Alabama Takes Top Spot in College Football Playoff Rankings

The playoff rankings will determine the four semifinalists and the New Year's Six bowl matchups. This is the first of five ranking release days.

The 2020 college football season was filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, as programs figured out how to operate safely (and sometimes not so safely) during the coronavirus pandemic. 

While the season has been stop-and-go for many teams this fall, the end of an upended season is near. The time has finally come for college football playoffs. 

The College Football Playoff rankings will be released across five different days, starting with the first reveal on Tuesday, Nov. 24. 

The other ranking release days are as follows, with the final selection day being the weekend all Power 5 conference championship games are played.

• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1
• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8
• 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15
• 12 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20 (Selection Day)

The top four teams will compete in the New Years Day semifinals in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. As for the national championship game, it is scheduled to be played on Monday, Jan. 11, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

LSU beat defending national champion Clemson in the 2019-20 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Ohio State and Oklahoma were the other two 2019 college football playoff semifinalists.

The playoff rankings will determine the four semifinalists and will set up the New Year's Six bowl matchups.

The AP Top 25 poll currently features Alabama (7-0), Notre Dame (8-0), Ohio State (4-0) and Clemson (7-1) as the top four. 

Here are the first Top 25 rankings for the 2020-21 playoff season:

1. Alabama (7-0)
2. Notre Dame (8-0)
3. Clemson (7-1)
4. Ohio State (4-0)
5. Texas A&M (5-1)
6. Florida (6-1)
7. Cincinnati (8-0) — the highest rank for a non-P5 team in College Football Playoff Committee history.
8. Northwestern (5-0)
9. Georgia (5-2)
10. Miami (7-1)
11. Oklahoma (6-2)
12. Indiana (4-1)
13. Iowa State (6-2)
14. BYU (9-0)
15. Oregon (3-0)
16. Wisconsin (2-1)
17. Texas (5-2)
18. USC (3-0)
19. North Carolina (6-2)
20. Coastal Carolina (8-0)
21. Marshall (7-0)
22. Auburn (5-2)
23. Oklahoma State (5-2)
24. Iowa (3-2)
25. Tulsa (5-1)