When Do the CFP Rankings Come Out?

CFP rankings come out Tuesday nights on ESPN through Dec. 1. Selection Day is Sunday, Dec. 6.

• Tuesday, Nov. 3, 7 p.m. ETOpening ranking. #1 Miami, #2 Georgia, #3 Utah, #4 Indiana. See how it compares to the AP
• Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9 p.m. ETNext ranking, on ESPN
• Tuesday, Nov. 17, 9 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Tuesday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. ET
• Sunday, Dec. 6, noon ETSelection Day. The final top 25 and the 12-team bracket.

Who's on the CFP committee?

13 people pick the rankings: six athletics directors, four former head coaches, two former All-Americans and a longtime sportswriter. Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek is the chair.

• Hunter Yurachek (chair)Athletics director, Arkansas
• Troy DannenAthletics director, Nebraska
• Mark DantonioFormer head coach, Cincinnati and Michigan State
• Doug GillinAthletics director, Appalachian State
• Mark HarlanAthletics director, Utah
• Ivan MaiselFormer sportswriter
• Gus MalzahnFormer head coach, Arkansas State, Auburn and UCF
• Chris MassaroAthletics director, Middle Tennessee State
• Randall McDanielFormer All-American offensive lineman, Arizona State
• Mike RileyFormer head coach, Oregon State and Nebraska
• Jeff TedfordFormer head coach, California and Fresno State
• Wesley WallsFormer All-American tight end, Ole Miss
• Carla WilliamsAthletics director, Virginia

How does the committee rank teams?

The committee meets in person every Monday and Tuesday and builds its top 25 from the top down, in seven rounds of voting. When two teams look close, it looks at strength of schedule, head-to-head results and results against common opponents. It also weighs things like injuries to key players.

A member with a close tie to a school can't vote on that team. A member who works for the school also has to leave the room.

How do the 12 teams get in?

Five spots go to conference champions. The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions get in, and so does the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Sun Belt. The next seven highest-ranked teams fill the field.

Notre Dame gets in if it finishes in the top 12. If one of the five conference-champion spots goes to a team outside the top 12, it gets the #12 seed. The top four teams get byes, and #5 through #8 host first-round games. See the bracket if the playoff started today.

Sources: CFP Selection Committee 101 and the CFP's 2026 rankings schedule, both from the College Football Playoff. Updated Nov. 6, 2026.