It seems the College Football Playoff Committee wasn’t completely honest, even with itself.
The committee announced that this season it would place more of an emphasis on strength of schedule when choosing and ranking the 12-team field for the playoff, but the Oklahoma Sooners’ placement in the first CFP rankings of the season on Tuesday completely went against the committee’s own rule.
Sooners shunned behind Notre Dame in first College Football Playoff rankings
The Sooners came in at No. 12 in the initial CFP rankings, essentially as a bubble team considering they would be the second program left out of the 12-team field based on the current rankings if the season ended today. Texas, at No. 11, would be the first team out thanks to the committee’s rule, which it’s actually standing by, that the five highest-ranked conference champions get into the CFP. With only three different conferences represented in the top 12, two more would get bumped up into the mix.
BREAKING: Initial College Football Playoff Rankings🚨https://t.co/nSJbXtt30A pic.twitter.com/RsQCtcadOG
— On3 (@On3sports) November 5, 2025
Being a slot below your most-hated rival certainly stings, but there’s no real argument for the Sooners to jump Texas, at least yet. Both teams are 7-2, and the Longhorns flat out beat OU head-to-head at a neutral site. However, three two-loss teams were included in the top 12, with Notre Dame standing above OU and Texas at No. 10 and being the last team to slip into the field with an at-large bid.
Notre Dame is the variant of the CFP committee’s new emphasis on teams being rewarded for tougher schedules. It’s clear shiny gold helmets caught the committee’s attention over more ranked wins and bigger challenges.
All three teams in the 10-12 bunch have two losses, with Notre Dame having six wins compared to OU and Texas’ seven. Of those wins, OU and Texas both have two wins over teams inside the top 25 of the initial CFP rankings. Notre Dame has one.
In a world where quality losses matter, all three suffered their losses to teams inside the top 20. The future holds more challenges for OU and Texas, though.
With three games left on both schedules, each has to play two more ranked teams. Notre Dame, going 1-2 against ranked teams so far this season, has one left against No. 24 Pitt. Meanwhile, three of OU and Texas’ combined four ranked opponents are inside the top 5.
According to ESPN’s College Football Power Index, Texas and OU have the 11th and 12th toughest schedules in the country, respectively. Notre Dame is all the way down at No. 23. That’s not exactly a cakewalk, but it’s obviously not at the same level as OU and Texas, and that’s supposed to be a factor in deciphering the trio.
Notre Dame, with almost a month still left, has already done enough to secure its playoff spot without a major slip-up. OU and Texas still have an uphill battle, and the initial CFP rankings confirmed neither squad can afford a third loss.
The CFP committee swore it would favor the tougher path, but instead, whether the group admits it or not, shortcuts are still the best route to the College Football Playoff.