passing: 312.4 ypg (3rd in FBS)
Rushing: 185.6 ypg (33rd in FBS)
Running back Kewan Lacy has been the focal point of the Ole Miss offense all season, leading the SEC and ranking third in the nation with 273 carries for 1,366 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was limited to a season-low 31 yards on 12 carries in the Rebels' loss to Georgia earlier this year, though he did manage to find the end zone twice. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has reached 300 passing yards in seven of his 11 starts.
Defense
Points Allowed: 19.3 ppg (22nd in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 192.1 ypg (29th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 147.8 ypg (66th in FBS)
The Rebels' run defense has been torched multiple times this year, allowing 200-plus yards on the ground three different times, including 221 in the loss to Georgia. They have improved in that area as the season progressed, allowing 115 or fewer rushing yards in four of their last five games, including holding a potent Tulane rushing attack to 115 yards.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (vs. Indiana in Rose Bowl)
3 of 8
Offense
Points: 31.4 ppg (39th in FBS)
Passing: 270.2 ypg (24th in FBS)
Rushing: 109.9 ypg (120th in FBS)
The Crimson Tide are undefeated when they reach 100 rushing yards, but that's only happened seven times this season, with two of those performances coming against Eastern Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. They have 25 rushing yards on 41 carries combined in their last two games, which were a loss to Georgia in the SEC championship and a comeback win over Oklahoma. Ty Simpson will have to shoulder the load against an Indiana defense that excels at shutting down the run.
Defense
Points Allowed: 17.9 ppg (13th in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 168.4 ypg (10th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 120.6 ypg (30th in FBS)
Alabama is 7-0 when the defense has multiple takeaways, compared to 4-3 when it manages one or zero, and Indiana has only turned it over eight times in 13 games. Can the Tide find a way to make Fernando Mendoza uncomfortable in the pocket while also accounting for a running game that averages 221.2 yards per game?
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
5. Oregon Ducks (vs. Texas Tech in Orange Bowl)
4 of 8
Offense
Points: 39.2 ppg (9th in FBS)
Passing: 251.8 ypg (45th in FBS)
Rushing: 217.1 ypg (13th in FBS)
The Ducks built a 48-13 lead midway through the third quarter against James Madison before allowing three late touchdowns, and it was the seventh time this season the offense reached 40 points. Dante Moore finished with four passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown, marking the sixth time this season he has accounted for at least three scores. He is the X-factor if the Ducks are going to advance against a tough Texas Tech defense.
Defense
Points Allowed: 16.3 ppg (10th in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 158.1 ypg (5th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 113.3 ypg (24th in FBS)
James Madison was the first opponent to log 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards against the Oregon defense, though it did so playing from way behind. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher leads the Big Ten with 113 tackles, and he will be tasked with helping to slow down a dynamic Red Raiders running game that is averaging nearly 200 yards per contest.
4. Georgia Bulldogs (vs. Ole Miss in Sugar Bowl)
5 of 8
Offense
Points: 31.9 ppg (33rd in FBS)
Passing: 220.3 ypg (76th in FBS)
Rushing: 186.6 ypg (31st in FBS)
The Bulldogs only topped 300 yards of total offense three times during their 12-1 run through the regular season and the SEC championship game, but they found the end zone frequently enough to back a stout defense. Quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 2,691 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he was supported by a running game that found the end zone 29 times.
Defense
Points Allowed: 15.9 ppg (9th in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 205.3 ypg (48th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 79.2 ypg (4th in FBS)
All-American linebacker CJ Allen is the leader of a defense that surrendered just 2.9 yards per carry and never allowed 150 rushing yards in a game, and slowing down Kewan Lacy will be the key to knocking off Ole Miss for the second time this year. Containing the running game would put significantly more pressure on Trinidad Chambliss, who was limited to 19-of-36 passing for 263 yards and one touchdown the first time they met.
3. Texas Tech Red Raiders (vs. Oregon in Orange Bowl)
6 of 8
Offense
Points: 42.5 ppg (2nd in FBS)
Passing: 289.4 ypg (11th in FBS)
Rushing: 190.9 ypg (26th in FBS)
For all the attention the Texas Tech defense receives, they have also been one of the highest-scoring offenses in the country, scoring at least 34 points in 11 of their 13 games. Quarterback Behren Morton is healthy after battling some injury issues early in the season, while the one-two punch of Cameron Dickey (198 carries, 1,095 yards, 14 TD) and J'Koby Williams (142 carries, 787 yards, 6 TD) provided a consistent rushing attack.
Defense
Points Allowed: 10.9 ppg (3rd in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 185.9 ypg (24th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 68.5 ypg (1st in FBS)
The Red Raiders have the nation's best run defense, and arguably the best defensive player in the nation in linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who finished fifth in Heisman Trophy voting after tallying 117 tackles, 61 solo tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions, six pass deflections and seven forced fumbles. Edge-rusher David Bailey joined him as a first-team All-American after racking up 17.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks, and this is a defense capable of leading a legitimate title run.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (vs. Miami in Cotton Bowl)
7 of 8
Offense
Points: 34.9 ppg (17th in FBS)
Passing: 266.8 ypg (25th in FBS)
Rushing: 162.8 ypg (64th in FBS)
With the nation's most dynamic wide receiver tandem in Jeremiah Smith (80 catches, 1,086 yards, 11 TD) and Carnell Tate (48 catches, 838 yards, 9 TD), the Buckeyes have had a potent offense all season. First-year starter Julian Sayin has done a great job steering the ship while completing an FBS-leading 78.4 percent of his passes, and running back Bo Jackson kept defenses honest with six 100-yard rushing games and 6.2 yards per carry.
Defense
Points Allowed: 8.2 ppg (1st in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 129.1 ypg (1st in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 84.5 ypg (5th in FBS)
The Buckeyes have not allowed more than 16 points in a game all season, and they have kept the opposing offense out of the end zone five times while recording a pair of shutouts. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, linebacker Arvell Reese and safety Caleb Downs all earned All-American honors, giving the team a star on every level of the defense.
1. Indiana Hoosiers (vs. Alabama in Rose Bowl)
8 of 8
Offense
Points: 41.9 ppg (4th in FBS)
Passing: 251.6 ypg (46th in FBS)
Rushing: 221.2 ypg (10th in FBS)
The Hoosiers outscored the opposition by a 545-141 margin this season, and they had Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza leading the offense as he completed 71.5 percent of his throws for 2,980 yards and an FBS-leading 33 touchdown passes. They did not have a 1,000-yard rusher, but they had three different backs eclipse 450 yards, and they averaged 5.8 yards per carry overall. They found the end zone in 47 of 65 trips to the red zone.
Defense
Points Allowed: 10.8 ppg (2nd in FBS)
Passing Allowed: 179.5 ypg (18th in FBS)
Rushing Allowed: 77.6 ypg (3rd in FBS)
The Hoosiers defense flexed its muscles against Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, allowing just 10 points to a team that was averaging 37 per game. They also limited a high-powered Oregon offense to 20 points earlier in conference play. The run defense in particular has been fantastic, allowing 100 rushing yards just twice in 13 games.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
