There was drama in the final week of the regular season. Texas A&M lost its spot in the SEC championship game and its undefeated season with a loss to rival Texas in Austin. And with a chance to go to the ACC title game -- and then perhaps the College Football Playoff -- on the line, SMU lost a squeaker to Cal. Ohio State and Indiana took care of business to complete their undefeated seasons, but will face off in the Big Ten championship game. The rest of the teams in position to reach the CFP all managed to win.
What does this all mean for the AP Top 25? Let's break down the rankings.
Stats courtesy of ESPN Research.
All times Eastern.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 1
2025 record: 12-0
Week 14 result: Defeated Michigan 27-9
Stat to know: Ohio State snapped its 4-game losing streak against Michigan.
What's next: Big Ten Championship vs. Indiana (in Indianapolis); Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox
2. Indiana Hoosiers
Previous ranking: 2
2025 record: 12-0
Week 14 result: Defeated Purdue 56-3
Stat to know: Indiana will be playing in its first-ever conference championship game.
What's next: Big Ten Championship vs. Ohio State (in Indianapolis); Saturday, 8 p.m., Fox
3. Georgia Bulldogs
Previous ranking: 4
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated Georgia Tech 16-9
Stat to know: The win over Georgia Tech was Georgia's eighth-straight win in the series.
What's next: SEC Championship vs. Alabama (in Atlanta); Saturday, 4 p.m., ABC
4. Oregon Ducks
Previous ranking: 5
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated Washington 26-14
Stat to know: Oregon has a 99.9 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff according to ESPN Analytics.
5. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Previous ranking: 7
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated West Virginia 49-0
Stat to know: Texas Tech is playing in the Big 12 championship game for the first time in program history.
What's next: Big 12 Championship vs. BYU (in Arlington, Texas); Saturday, noon, ABC
6. Ole Miss Rebels
Previous ranking: 6
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated Mississippi State 38-19
Stat to know: Ole Miss had 11 regular season wins, the most in program history.
7. Texas A&M Aggies
Previous ranking: 3
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Lost to Texas 27-17
Stat to know: Marcel Reed had multiple interceptions in three of his last five games after having no multi-interception performances in the first seven games of the season.
8. Oklahoma Sooners
Previous ranking: 8
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated LSU 17-13
Stat to know: Oklahoma has a 99 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff according to the Allstate Playoff Predictor.
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Previous ranking: 9
2025 record: 9-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Stanford 49-20
Stat to know: Notre Dame has 119 points in its last two games, the most in a two-game stretch in the AP Poll era.
10. Alabama Crimson Tide
Previous ranking: 10
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Auburn 27-20
Stat to know: Alabama has six consecutive wins in the Iron Bowl.
What's next: SEC Championship vs. Georgia (in Atlanta); Saturday, 4 p.m., ABC
11. BYU Cougars
Previous ranking: 11
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated UCF 41-21
Stat to know: BYU had three wins this season after trailing by 14 or more points.
What's next: Big 12 Championship vs. Texas Tech (in Arlington, Texas); Saturday, noon, ABC
12. Miami Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 13
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Pittsburgh 38-7
Stat to know: Miami just completed its first back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since joining the ACC.
13. Vanderbilt Commodores
Previous ranking: 12
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Tennessee 45-24
Stat to know: This is the first 10-win season in Vanderbilt history.
14. Texas Longhorns
Previous ranking: 16
2025 record: 9-3
Week 14 result: Defeated Texas A&M 27-17
Stat to know: Texas went undefeated at home this year for the second time in the last three seasons.
15. Utah Utes
Previous ranking: 14
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Kansas 31-21
Stat to know: Utah now has three consecutive wins against Kansas.
16. Virginia Cavaliers
Previous ranking: 17
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Virginia Tech 27-7
Stat to know: Virginia's 10 wins tied the program record for most wins in a season.
What's next: ACC Championship vs. Duke (in Charlotte); Saturday, 8 p.m., ABC
17. USC Trojans
Previous ranking: 19
2025 record: 9-3
Week 14 result: Defeated UCLA 29-10
Stat to know: USC is 3-1 against UCLA under Lincoln Riley.
18. Michigan Wolverines
Previous ranking: 15
2025 record: 9-3
Week 14 result: Lost to Ohio State 27-9
Stat to know: Michigan is now 3-19-1 all-time against AP No. 1 teams.
19. James Madison Dukes
Previous ranking: 20
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated Coastal Carolina 59-10
Stat to know: JMU is the third team in the last 10 seasons to go unbeaten in Sun Belt conference play.
What's next: Sun Belt Championship vs. Troy (in Harrisonburg, Virginia); Friday, 7 p.m., ESPN
20. North Texas Mean Green
Previous ranking: 21
2025 record: 11-1
Week 14 result: Defeated Temple 52-25
Stat to know: The 11 wins this season for North Texas are the most in program history.
What's next: American Athletic Championship at Tulane; Friday, 8 p.m., ABC
21. Tulane Green Wave
Previous ranking: 22
2025 record: 10-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Charlotte 27-0
Stat to know: Tulane has had 10 or more wins in three of the last four seasons.
What's next: American Athletic Championship vs. North Texas; Friday, 8 p.m., ABC
22. Arizona Wildcats
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 9-3
Week 14 result: Defeated Arizona State 23-7
Stat to know: This was Arizona's second consecutive road win against Arizona State.
23. Navy Midshipmen
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 9-2
Week 14 result: Defeated Memphis 28-17
Stat to know: Blake Horvath is the first player in Navy history to have consecutive seasons with 1,000 yards passing and rushing.
What's next: December 13 vs. Army, 3 p.m., CBS
24. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Previous ranking: 23
2025 record: 9-3
Week 14 result: Lost to Georgia 16-9
Stat to know: Georgia Tech lost three of its last four games after starting the season 8-0.
25. Missouri Tigers
Previous ranking: NR
2025 record: 8-4
Week 14 result: Defeated Arkansas 31-17
Stat to know: Missouri has now won four consecutive games against Arkansas.
