2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season
| 2025 NCAA Division I FBS season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Number of teams | 136 |
| Duration | August 23, 2025 – December 13, 2025 |
| Preseason AP No. 1 | Texas |
| Postseason | |
| Duration | December 13, 2025 – January 19, 2026 |
| Bowl games | 41[a] |
| Heisman Trophy | Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana |
| College Football Playoff | |
| 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship | |
| Site | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) |
| NCAA Division I FBS football seasons | |
← 2024 | |
The 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season is the 156th season of college football in the United States, the 120th season organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and the 50th of the highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 23 and ended on December 13. The postseason began on December 13, and, aside from any all-star games that are scheduled, end on January 19, 2026, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This will be the second season of the 12-team College Football Playoff (CFP) system.
Conference realignment
[edit]Two schools were playing their first FBS seasons in 2025; Delaware (from the Coastal Athletic Association) and Missouri State (from the Missouri Valley conference) began their transitions from Division I FCS in 2024 and joined Conference USA (CUSA) in July 2025.[1][2] One formerly independent school, UMass, rejoined the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in 2025, but this time as a full member instead of football-only.[3][4]
| Team | Conference in 2024 | Conference in 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | CAA Football (FCS) | CUSA |
| Missouri State | Missouri Valley (FCS) | CUSA |
| UMass | Independent (FBS) | MAC |
The 2025 season will be the last for eight FBS teams in their current conferences.[5][6][7][8][9]
| School | Current conference | Future conference |
|---|---|---|
| Boise State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Colorado State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Fresno State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Northern Illinois | MAC | Mountain West |
| San Diego State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| Texas State | Sun Belt | Pac-12 |
| Utah State | Mountain West | Pac-12 |
| UTEP | CUSA | Mountain West |
Rule changes
[edit]The following playing rule changes were approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Committee on April 17, 2025:[10]
- In an effort to reduce feigned injuries, if medical personnel have to enter the field to tend to an injured player after the ball is spotted by officials ready for play, that team will be charged a timeout (or a five-yard delay of game penalty if out of timeouts). If this occurs after the two-minute timeout (and the injury is the only reason for the clock to stop), a 10-second runoff applies if the team is out of timeouts.
- Starting with the third overtime period, teams will only be permitted one timeout to use until the game is concluded. Previously teams received a timeout for each overtime period, including the two-point attempts that begin with the third overtime.
- Eliminating media timeouts after the second overtime period, and reducing the mandatory rest periods in games without media timeouts to only after the second overtime period (instead of after the second and fourth overtimes).
- Once a decision is made on instant replay reviews, the referee will only use the terms "Overturned" and "Upheld". "Confirmed" or "Stands" will no longer be used.
- On punt formations, no player can be directly in line of the snap to a potential kicker and no player can be inside of the frame of the snapper to qualify as a legal scrimmage kick formation. If these requirements are not met, five players numbered 50-79 must be on the line of scrimmage. Also, if the snapper is on the end of a line, he loses the scrimmage kick protection and the defense can line up a player over the snapper.
- If a player on the kickoff return team gives a "T" signal with his arms, the team gives up their right to return the kickoff and the play will be whistled dead once the ball is caught or recovered.
- Enhance rules regarding words or signals used to distract opponents trying to put the ball in play. The terms "stem" and "move" would only be permitted for defenses, and defenses cannot use cadence or sounds that simulate offensive team signals.
- Included players attempting to recover a loose ball to the list of "defenseless players".
- Contact to an offensive player in a passing posture is now considered "Roughing the Passer". If targeting occurs with this act, the roughing the passer penalty would remain even if the targeting penalty is overturned on replay.
- Added "simulating brandishing a weapon" to the list of acts considered unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Codifying the rule change from the 2024's Ohio State–Oregon game, after the two-minute timeout, teams called for having 12 or more players participating in a down will be penalized five yards, and the offense would have the option to reset the game clock to the time at the start of the play. If the 12th or more player(s) were running off the field and had no influence on the play, the yardage penalty would apply but no clock reset option would be available. The clock reset option is also available without accepting the penalty.
