New college football season, but the same No. 1 team.

The first rankings of the College Football Playoff of the 2025 season are set to be released on Tuesday, Nov. 4. And a familiar program is expected to be at the top of the rankings when they are unveiled.

Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) has won 12 games in a row since the regular season finale loss to rival Michigan. The Buckeyes are expected to remain in the top spot as the defending national champions until — if — they suffer a defeat.

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Based on the US LBM Coaches Poll, it's likely that fellow Big Ten team Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) will earn the No. 2 spot, while SEC teams Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0 SEC), Alabama (7-1, 5-0 SEC) and Georgia (7-1, 5-1 SEC) could round out the top five, respectively.

No. 8 BYU (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) and No. 11 Virginia (8-1, 5-0 ACC) could also be slated in not only as top-12 teams, but also as the early favorites to win their respective championships and earn entry as one of the five highest-ranked conference champions. No. 23 Memphis (8-1, 4-1 American) stands as the current favorite Group of Five team that should be in the initial CFP top 25 rankings.

Here's what to know about the first College Football Playoff rankings, when the rankings will be unveiled and how to watch:

What time do CFP rankings come out?

  • Date: Tuesday, Nov. 4
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET

The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2025 season are set to be released at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. This will be the first of five top 25 rankings that will be released every Tuesday through Dec. 2.

The official 12-team College Football Playoff field will be unveiled at noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 7.

Stream CFP rankings release shows live with Fubo (free trial)

What channel is College Football Playoff rankings release?

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Livestream: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)

Each of the College Football Playoff rankings shows will be aired live on ESPN. Streaming options for the rankings release show include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

CFP rankings release schedule

Here is a list of the full dates when the 2026 College Football Playoff rankings will be released:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 4 (8 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, Nov. 11 (7 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, Nov. 18 (8:30 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, Nov. 25 (7 p.m. ET)
  • Tuesday, Dec. 2 (7 p.m. ET)
  • Sunday, Dec. 7 (noon ET)

2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule

The entirety of the 2026 College Football Playoff can be found here:

  • Selection show: Sunday, Dec. 7
  • First round: Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20
  • Quarterfinals: Wednesday, Dec. 31 and Thursday, Jan. 1
  • Semifinals: Thursday, Jan. 8 and Friday, Jan. 9
  • National championship: Monday, Jan. 19

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What time does CFP rankings come out? College Football Playoff bracket release schedule

Reporting by Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect