College Football Playoff: Third Official 2025 Projected 12-Team CFP Bracket
Week 13 is upon us, which means the third College Football Playoff rankings are out. Following the latest Top 25 release, the projected 12-team CFP bracket is also in place.
There were plenty of changes following last week’s slate of games, including a new No. 4 seed after Alabama’s loss to Oklahoma. That meant Georgia jumped up and has a bye in the projected bracket, and there were more shakeups along the way.
Just two weeks remain for teams to try and cement their spots in the College Football Playoff field. Here is the third official projected 12-team CFP bracket ahead of Week 13.
First-round byes
No. 1 Ohio State*
After another resounding win, Ohio State once again checked in at No. 1 in the third College Football Playoff rankings. The Buckeyes, in a rare primetime game at The Horseshoe, cruised past UCLA to stay undefeated on the season.
Ohio State has been dominant throughout the year with the final two games looming. Rutgers is on tap this week before the rivalry matchup with Michigan closes things out in Week 14.
No. 2 Indiana
In its final home game of the season, Indiana once again showcased its dominance. The Hoosiers took down Wisconsin 31-7 to improve to 11-0 and stay at No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into their final bye in Week 13.
Heisman Trophy contender Fernando Mendoza had another strong game with 299 pass yards and four touchdowns to lead the charge. IU will be off this week before a primetime matchup against rival Purdue on Black Friday.
No. 3 Texas A&M*
Through one half against South Carolina, it appeared Texas A&M was in danger of suffering its first loss of the season. But the Aggies completely flipped the script after halftime, pulling off a historic comeback to stay in the mix for a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Texas A&M now takes a perfect 10-0 record into a non-conference matchup against Samford. But all eyes will soon be on the season finale when the Aggies head to Austin to take on Texas.
No. 4 Georgia
After Alabama’s loss, the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings opened up. Georgia was able to seize the opportunity with a win over Texas and put itself in position for a first-round bye.
The Bulldogs didn’t leave any room for doubt against the Longhorns en route to the 35-10 victory at Sanford Stadium. It marked UGA’s sixth straight win as Kirby Smart’s group sealed its SEC resume with a 7-1 mark in league play. Two non-conference games await to close out the season.
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First-round matchups (campus sites)
No. 12 Tulane* at No. 5 Texas Tech*
The Group of 6 race for the College Football Playoff took another turn last week when USF fell to Navy on Saturday. That opened the door for Tulane to enter the fray as the Green Wave sit right in the middle of the American Conference race entering Week 13.
Texas Tech didn’t miss a beat following its home win over BYU, cruising past UCF last time out. The Red Raiders are in strong position to not only make the Big 12 Championship, but also appear in the College Football Playoff for the first time.
No. 11 Miami* at No. 6 Ole Miss
In a wide-open ACC race, Miami emerged as the highest-ranked team from the conference and, therefore, the projected conference champion in the 12-team bracket. The Hurricanes were firing on all cylinders in last week’s win over NC State, flying to the 41-0 victory at Hard Rock Stadium.
As much of the attention stays off the field with Lane Kiffin’s situation, Ole Miss is still very much in play for the College Football Playoff. The Rebels head into their bye week with a 10-1 record, setting the stage for a CFP-clinching opportunity in the Egg Bowl against Mississippi State.
No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Oregon
Last week’s loss to Oklahoma dropped Alabama to 8-2 on the season, meaning the Tide dropped out of the Top Four and all the way down to No. 10. However, Kalen DeBoer’s group is still in the mix for the College Football Playoff bracket – albeit with a much smaller margin for error.
It was another strong showing for Oregon in Week 12, taking down Minnesota in a Friday night primetime matchup. The Ducks continue to roll following their loss to Indiana, but a high-stakes matchup against USC awaits this week that has plenty of College Football Playoff implications.
No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma
A ranked matchup against Pitt looked like another opportunity for Notre Dame to improve its College Football Playoff resume. The Fighting Irish did just that, cruising past the Panthers 37-15 to put themselves in strong position with two games to go.
After just missing out on the projected 12-team College Football Playoff bracket last week, Oklahoma is now in the thick of the race. The Sooners picked up a big-time win over Alabama on Saturday which allowed them to jump into the Top 12 seeds.