If the season ended today, here is how the College Football Playoff should look.
While there is still plenty of football remaining during the 2025 campaign, it is never too early to look at what this year's College Football Playoff could look like come December.
Last year marked the first under the 12-team playoff format, which will continue this season. The top four seeds will also receive a first-round bye, and the teams selected will be based on their overall record and performance throughout the season, regardless of whether the programs won their respective conferences or not.
If the regular season ended today, here is how the 2025-2026 College Football Playoff bracket should look:
No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes - First round bye
After winning the national title last season, most expected a potential down year for the Buckeyes entering the 2025 campaign. So far, it's been the complete opposite for head coach Ryan Day and company in Columbus, Ohio. The season began with a 14-7 victory over a highly regarded Texas program.
Still, Ohio State followed that by displaying dominance against non-conference opponents and Big Ten foe Washington, scoring 131 total points in their last three contests. The program will likely meet Oregon in the conference championship, given the way their schedule shapes up for the rest of the season.
No. 2 Oregon Ducks - First-round bye
This squad is one of the most dangerous and most explosive in the country this season, especially with an intelligent play-caller like Dan Lanning at the helm. Highly-touted quarterback Dante Moore ranks third in the Big Ten with 1,210 passing yards this season, while also having a massive win at Penn State in the win column moving into Week 6. There are few teams in college football as hot as the Ducks as of this moment.
No. 3 Miami Hurricanes - First-round bye
Another program riding a wave of momentum is down in South Beach. The Miami Hurricanes have an all-around dominant squad that has taken care of business against some talented squads already, including victories over in-state rivals like Florida and USF, while also capturing a non-conference win over Notre Dame. This week's matchup against Florida State will reveal where this team stands moving forward and whether it can continue to dominate in the ACC.
No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide - First-round bye
After defeating the Georgia Bulldogs on the road in Week 5, Ty Simpson and the Alabama Crimson Tide deserve to be a top-four team in college football, without a doubt. The ugly loss against Florida State in the season opener had many out on Kalen DeBoer, but things have quickly turned around as this team continues to improve and adjust.
No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 12 Memphis Tigers
Unfortunately, for what I believe will be the group-of-five representative, the Memphis Tigers might have a date with a Kirby Smart squad with their backs against the wall. If the playoffs were to begin today, Georgia would face an explosive and dangerous Memphis squad that remains unbeaten, having won against Arkansas just two weeks ago.
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones
Ole Miss is feeling themselves after their home win over No. 4 LSU this Saturday. While the remaining schedule presents a couple of challenging contests against SEC opponents, the Rebels have a high percentage chance of reaching the SEC Championship with one loss or less this season. Matching a potential one-loss or two-loss Lane Kiffin squad against the potential Big 12 champions could be an incredible shootout to watch in the playoff.
No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers
Both Texas A&M and Tennessee will likely have at least two strikes in the loss column with the daunting tasks ahead in a competitive SEC this season, but the talent on the two squads should position them for a potential at-large bid into the CFP. With wideouts like Mario Craver, KC Concepcion, and quarterback Marcel Reed in the Maroon and White, and wide receiver Chris Brazzell II and signal-caller Joey Aguilar in the Orange and White, this could be one of the most explosive contests of the entire slate.
No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 9 Texas Tech Raiders
While Penn State does not yet have an impressive win on its schedule so far this season, and just suffered a home loss to Oregon, the Nittany Lions are still in a favorable position to reach this year's playoff. The talent throughout the roster, combined with an impressive head coach like James Franklin at the helm, should shine throughout the rest of the year.
Meanwhile, the Red Raiders are looking and playing the part of what a postseason team should look like. A potential Big 12 Championship contender facing one of the best teams from the Big Ten should make for an intriguing matchup.
Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo.
This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Where does Texas A&M football stand in Week 6 College Football Playoff predictions?
Category: General Sports