- The Coach to Player (C2P green dot) communication technology currently used in FBS will be a permissible option for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). In 2026, the C2P technology will be allowed in Divisions II and III.
Points of emphasis
[edit]- Continued focus on protection of defenseless players, concussions, pre-snap actions from both offense/defense, and feigning injuries.[11]
- Focus on penalizing taunting actions by players and pre-game actions between teams that become unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Sideline control, including leaving the playing area to dispute an officiating decision.
- Illegal contact against a passer.
- Pace of play and substituting during up-tempo offenses, ensuring defenses are not at a disadvantage before the snap.
Headlines
[edit]- April 25, 2025 – The University of Kentucky (UK) board of trustees approved a proposal to transfer the UK athletic program to a separate though related non-profit company known as Champions Blue, LLC. Both UK and outside media characterized the move, believed to be the first of its type by a major university, as a reaction to the then-impending settlement of the House v. NCAA legal case, which led to a formal revenue-sharing arrangement between athletic programs and student-athletes.[12][13][14]
- July 21 – The American Athletic Conference announced a name change to the American Conference as part of a comprehensive rebranding strategy. The conference will also no longer use an initialism, opting for "American" as its short form.[15]
- September 4 – The NCAA FBS Oversight Committee voted on major changes to the transfer portal. Under the proposal, the current 30-day period for players to enter the portal, divided into a 20-day December window and a 10-day April window, would be replaced by a single 10-day window that would run from January 2–11. This new 10-day window would apply to both undergraduate and graduate transfers. The committee also recommended that the month of December become a recruiting "dead period" during which coaches and recruits cannot meet in person, and that the signing date for new recruits change from August 1 to November 15 of a recruit's senior year in high school.[16]
- September 17 – The NCAA Division I Administrative Committee approved the proposed single January transfer portal, but chose not to adopt the proposed January 2–11 dates. In response to feedback from FBS and FCS players, the oversight committees for both subdivisions were to discuss the dates and duration of the portal, with the Administrative Committee to set the final parameters at its scheduled October meeting. Players still competing in postseason play when the new portal closes will have a 5-day portal after their teams' final games, and the existing 30-day window for players undergoing a head coaching change will tentatively remain in place.[17]
- September 29 – The FBS Oversight Committee recommended that the single January transfer portal be open for 15 days from January 2–16 instead of the originally proposed 10-day window. The revised recommendation also creates a 5-day window for players involved in postseason contests on or after January 12, with the window opening on the day after the team's last game. The Administrative Committee, whose next meeting was October 7–8, had to approve these changes before they took effect. The committee also discussed possible changes to the 30-day window for players undergoing a head coaching change, with continuing discussions set for its next scheduled meeting.[18]
- October 8:
- The Administrative Committee, which officially renamed itself the Division I Cabinet at its scheduled meeting, introduced a proposal to expand allowed logos on student-athletes' uniforms and equipment beyond those of the manufacturer. It also approved the following changes to the transfer portal, effective immediately:[19]
- The committee approved the previously recommended single window running from January 2–16. This only affects entry into the portal.
- The window for players undergoing a head coaching change was modified. The window for these players will open five calendar days after the hiring or public announcement of a new head coach, and run for 15 days. Should a school not hire or announce a new head coach after 30 days from the previous coach's departure, a separate 15-day window will open on the 31st day, provided that the 31st day is on or after January 3. The opportunity for such a window will exist through June 30.
