College Football Playoff live rankings: Updated 12-team bracket revealed in first CFP poll of 2025

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• College Football Playoff bracket
• College Football Playoff predictions
• How College Football Playoff format works
• College Football Playoff rankings release schedule

Unsurprisingly, college football has brought the chaos this 2025 season, the second of the 12-team playoff era.

While the defending champions Ohio State Buckeyes have remained a dominant force, there have been plenty of unexpected twists and turns for other top programs. Some of those have been downward spirals -- Texas and Penn State were the top two-ranked squads in the preseason AP Poll, but the Longhorns have already two games, while the Nittany Lions are searching for a new head coach and still winless in Power Four matchups.

The disappointment from some programs has opened up opportunity for others, though. Among the teams still unbeaten are Curt Cignetti's Indiana squad (wins over Illinois and Oregon), Texas A&M (wins over Notre Dame and LSU) and BYU (win over Utah, Iowa State). 

For the first time this season, CFP rankings will be released on Tuesday evening, offering the first insights into how the 12-team bracket could shake up in December. Which teams are tracking for first-round byes? Which will find themself on the bubble of playoff contention?

The Sporting News is tracking the first CFP bracket reveal of the 2025 season. Follow along with the rankings below.

STREAM: Watch the first CFP rankings show live with Fubo (free trial)

College Football Playoff rankings 2025

This section will be updated with the full rankings after they are revealed at 8 p.m. ET.

Who are the top 12 teams in first CFP bracket poll?

MORE: Projecting the CFP top 25 rankings for Week 11

First four teams out

Rest of the top 25

College Football Playoff bracket 2025

This section will be updated with the first bracket projection when the rankings are revealed.

MORE: Latest AP, Coaches Top 25 polls

How College Football Playoff format works in 2025

The same as 2024, the CFP format in 2025 will be a 12-team field. However, there are changes to the seedings this season.

Automatic bids are given to the top five highest-ranked conference champions. In a change from 2024 though, the four highest-ranked teams will get the top four seeds and the first-round bye, regardless of whether or not they won their conference. There are seven at-large bids available for non-conference champs.

While the top four seeds get the bye, seeds 5-12 will play in the first round. 

Here's a look at how the College Football Playoff seeding will play out:

First round

• No. 1 team (bye)
• No. 2 team (bye)
• No. 3 team (bye)
• No. 4 team (bye)
• No. 12 team at No. 5 team
• No. 11 team at No. 6 team
• No. 10 team at No. 7 team
• No. 9 team at No. 8 team

Quarterfinals

• No. 1 team vs. No. 8/9 team
• No. 2 team vs. No. 7/10 team
• No. 3 team vs. No. 6/11 team
• No. 4 team vs. No. 5/12 team

MORE: Is Miami out of the running for a CFP berth?

College Football Playoff predictions

Here are The Sporting News' first CFP bracket projections for Week 11, according to Bill Bender:

MORE: How OU's upset of Vols shakes up SEC race

College Football Playoff rankings release schedule 2025

Starting Tuesday night, a weekly CFP ranking reveal show will be on ESPN. The time for the show will vary by week. The schedule is listed below.