Sports · American Football · 3 hrs ago
First 2026 College Football Playoff rankings are due Tuesday
The College Football Playoff selection committee releases its first top 25 Tuesday, giving fans an early look at which teams it considers contenders.
The rankings are based on teams’ performances, schedules, wins, head-to-head results and other measures, rather than polls or recruiting rankings.
Unbeaten Miami is expected to rank near the top, after reaching 8-0, though the committee’s first list will not decide the final playoff field.
Miami faces Notre Dame this weekend in a game that could affect both teams’ playoff chances.
The playoff field has 12 teams: the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven other highly ranked teams.
The top four seeds receive first-round byes, while teams seeded fifth through eighth host opening-round games.
More rankings will follow before the final selection, as teams play the remaining weeks of the regular season.
The College Football Playoff Selection Committee is due to release its first 2026 top 25 rankings Tuesday night.
The rankings will offer an early view of which teams the committee considers contenders for the national championship.
The 13-member committee evaluates teams using on-field performance, records, schedule strength, game control and other factors.
Miami is unbeaten at 8-0 and is expected by CBS Sports to be ranked first.
The rankings will not determine the final playoff field, which will be set after the regular season.
- Who
- The College Football Playoff Selection Committee, chaired by Hunter Yurachek.
- What
- It is due to release its first top 25 rankings of the 2026 season.
- When
- Tuesday night; the articles were published on November 1 and 2, 2026.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- To provide an early ranking of teams and a view of their standing in the national championship conversation.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Miami, Indiana and BYU recorded close wins, while USC defeated Ohio State.
ESPN published its assessment of 29 playoff contenders ahead of the first rankings.
CBS Sports previewed the committee's first rankings release.
The committee is due to reveal its first top 25 rankings of the season.
- Committee size
- 13 members
- Committee chair
- Hunter Yurachek
- Miami record
- 8-0
- Playoff field
- 12 teams
- Ranking release
- Tuesday night in 2026
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What people are saying
will do what he can to provide the best explanation on why teams are ranked where they are and what goes inside the CFP war room in Grapevine, Texas