2025-26 College Football Playoff Field Revealed: Indiana Hoosiers Secure Top Seed
The 2025-26 College Football Playoff field has been determined, with the Indiana Hoosiers securing the top spot after an undefeated regular season and a victory in the Big Ten Championship Game. This marks the first time in program history that Indiana has claimed the No. 1 seed in the CFP Rankings and earned a spot in the playoff.
Ohio State, the reigning national champion, will enter the playoff as the No. 2 seed and will have the opportunity to defend their title. Georgia and Texas Tech round out the top four seeds, with all four teams receiving first-round byes in the 12-team playoff format.
Duke's upset victory in the ACC Championship Game means that a Power Four conference champion will not be represented in the playoff field for the first time since the expansion to 12 teams. Instead, two Group of Five conference champions, Tulane and James Madison, have earned spots in the playoff.
The first-round matchups include rematches between Ole Miss and Tulane, as well as Oregon and James Madison. Other games feature Oklahoma hosting Alabama and Texas A&M facing Miami (FL). The Crimson Tide, with three losses, are the first three-loss team to qualify for the playoff.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games will be held at traditional New Year's Six bowl sites, with each team designated for a specific bowl game. Miami (FL) secured the final at-large spot over Notre Dame based on their head-to-head result in Week 1.
As the 12 teams prepare to compete for the national championship, stay tuned for live bowl games announcements coverage and the full 2025-26 bowl schedule on CBS Sports.