- The Administrative Committee, which officially renamed itself the Division I Cabinet at its scheduled meeting, introduced a proposal to expand allowed logos on student-athletes' uniforms and equipment beyond those of the manufacturer. It also approved the following changes to the transfer portal, effective immediately:[19]
- October 12 – James Franklin was fired at Penn State after 12 seasons with the school. Franklin's contract had called for a buyout of more than $49 million, at the time the second biggest buyout in college football history, but a much lower buyout of $9 million was later negotiated when Franklin was hired for the vacancy at Virginia Tech.[20] Franklin was 4–21 against AP top-10 opponents in his time at Penn State. Associate head coach Terry Smith will serve as the Nittany Lions' interim head coach for the remainder of the season, the school said.[21][22]
Stadiums
[edit]- Due to the construction of a new press box at Bowers Stadium, Sam Houston played its 2025 home games at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston.[23]
- The UCF Knights announced new naming rights as following the name change of FBC Mortage to Acrisure Mortgage, the FBC Mortgage Stadium was renamed to the Acrisure Bounce House.[24]
- Following a donation of $100 million by businessman and Illinois alumnus Larry Gies to the school's athletic department, the Fighting Illini's stadium was renamed Gies Memorial Stadium in memory of his late father Larry Sr. shortly after the start of the season.[25]
- As part of a project to better connect Rice University with the adjacent Rice Village shopping and restaurant district, the university announced that it would downsize Rice Stadium from its current capacity of about 47,000. By project completion, set for 2028, the new capacity is expected to be slightly over 30,000.[26]
- On November 11, The University of Arizona announced a 20-year naming rights deal with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, with the venue now being called Casino Del Sol Stadium.[27]
Kickoff games
[edit]Week 0
[edit]The regular season began on Saturday, August 23 with five games in Week 0.
- Aer Lingus College Football Classic (at Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland):
- No. 22 Iowa State 24, No. 17 Kansas State 21
- Kansas 31, Fresno State 7
- Western Kentucky 41, Sam Houston 24
- Hawaii 23, Stanford 20
- UNLV 38, Idaho State 31
Week 1
[edit]- Aflac Kickoff Game (at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia):
- No. 24 Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26
- No. 13 South Carolina 24, Virginia Tech 11
- Duke's Mayo Classic (at Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina):
- Appalachian State 34, Charlotte 11
Top 10 matchups
[edit]Rankings through Week 10 reflect the AP poll. Rankings for Week 11 and beyond list College Football Playoff Rankings first and AP poll rankings second; teams that were not ranked in the top 10 of both polls are noted.
Regular season
[edit]| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 30 | No. 1 Texas | No. 3 Ohio State | Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio (College GameDay, Big Noon Kickoff) | 7–14 | 107,524 | [28] |
| August 30 | No. 9 LSU | No. 4 Clemson | Memorial Stadium • Clemson, South Carolina | 17–10 | 81,500 | [29] |
| August 31 | No. 6 Notre Dame | No. 10 Miami (FL) | Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida (rivalry) | 24–27 | 66,793 | [30] |
| September 27 | No. 6 Oregon | No. 3 Penn State | Beaver Stadium • University Park, Pennsylvania (College GameDay) | 30–24 2OT | 111,015 | [31] |
| October 11 | No. 7 Indiana | No. 3 Oregon | Autzen Stadium • Eugene, Oregon (College GameDay) | 30–20 | 59,625 | [32] |
| October 18 | No. 5 Ole Miss | No. 9 Georgia | Sanford Stadium • Athens, Georgia (College GameDay) | 35–43 | 93,033 | [33] |
| November 8 | No. 7/8 BYU | No. 8/9 Texas Tech | Jones AT&T Stadium • Lubbock, Texas (College GameDay) | 7–29 | 60,229 | [34] |
| #Rankings from AP poll and CFP released prior to the game. |
- Week 12
- No. 5/5 Georgia 35, No. 10/10 Texas 10 (Sanford Stadium, Athens, Georgia)
Conference championship games
[edit]- No. 2/2 Indiana 13, No. 1/1 Ohio State 10 (2025 Big Ten Football Championship Game, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana)
- No. 3/3 Georgia 28, No. 9/10 Alabama 7 (2025 SEC Championship Game, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia)
Postseason
[edit]- No. 9/11 Alabama at No. 8/8 Oklahoma (CFP First Round, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, Oklahoma)
- No. 10/10 Miami (FL) at No. 7/7 Texas A&M (CFP First Round, Kyle Field, College Station, Texas)
FCS teams wins over FBS teams
[edit]Italics denotes FCS teams.
| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 29 | No. 10 (FCS) Tarleton State | Army | Michie Stadium • West Point, New York | 30–27 2OT | 23,032 | [35][36] |
| August 30 | Austin Peay | Middle Tennessee | Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium • Murfreesboro, Tennessee | 34–14 | 18,505 | [35][37] |
| September 6 | Bryant | UMass | Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium • Amherst, Massachusetts | 27–26 | 3,714 | [35][38] |
| September 6 | LIU | Eastern Michigan | Rynearson Stadium • Ypsilanti, Michigan | 28–23 | 15,313 | [35][39] |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
Upsets
[edit]This section lists unranked teams defeating AP poll-ranked teams during the season.
Regular season
[edit]| Date | Visiting team | Home team | Site | Result | Attendance | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 28 | No. 25 Boise State | South Florida | Raymond James Stadium • Tampa, Florida | 7–34 | 34,707 | [40] |
| August 30 | No. 8 Alabama | Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida | 17–31 | 67,277 | [41] |
| September 6 | No. 12 Arizona State | Mississippi State | Davis Wade Stadium • Starkville, Mississippi[b] | 20–24 | 50,808 | [42] |
| September 6 | South Florida | No. 13 Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida | 18–16 | 89,909 | [43] |
| September 6 | Baylor | No. 17 SMU | Gerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, Texas[c] | 48–45 2OT | 34,852 | [44] |
| September 13 | Vanderbilt | No. 11 South Carolina | Williams–Brice Stadium • Columbia, South Carolina | 31–7 | 79,873 | [45] |
| September 13 | No. 12 Clemson | Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, Georgia (rivalry) | 21–24 | 48,059 | [46] |
| September 26 | No. 8 Florida State | Virginia | Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, Virginia (Jefferson–Eppes Trophy) | 46–38 2OT | 50,107 | [47] |
| September 26 | No. 24 TCU | Arizona State | Mountain America Stadium • Tempe, Arizona | 24–27 | 53,774 | [48] |
| October 4 | No. 7 Penn State | UCLA | Rose Bowl • Pasadena, California | 37–42 | 39,256 | [49] |
| October 4 | No. 9 Texas | Florida | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium • Gainesville, Florida (SEC Nation) | 21–29 | 90,714 | [50] |
| October 4 | No. 14 Iowa State | Cincinnati | Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, Ohio | 30–38 | 38,007 | [51] |
| October 11 | No. 6 Oklahoma | Texas | Cotton Bowl • Dallas, Texas (Red River Rivalry) | 6–23 | 92,100 | [52] |
| October 11 | No. 15 Michigan | USC | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum • Los Angeles, California | 13–31 | 75,500 | [53] |
| October 11 | No. 21 Arizona State | Utah | Rice–Eccles Stadium • Salt Lake City, Utah | 10–42 | 51,444 | [54] |
| October 11 | No. 22 Iowa State | Colorado | Folsom Field • Boulder, Colorado | 17–24 | 52,698 | [55] |
| October 11 | Pittsburgh | No. 25 Florida State | Doak Campbell Stadium • Tallahassee, Florida | 34–31 | 65,256 | [56] |
| October 17 | Louisville | No. 2 Miami (FL) | Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida (Schnellenberger Trophy) | 24–21 | 66,573 | [57] |
| October 17 | No. 25 Nebraska | Minnesota | Huntington Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy) | 6–24 | 48,549 | [58] |
