College Football Playoff Prediction: ESPN projects CFP Top 12 rankings after Week 6

Fresh off another wild weekend of results, the 2025 college football season is officially at the half-way point six weeks into the regular-season. And while the College Football Playoff‘s first formal rankings reveal isn’t until Nov. 4, it’s never too early to look ahead at what the CFP rankings might look like if they had weekly rankings throughout the regular season.

With that in mind, ESPN insider Heather Dinich overhauled her updated weekly projection of how the 13-member selection committee’s rankings might look following Week 6’s wild slate of games. This Saturday saw five Top 25 teams go down, including a devastating second-straight defeat for Penn State, which fell completely out of Dinich’s Top 12 after its 42-37 road loss to previously winless UCLA.

Check out ESPN’s projected College Football Playoff field after Week 6 of the 2025 season:

1. Miami Hurricanes

Dinich keeps the undefeated and third-ranked Hurricanes (5-0, 1-0 ACC) at No. 1 in her weekly rankings after a convincing 28-22 win over No. 18 Florida State in Tallahassee, marking Miami’s first road win of the season. The ESPN expert made it clear the Canes check all the boxes that the CFP selection committee looks at, including notching Top 25 wins over then-ranked Notre Dame, South Florida and rival FSU.

ESPN: “The Canes have the best combination of eye test and résumé, with wins against Notre Dame, South Florida, Florida and now Florida State. The Canes earned their first road win of the season, and they did it against their in-state rival, officially claiming the unofficial state title. “

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Dinich also keeps the reigning national champion Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) at No. 2 in her ranking simply based on resume, as Ohio State’s Week 1 win over preseason No. 1 Texas takes a bit of a hit following the Longhorns’ road loss at Florida on Saturday. Still, Ohio State already has three wins over Power Four competition, including a convincing 24-6 road win at Washington last week.

ESPN: “The season-opening win against Texas is good — but not great — after Texas lost at Florida on Saturday. The Buckeyes’ place in the pecking order is less about one standout win and more about the steady consistency expected from a national title contender.”

3. Oregon Ducks

The Ducks (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) maintain their spot at No. 3 in Dinich’s rankings while on bye after knocking off previously-undefeated Penn State, 30-24, at home last weekend. Of course, the Nittany Lions’ road loss at UCLA on Saturday could certainly lessen that win’s impact on Oregon’s resume, though Dinich isn’t as sure and believes the Ducks’ Playoff resume could even survive a loss next Saturday vs. No. 8 Indiana.

ESPN: “The committee could be more impressed with Oregon’s cross-country win against two-loss PSU than Ohio State’s home win against Texas now that both have two losses. The Ducks have two road wins compared with Miami’s one.”

4. Texas A&M Aggies

Dinich’s run of SEC teams begins with the Aggies (5-0, 2-0 SEC) at No. 4 in her ranking despite having just a single Top 25 win on its resume. Of course, that 41-40 win over then-No. 8 Notre Dame was certainly impressive and could be enough to put Texas A&M over the top in the eyes of the CFP selection committee as long as the Fighting Irish continue to roll through the rest of their schedule vs. Power Four teams.

ESPN: “The Aggies have won three straight against strong opponents, further proving that the Sept. 13 win at Notre Dame wasn’t an anomaly. … The nonconference road win against the Irish, though, remains one of the best in the country and will continue to separate the Aggies as long as the Irish keep winning.”

5. Ole Miss Rebels

Dinich kept the No. 4 Rebels (5-0, 3-0 SEC) at No. 5 in her rankings a week after knocking off previous-No. 4 LSU 24-19 in Oxford last weekend. But while that SEC win remains impressive, the ESPN expert cited Ole Miss’ Sept. 20 victory over Group of Five contending Tulane as valuable to the committee so long as the Green Wave stay in Playoff contention and win the American Conference.

ESPN: “(The Rebels) have now won four straight games against respectable opponents, including three SEC teams (LSU, Arkansas and Kentucky). … Overall, this is one of the stronger résumés of the contenders, but Ole Miss is also passing the eye test as a complete team.”

6. Alabama Crimson Tide (+2)

The first movement in Dinich’s Top 12 ranking is at No. 6, where the one-loss Crimson Tide (4-1, 2-0 SEC) land after avenging last season’s loss in Nashville with a convincing win over previously undefeated Vanderbilt on Saturday. And given Florida State’s back-to-back losses to Virginia and Miami, the ESPN expert doesn’t believe the CFP committee will ding Alabama for its season-opening loss at FSU.

