Indiana Secures No. 1 Seed in College Football Playoff; Alabama and Miami Gain Entry While Notre Dame Misses Out
The College Football Playoff bracket for the 2025-26 season was officially announced on Sunday, revealing Indiana as the top overall seed. The 12-team playoff field includes prominent programs such as Alabama and Miami, but notably leaves Notre Dame on the outside looking in, stirring considerable debate among college football fans and analysts.
Indiana’s Historic Run to the No. 1 Seed
The Indiana Hoosiers, boasting an undefeated 13-0 record, earned the No. 1 seed with a commanding regular season, marking perhaps the program’s most successful year. This top seed grants Indiana a first-round bye, allowing them to await the winner of a first-round matchup in the quarterfinals set for January.
Playoff Structure and Other Top Seeds
The playoff utilizes a 12-team format for the second consecutive year, with the four highest seeds earning byes past the opening round. Alongside Indiana, Ohio State (No. 2), Georgia (No. 3), and Texas Tech (No. 4) secured these byes based on their strong regular seasons.
The remaining eight teams face off in first-round games at the home fields of the higher-seeded teams starting December 19. Key first-round matchups include No. 8 Oklahoma hosting No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Miami traveling to face No. 7 Texas A&M.
Controversies: Alabama and Miami In, Notre Dame Out
The committee’s decision to include Alabama and Miami while excluding Notre Dame ignited widespread discussion. Alabama, despite owning three losses, earned a spot largely due to an eight-game winning streak and a strong resume that included a win over defending champions Georgia. Alabama’s loss in the Southeastern Conference championship was a central point of contention, but the committee appeared to respect their conference championship appearance, allowing them to retain a spot.
Miami secured a playoff berth at No. 10, bolstered by a head-to-head win over Notre Dame early in the season, a factor the committee reviewed closely. Notre Dame, in contrast, was placed just outside the 12-team field, finishing behind Alabama and Miami. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) champion Duke did not make the field over Sun Belt champion James Madison, who secured the final spot as a Group of Five representative.
Full Field and Upcoming Schedule
The full 12-team lineup is as follows:
- No. 1 Indiana (bye)
- No. 2 Ohio State (bye)
- No. 3 Georgia (bye)
- No. 4 Texas Tech (bye)
- No. 5 Oregon
- No. 6 Ole Miss
- No. 7 Texas A&M
- No. 8 Oklahoma
- No. 9 Alabama
- No. 10 Miami
- No. 11 Tulane
- No. 12 James Madison
The playoff begins with the first-round games at higher seeds’ home stadiums on December 19 and 20. The quarterfinals will be contested at neutral bowl sites on January 1, including marquee events like the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. The national championship game is scheduled for January 19 in Miami.
Looking Ahead
Indiana’s historic finish as the No. 1 seed sets expectations high for the program. Alabama and Miami aim to justify their inclusion despite their losses, while Notre Dame grapples with the disappointment of a playoff snub. The tournament promises intense matchups that will clarify the national champion in this competitive season.