| October 18 | No. 7 Texas Tech | Arizona State | Mountain America Stadium • Tempe, Arizona | 22–26 | 54,177 | [59] |
| October 18 | No. 22 Memphis | UAB | Protective Stadium • Birmingham, Alabama (Battle for the Bones) | 24–31 | 19,037 | [60] |
| October 25 | No. 18 South Florida | Memphis | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium • Memphis, Tennessee | 31–34 | 30,940 | [61] |
| October 25 | No. 23 Illinois | Washington | Husky Stadium • Seattle, Washington | 25–42 | 68,630 | [62] |
| October 25 | Houston | No. 24 Arizona State | Mountain America Stadium • Tempe, Arizona | 24–16 | 54,256 | [63] |
| November 1 | No. 8 Georgia Tech | NC State | Carter–Finley Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina | 36–48 | 56,919 | [64] |
| November 1 | No. 10т Miami (FL) | SMU | Gerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, Texas[c] | 20–26 OT | 35,074 | [65] |
| November 1 | West Virginia | No. 22 Houston | TDECU Stadium • Houston, Texas | 45–35 | 25,049 | [66] |
| November 7 | Tulane | No. 22 Memphis | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium • Memphis, Tennessee | 38–32 | 30,384 | [67] |
| November 8 | Wake Forest | No. 12 Virginia | Scott Stadium • Charlottesville, Virginia | 16–9 | 55,568 | [68] |
| November 8 | California | No. 14 Louisville | L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky | 29–26 OT | 51,381 | [69] |
| November 8 | No. 24 Washington | Wisconsin | Camp Randall Stadium • Madison, Wisconsin | 10–13 | 71,217 | [70] |
| November 14 | Clemson | No. 19 Louisville | L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium • Louisville, Kentucky | 20–19 | 51,234 | [71] |
| November 15 | Arizona | No. 22 Cincinnati | Nippert Stadium • Cincinnati, Ohio | 30–24 | 37,099 | [72] |
| November 15 | No. 25 South Florida | Navy | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium • Annapolis, Maryland | 38–41 | 34,856 | [73] |
| November 22 | Pittsburgh | No. 15 Georgia Tech | Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, Georgia | 42–28 | 52,413 | [74] |
| November 22 | TCU | No. 25 Houston | TDECU Stadium • Houston, Texas | 17–14 | 30,852 | [75] |
| November 29 | No. 25 SMU | California | California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, California | 35–38 | 28,956 | [76] |
| #Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. |
- ^ 41 FBS bowl games plus the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
- ^ Although Mississippi State is usually identified as being in Starkville, virtually all of the campus, including the stadium, lies outside the Starkville city limits, with a mailing address of Mississippi State.
- ^ a b Virtually all of the SMU campus, including the stadium, is outside the Dallas city limits in the separate city of University Park. However, all of University Park has a Dallas mailing address.
Conference championship games
[edit]- December 6
- Duke 27, No. 16 Virginia 20 OT
Postseason
[edit]Bowl games
[edit]Conference standings
[edit]
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Rankings
[edit]The Top 25 from the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls
Preseason polls
[edit]
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CFB Playoff final rankings
[edit]The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee is announced its final rankings on December 7, 2025.
