College Football Playoff rankings 2026
The first rankings come out Tuesday, November 3.
The selection committee publishes its first top 25 of 2026 on Tuesday, November 3, on ESPN, and names the 12-team field on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6. Until the first release, the AP Top 25 is below; this page switches to the committee's ranking the night it comes out.
Until then: the AP Top 25, Week 9
The AP Top 25 as published, refreshed every hour. The committee ranks on its own and often differs.
Where the field is heading
Our projected CFP bracket seeds the 12 teams most likely to make it, and the College Football Playoff odds give every contender's chance from 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season. The playoff picture shows the field if the season ended today.
2026 release schedule
- Tuesday, November 3: first top 25
- Tuesday, November 10: updated top 25
- Tuesday, November 17: updated top 25
- Tuesday, November 24: updated top 25
- Tuesday, December 1: updated top 25
- Sunday, December 6: Selection Day, the final ranking and the 12-team field
Questions
When do the College Football Playoff rankings come out?
The selection committee releases a top 25 on Tuesday nights on ESPN: Tuesday, November 3; Tuesday, November 10; Tuesday, November 17; Tuesday, November 24 and Tuesday, December 1, 2026. The final ranking and the 12-team field come on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6.
When are the first CFP rankings of 2026?
The first rankings come out Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Until then the committee publishes nothing, so this page shows the AP Top 25, and our projected bracket shows where the field is heading.
How many CFP rankings are there?
Six: five Tuesday top 25s from early November to the start of December, and the final ranking on Selection Day.