ESPN: “Alabama has now earned back-to-back wins against ranked opponents, including on the road against Georgia. Because Florida State lost to Miami and now has two losses, the Noles’ season-opening win against Alabama will be less of a factor in the committee meeting room.”

7. Oklahoma Sooners (-1)

Dinich dropped the Sooners (5-0, 1-0 SEC) a spot in her rankings after a lopsided win over a one-win Kent State despite turning things over to backup QB Micheal Hawkins Jr. with the hand injury to stater John Mateer. Since the Playoff committee takes injuries into account when making its rankings, Dinich is confident Oklahoma remains in good position, especially with a win Saturday vs. two-loss Texas.

ESPN: “Six of Oklahoma’s next seven opponents are ranked, and it’s still unclear if Mateer will be cleared to play in time for Saturday’s Red River Rivalry game. … OU has some margin for error, and it has plenty of opportunities to compensate for a loss or two.”

8. Georgia Bulldogs (+1)

The Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 SEC) bounced back nicely from last week’s home loss to Alabama by knocking off Kentucky in convincing fashion, 35-14. Dinich cited ESPN’s FPI projection that Georgia should win out, which would mean ranked wins over Ole Miss, Texas and Georgia Tech, the latter of which could be a big boost to UGA’s resume should the rival Yellow Jackets win or even play for the ACC title.

ESPN: “The Bulldogs did what they were expected to do: They beat an unranked Kentucky team that remains winless in SEC play. The Sept. 13 overtime win at Tennessee is the highlight of Georgia’s playoff résumé so far.”

9. Indiana Hoosiers (+1)

Dinich bumped up the undefeated Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) one spot following a bye week after back-to-back Big Ten wins against Illinois and Iowa. But No. 8 Indiana’s biggest test comes next Saturday on the road at No. 2 Oregon, one of Dinich’s Top 3 teams. Should they fall on Saturday, the Hoosiers’ Playoff hopes might rest with the result of the Nov. 8 road game at Penn State.

ESPN: “Indiana doesn’t play Ohio State or Michigan during the regular season, but it has a more difficult path to the playoff with trips to Oregon and Penn State. If the Hoosiers finish 10-2, they will be in a precarious playoff position because of their nonconference schedule.”

10. Texas Tech Red Raiders (NR)

The Big 12-leading Red Raiders (5-0, 2-0 B12) are coming off back-to-back conference road wins that are sure to impress the Playoff committee, especially the convincing 34-10 win over previously-ranked Utah. As long as Texas Tech stays in conference contention, they’ll be in the Playoff mix, though upcoming games against Arizona State and fellow undefeated BYU could certainly factor into things.

ESPN: “The committee would consider that Texas Tech asserted itself against two respectable conference opponents and did it on the road. … Texas Tech got a boost in the ranking this week at the expense of Penn State, which fell out entirely after its road loss to UCLA.”

11. Tennessee Volunteers (-1)

The 15th-ranked Vols (4-1, 1-1 SEC) drop a spot in Dinich’s rankings while on bye this past weekend, and the road only gets more difficult from here. After hosting Arkansas next Saturday, Tennessee still has Top 25 games against rival Alabama, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt to close out the regular season. Dinich makes it clear the Vols can only afford to lose to one of those to stay in the Playoff mix.

ESPN: “Entering Week 6, ESPN’s FPI projected the Vols will win each of their remaining games except the Oct. 18 trip to Alabama. If that were to hold true, the Vols would have a strong case to return to the playoff at 10-2 but wouldn’t be a lock.”

12. LSU Tigers (NR)

Dinich bumps up the idle Tigers (4-1, 1-1 SEC) into his Top 12 while also acknowleding that the actualy CFP selection committee could give this spot to unbeaten Georgia Tech (5-0, 2-0 ACC). Of course, given LSU’s upcoming SEC slate against Top 25 foes Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma, the Tigers have more opportunties to impress the committee down the stretch.

ESPN: “LSU is entering a season-defining stretch, with three of its next four games against ranked opponents. The Oct. 18 trip to Vandy won’t be easy, but Bama just wrote the blueprint to beat the Commodores.”

ESPN College Football Playoff bracket projection

First-round byes

No. 1 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 2 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 3 Oregon
No. 4 Texas A&M (SEC champ)

First-round games
On campus, Dec. 19 and 20

No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Ole Miss
No. 11 Tennessee at No. 6 Alabama
No. 10 Texas Tech (Big 12 champ) at No. 7 Oklahoma
No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Georgia

Quarterfinals
At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Tennessee/No. 6 Alabama winner vs. No. 3 Oregon
No. 10 Texas Tech/No. 7 Oklahoma winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State
No. 9 Indiana/No. 8 Georgia winner vs. No. 1 Miami