The top five ranked conference champions, along with the seven highest ranked remaining teams, will be selected to compete in the College Football Playoffs. The top four ranked teams will receive a first-round bye. This is a change from the 2025–26 season, when the top four ranked conference champions got a first-round bye.[77]
This was the first time that two Group of Five teams – Tulane and James Madison – were included in the playoffs.[78][79]
| Rank | Team | W–L | Conference and standing | Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana Hoosiers | 13–0 | Big Ten Champions | Rose Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 12–1 | Big Ten first place (tie) | Cotton Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) |
| 3 | Georgia Bulldogs | 12–1 | SEC Champions | Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) |
| 4 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | 12–1 | Big 12 Champions | Orange Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) |
| 5 | Oregon Ducks | 11–1 | Big Ten second place | CFP first-round game |
| 6 | Ole Miss Rebels | 11–1 | SEC first place (tie) | CFP first-round game |
| 7 | Texas A&M Aggies | 11-1 | SEC first place (tie) | CFP first-round game |
| 8 | Oklahoma Sooners | 10–2 | SEC fifth place (tie) | CFP first-round game |
| 9 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 10-3 | SEC first place (tie) | CFP first-round game |
| 10 | Miami Hurricanes | 10–2 | ACC second place (tie) | CFP first-round game |
| 11 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 10–2 | FBS independent | N/A (declined bid) |
| 12 | BYU Cougars | 11–2 | Big 12 first place (tie) | Pop-Tarts Bowl |
| 13 | Texas Longhorns | 9–3 | SEC fifth place (tie) | Citrus Bowl |
| 14 | Vanderbilt Commodores | 10–2 | SEC fifth place (tie) | ReliaQuest Bowl |
| 15 | Utah Utes | 10–2 | Big 12 third place | Las Vegas Bowl |
| 16 | USC Trojans | 9–3 | Big Ten fourth place (tie) | Alamo Bowl |
| 17 | Arizona Wildcats | 9–3 | Big 12 fourth place (tie) | Holiday Bowl |
| 18 | Michigan Wolverines | 9–3 | Big Ten fourth place (tie) | Citrus Bowl |
| 19 | Virginia Cavaliers | 10–3 | ACC first-place | Gator Bowl |
| 20 | Tulane Green Wave | 11–2 | American champion | CFP first-round game |
| 21 | Houston Cougars | 9–3 | Big 12 fourth place (tie) | Texas Bowl |
| 22 | Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | 9–3 | ACC second place (tie) | Pop-Tarts Bowl |
| 23 | Iowa Hawkeyes | 8–4 | Big Ten sixth place | ReliaQuest Bowl |
| 24 | James Madison Dukes | 12–1 | Sun Belt champion | CFP first-round game |
| 25 | North Texas Mean Green | 11–2 | American first place (tie) | New Mexico Bowl |
| Rank | Team | W–L | Conference and standing | Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | Kennesaw State Owls | 10–3 | CUSA champions | Myrtle Beach Bowl |
| – | Western Michigan Broncos | 9–4 | MAC champions | Myrtle Beach Bowl |
| – | Boise State Broncos | 9–4 | Mountain West champions | LA Bowl |
| – | Duke Blue Devils | 8–5 | ACC champions | Sun Bowl |
| – | Washington State Cougars | 6–6 | Pac-12 champions | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl |
Final rankings
[edit]| Rank | Associated Press | Coaches' Poll |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 5 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 7 | ||
| 8 | ||
| 9 | ||
| 10 | ||
| 11 | ||
| 12 | ||
| 13 | ||
| 14 | ||
| 15 | ||
| 16 | ||
| 17 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 19 | ||
| 20 | ||
| 21 | ||
| 22 | ||
| 23 | ||
| 24 | ||
| 25 |
Postseason
[edit]College Football Playoff
[edit]Playoff participants
[edit]| Team | Conference | Record | Qualification method | College Football Playoff | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Last bid | Result of last appearance | ||||
| Alabama | Southeastern Conference | 10–3 (7–1) | At-large | 9th | 2023 | Lost to Michigan in the semifinals |
| Georgia | Southeastern Conference | 12–1 (7–1) | Conference champion | 5th | 2024 | Lost to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals |
| Indiana | Big Ten Conference | 13–0 (9–0) | Conference champion | 2nd | 2024 | Lost to Notre Dame in the first round |
| James Madison | Sun Belt Conference | 12–1 (8–0) | Conference champion | First appearance | ||
| Miami (FL) | Atlantic Coast Conference | 10–2 (6–2) | At-large | First appearance | ||
| Ohio State | Big Ten Conference | 12–1 (9–0) | At-large | 7th | 2024 | Won National Championship against Notre Dame |
| Oklahoma | Southeastern Conference | 10–2 (6–2) | At-large | 5th | 2019 | Lost to LSU in the semifinals |
| Ole Miss | Southeastern Conference | 11–1 (7–1) | At-large | First appearance | ||
