Indiana Secures Top Seed in 2025 College Football Playoff; Alabama and Miami Join Field as Notre Dame Misses Out
In a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 college football regular season, the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee revealed its final 12-team playoff bracket, with the Indiana Hoosiers claiming the coveted No. 1 seed. Notably, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Miami Hurricanes earned at-large bids, while defending runner-up Notre Dame found themselves just outside the playoff picture, making them the first team left out of the postseason tournament.
Final Rankings and Seeds
The finalized CFP rankings announced on December 7 placed Indiana at the top with a perfect 13-0 record, earning the program its first-ever No. 1 seed in the expanded 12-team playoff format. Joining Indiana as top-four seeds — and thus receiving a first-round bye — are Ohio State (12-1), Georgia (12-1), and Texas Tech (12-1).
The full seeding in order is as follows:
- Indiana (1)
- Ohio State (2)
- Georgia (3)
- Texas Tech (4)
- Oregon (5)
- Ole Miss (6)
- Texas A&M (7)
- Oklahoma (8)
- Alabama (9)
- Miami (10)
- Tulane (20)
- James Madison University (JMU) (24)
Alabama and Miami Join the Playoff, Notre Dame Excluded
The selection was marked by intense debate over Alabama, Miami, and Notre Dame — three prominent programs with strong seasons but limited space in the bracket. Alabama, despite a 28-7 loss in the SEC Championship Game, managed to secure the No. 9 seed and a playoff berth. Miami jumped ahead of Notre Dame thanks largely to a Week 1 head-to-head victory, finishing 10-2 on the season. Notre Dame, with an 11th place finish in CFP rankings, was left just outside the playoff field.
The 12-team field also includes two conference champions from outside the Power Five conferences: Tulane and James Madison University, ranked 20th and 24th respectively, securing automatic bids as top-ranked champions among Group of Five conferences.
Implications and Outlook
The top four seeds earn first-round byes, while the remaining eight teams will face off in the opening round, setting up exciting matchups, including Indiana facing a postseason test as No. 1 seed. Ohio State, seeded second, will meet the Cotton Bowl champion on December 31.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips voiced disappointment at Notre Dame’s exclusion but maintained that the ACC deserves at least two playoff bids considering Miami’s at-large selection and the conference championship winner likely securing an automatic bid.
The expanded 12-team playoff format continues to reshape the landscape of college football postseason play, fostering debates about selection criteria and conference representation, illustrating a season full of competitive parity and rising programs.