2025 CFP Rankings: Brand Bias, Expanded Playoff Impact

**CFP Committee Unveils First 12-Team Playoff Rankings; FOX’s RJ Young Highlights Brand Bias, New Format’s Impact**

The College Football Playoff committee officially released its inaugural rankings for the 2025 playoffs (reflecting the 2024 regular season) this past Tuesday, November 5th, immediately sparking vigorous debate across the college football landscape. FOX Sports analyst RJ Young was quick to dissect the committee’s initial selections, offering strong takes on the perceived brand bias, the early impact of the expanded 12-team format, and the surprising positioning of several contenders.

At the top, the committee’s choices reflect a continued leaning towards established powerhouses. Georgia secured the coveted number one spot, followed by Ohio State at two, Texas at three, and Oregon rounding out the crucial top four. Young suggested this top tier would likely remain heavily entrenched, a testament to the enduring influence of “blue blood” programs and their strong conference affiliations.

However, Young noted that the brand loyalty extends deeper into the rankings. He pointed to one-loss teams like Alabama, currently sitting at number seven, receiving what he perceives as a benefit of the doubt over undefeated teams from Group of Five conferences or even Power Five teams with arguably weaker schedules. “This clearly shows the committee is still heavily weighing name recognition and strength of conference, even with the expanded format,” Young remarked, implying that historical prestige continues to significantly shape initial perceptions.

The expansion to a 12-team playoff, however, is already having a tangible effect on the middle tier. Young highlighted how teams such as Penn State (number eight) and Missouri (number nine) are still very much in contention for a playoff berth. In previous four-team formats, these teams would likely be on the periphery of the conversation, if not entirely out of it. This new inclusivity promises a more exciting race down the stretch. Young emphasized that while getting into the playoff is now more achievable, the battle for those critical top-four spots, which guarantee a first-round bye, will be “brutal,” likely coming down to the final weekend of conference championship games in December.

Young also zeroed in on what he considered a significant undervaluation of specific teams. He argued that Oklahoma, ranked at number ten despite a single close loss, deserved a higher placement. Young contended that Oklahoma’s strength of schedule, particularly against formidable Big 12 contenders, should have placed them ahead of a team like Ole Miss, currently ranked number six. He speculated that the committee might be “over-indexing on recent performance over a complete body of work” for some teams in the middle of the pack, leading to these perceived snubs.

Finally, Young underscored the unprecedented importance of conference championships this December. With the 12-team format guaranteeing spots for the top six conference champions, a victory in a conference title game on December 7th becomes a golden ticket. He cited Louisville, currently ranked number twelve, as a prime example. Should Louisville win the ACC Championship, they would automatically secure a playoff spot and potentially leapfrog several higher-ranked teams. Young stressed that securing a conference title is now the most direct and impactful path not just to playoff entry, but crucially, to vying for one of those coveted first-round byes.

As the regular season heads into its final critical weeks, Young’s analysis confirms that every game, and especially every conference championship, carries unprecedented weight in the new 12-team College Football Playoff era, promising a thrilling and unpredictable conclusion to the 2024 season.