| Oregon | Big Ten Conference | 11–1 (8–1) | At-large | 3rd | 2024 | Lost to Ohio State in the quarterfinals |
| Texas A&M | Southeastern Conference | 11–1 (7–1) | At-large | First appearance | ||
| Texas Tech | Big 12 Conference | 12–1 (8–1) | Conference champion | First appearance | ||
| Tulane | American Conference | 11–2 (7–1) | Conference champion | First appearance | ||
CFP bracket
[edit]This is the second year under the expanded College Football Playoff format. Under this format, the five highest-ranked conference champions will receive automatic bids, while the next seven highest-ranked teams will receive at-large bids. In a change starting this season, the top four seeds receive first-round byes, even if they are not conference champions.[80]
.jpg)
| First round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Championship | |||||||||||||||
| Jan 1 – Orange Bowl, Hard Rock Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dec 20 – Autzen Stadium | 4 | Texas Tech | ||||||||||||||||
| Jan 9 – Peach Bowl, Mercedes-Benz Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| 5 | Oregon | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | James Madison | Jan 1 – Rose Bowl, Rose Bowl | ||||||||||||||||
| Dec 19 – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium | 1 | Indiana | ||||||||||||||||
| Jan 19 – Hard Rock Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Oklahoma | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Alabama | Jan 1 – Sugar Bowl, Caesars Superdome | ||||||||||||||||
| Dec 20 – Vaught–Hemingway Stadium | 3 | Georgia | ||||||||||||||||
| Jan 8 – Fiesta Bowl, State Farm Stadium | ||||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Ole Miss | |||||||||||||||||
| 11 | Tulane | Dec 31 – Cotton Bowl Classic, AT&T Stadium | ||||||||||||||||
| Dec 20 – Kyle Field | 2 | Ohio State | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Texas A&M | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Miami (FL) | |||||||||||||||||
Locations of the 12 playoff participants (teams in bold received byes to the quarterfinals)
Big Ten, 
SEC, 
ACC, 
Big 12, 
American, 
Sun Belt
Big Ten, 
SEC, 
ACC, 
Big 12, 
American, 
Sun BeltNorman
College Station
Oxford
Eugene
Fiesta Bowl
Peach Bowl
Rose Bowl
Sugar Bowl
Orange Bowl
Cotton Bowl
National Championship
Locations of the playoff games: campus site first round games (red), quarterfinals (orange), semifinals (yellow), and the national championship (green)
College Football Playoff games
[edit]Winners are listed in boldface.
After the completion of the regular season and conference championship games, seven teams had secured CFP berths: American champion Tulane, Big Ten champion Indiana, Big 12 champion Texas Tech, SEC champion Georgia, and Sun Belt champion James Madison, who qualified as the highest-ranked CFP non-AQ conference champion.
| Bowl Game | Date | Visitor | Home | Score | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-bowl game (First round) (Norman, OK - Campus site) | December 19 | No. 9 Alabama | No. 8 Oklahoma | ABC/ESPN | |
| Non-bowl game (First round) (College Station, TX - Campus site) | December 20 | No. 10 Miami | No. 7 Texas A&M | ||
| Non-bowl game (First round) (Oxford, MS - Campus site) | No. 11 Tulane | No. 6 Ole Miss | TNT/TruTV | ||
| Non-bowl game (First round) (Eugene, OR - Campus site) | No. 12 James Madison | No. 5 Oregon | |||
| Cotton Bowl Classic (quarterfinal) (Arlington, TX) | December 31 | No. 2 Ohio State | ESPN | ||
| Capital One Orange Bowl (quarterfinal) (Miami Gardens, FL) | January 1 | No. 4 Texas Tech | |||
| Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi (quarterfinal) (Pasadena, CA) | No. 1 Indiana | ||||
| Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal) (New Orleans, LA) | No. 3 Georgia | ||||
| Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (semifinal) (Glendale, AZ) | January 8 | ||||
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (semifinal) (Atlanta, GA) | January 9 | ||||
| College Football Playoff National Championship Game (Miami Gardens, FL) |
January 19 |
Bowl games
[edit]Normally, a team is required to have a .500 minimum winning percentage during the regular season to become bowl-eligible (six wins for an 11- or 12-game schedule, and seven wins for a 13-game schedule). If there are not enough winning teams to fulfill all open bowl slots, teams with losing records may be chosen to fill available bowl slots. Additionally, on the rare occasion in which a conference champion does not meet eligibility requirements, they are usually still chosen for bowl games via tie-ins for their conference.
