The fourth edition of the College Football Playoff Rankings was released Tuesday night with undefeated Ohio State maintaining its grip on the No. 1 spot ahead of Indiana for the third straight week. While the top of the playoff field held firm, there is no telling what upsets may be in store for the top teams in the nation with Rivalry Week and conference championships ahead over the next 11 days.

Past the Buckeyes and Hoosiers, Texas A&M and Georgia remained in the top four, which would guarantee those programs first-round byes.

The most notable decisions from the penultimate week of the regular season were Oklahoma beating Missouri and Oregon rolling past USC in the lone matchups between top 25 opponents. While the Sooners held their position, the Ducks jumped Ole Miss to become the new No. 6 team in the CFP Rankings.

The reigning national champion Buckeyes are seeking their seventh playoff appearance in 12 years of the postseason bracket’s existence (2014, 2016, 2019-20, 2022, 2024). Ohio State’s final game against a ranked opponent comes in its regular-season finale against Michigan.

Eight of the 11 teams ranked No. 1 in a season’s initial CFP Rankings ultimately reached the playoff, an effort now made easier with the expanded 12-team field, which is being contested for a second season.

Currently projected to meet OSU in the Big Ten Championship Game is Indiana. The Buckeyes demolished Rutgers, 42-9, with Michigan awaiting, while the Hoosiers enjoyed a late off week with Big Ten basement dweller Purdue ahead in Week 14.

Miami (FL), despite being ranked No. 12, takes the 11th projected bid from the CFP Selection Committee as the highest-rated team from the ACC. However, with the Hurricanes unlikely to play in the ACC Championship Game — projected as SMU vs. Virginia — they will likely need to earn a spot as an at-large team.

Tulane claims the last of the 12 committee-projected playoff spots as the highest-ranked Group of Five team in Tuesday’s release at No. 24. With the 12-team playoff model granting automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions, the Green Wave are presently expected to win the American and grab the final spot in the field. Should a Group of Five team not make the final rankings, the CFP Selection Committee would choose which champion deserved the last bid.

College Football Playoff Rankings, Nov. 25

* First-round bye | ~ First-round host | ^ Highest-ranked Group of Five team

Ohio State (11-0) *Indiana (11-0) *Texas A&M (11-0) *Georgia (10-1) *Texas Tech (10-1) ~Oregon (10-1) ~ Ole Miss (10-1) ~Oklahoma (9-2) ~Notre Dame (9-2)Alabama (9-2)BYU (10-1)Miami (FL) (9-2) | No. 11 seedUtah (9-2)Vanderbilt (9-2)Michigan (9-2)Texas (8-3)USC (8-3)Virginia (9-2)Tennessee (8-3)Arizona State (8-3)SMU (8-3)Pittsburgh (8-3)Georgia Tech (9-2)Tulane (9-2) ^ | No. 12 seedArizona (8-3)

CFP Rankings analysis to come …Â