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College Football Playoff: First Rankings Revealed

The Big Ten earned the two top spots in the season's first College Football Playoff rankings. It was the first set of rankings under the new 12-team playoff format.

Austin Jacobsen

Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium.
Nov 2, 2024; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Jordan James celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium. / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Big Ten Conference's elite programs stand atop the college football landscape heading into a critical stretch in November.

The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2024 season were released Tuesday night, showcasing Oregon and Ohio State as the top two teams. Penn State was also in the top 10 at No. 6.

While the Big Ten's heavies kept the conference afloat at the top, the Southeastern Conference's depth proved its worth with four teams in the top 12 and eight teams total in the top 25. Georgia was placed at No. 3, with conference newcomer Texas at No. 5. Tennessee (No. 7) and Alabama (No. 11) also landed in the CFP's first rankings under the new 12-team playoff format.

Florida Gators edge George Gumbs Jr. (34) pressures Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15)
Florida Gators edge George Gumbs Jr. pressures Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck during the first half at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, November 2, 2024. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big Ten also had rising star Indiana at No. 8, sporting one of only three unbeaten records in the CFP's top ten. The Big 12's BYU also stands unblemished at No. 9. ACC leader Miami (No. 4), independent Notre Dame (No. 10) and Group of 5 leader Boise State (No. 12) round out the first 12 teams.

The top 12 teams in the season's final College Football Playoff rankings will be included in this year's 12-team playoff. The top four rated conference champions will receive first-round byes, while the remaining spots will be filled by the fifth-highest conference champion and seven remaining highest programs. In this week's rankings, Oregon, Georgia, Miami and BYU would receive the first-round byes.

The first-round contests would go as follows: Boise State at Ohio State, Alabama at Texas, Notre Dame at Penn State, and Indiana at Tennessee.

The remaining top-25 rankings include four ACC teams: No. 13 SMU, No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 22 Louisville, and No. 24 Missouri. The SEC also has No. 14 Texas A&M, No. 15 LSU, and No. 16 Ole Miss logjammed in the middle pack, with Missouri at No. 24. The Big 12 also features No. 17 Iowa State, No. 19 Kansas State and No. 20 Colorado.

Indiana's Kurtis Rourke throws a pass during the third quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024,
Indiana's Kurtis Rourke throws a pass during the third quarter in the game against Michigan State on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Army, unbeaten at 8-0, sits at No. 25. The Black Knights would have to jump Boise State to get an automatic selection as the fifth highest-ranked conference champion. Army hasn't yet defeated a ranked opponent. It plays Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium in New York on Nov. 23.

The four first-round games will be played at the higher-seeded teams' home campuses Dec. 20-21. The four quarterfinal contests will be played in the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar bowls Dec. 31-Jan. 1.

Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken celebrates with his players after a 20-3 win against the Air Force Falcons
Nov 2, 2024; West Point, New York, USA; Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken celebrates with his players after a 20-3 win against the Air Force Falcons at Michie Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The two semifinal games will take place in the Orange and Cotton bowls on Jan. 9-10. The championship game is slated for Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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