Non-CFP bowl games
[edit]Winners are listed in boldface.
The 2025–26 bowl game lineup had one change from the previous season: The Bahamas Bowl was replaced with the Xbox Bowl.[81]
The bowl games that are not part of the College Football Playoff are:[82][83][84][85]
Bowl Challenge Cup standings
[edit]CFP bowl games are denoted in bold type. First-round CFP playoff games are included, and denoted as CFP1.
| Conference | Games | Wins–losses (pct.) | Bowls | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CFP | Other | Total | Won | Lost | ||
| ACC | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| American | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Big 12 | 1 | 9‡ | 10 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Big Ten | 3 | 9 | 12 | 1–0 (1.000) | LA | |
| CUSA | -- | 7 | 7 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| MAC | -- | 5 | 5 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Mountain West | -- | 7 | 7 | 0–1 (.000) | LA | |
| Pac-12 | -- | 1 | 1 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| SEC | 4 | 7‡ | 11 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Sun Belt | 1 | 9‡ | 10 | 0–0 (–) | ||
| Independent | -- | 2‡ | 2 | 0–0 (–) |
‡ Iowa State, Kansas State, and Notre Dame opted out of their bowl games. † Appalachian State, Mississippi State, and Rice were participated in a bowl game due to bowl-eligible teams opting out.
Postseason All-star games
[edit]| Date | Time (EST) | Game | Site | Television | Participants | Results | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2025 | 11:00 am | FCS Bowl | Municipal Stadium Daytona Beach, Florida |
Varsity Sports Network | American Team National Team |
||
| Jan 10, 2026 | Noon | Hula Bowl | Acrisure Bounce House Orlando, Florida[a] |
CBS Sports Network | Team Aina Team Kai |
||
| Jan 18, 2026 | 11:00 am | Tropical Bowl | Municipal Stadium Daytona Beach, Florida |
Varsity Sports Network | American Team National Team |
||
| Jan 27, 2026 | 8:00 pm | East–West Shrine Bowl | AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas |
NFL Network | East Team West Team |
||
| Jan 31, 2026 | 2:30 pm | Senior Bowl | Hancock Whitney Stadium Mobile, Alabama |
American Team National Team |
|||
| Feb 21, 2026 | 4:00 pm | HBCU Legacy Bowl | Yulman Stadium New Orleans, Louisiana |
Team Robinson Team Gaither |
- ^ The stadium has an Orlando mailing address, but it is located in unincorporated Orange County.
Selection of teams
[edit]The below lists of teams are based on team records as published by the NCAA and bowl eligibility criteria.
Bowl-eligible teams
[edit]- ACC (11): California†, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (FL), NC State, Pittsburgh, SMU, Virginia, Wake Forest
- American (8): Army, East Carolina, Memphis, Navy, North Texas, South Florida, Tulane, UTSA
- Big Ten (12): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon†, Penn State, USC†, Washington†
- Big 12 (10): Arizona†, Arizona State†, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State‡, Kansas State‡, TCU, Texas Tech, Utah†
- CUSA (7): Delaware[a], FIU, Jacksonville State, Kennesaw State, Louisiana Tech, Missouri State[a], Western Kentucky
- MAC (5): Central Michigan, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
- Mountain West (7): Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Utah State
- Pac-12 (1): Washington State
- SEC (10): Alabama, Georgia, Missouri, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
- SBC (9): Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Louisiana, Old Dominion, Southern Miss, Texas State, Troy
- Independent (2): Notre Dame‡, UConn
†: Iowa State, Kansas State, and Notre Dame opted out of their bowl games, but they were still bowl-eligible.
†: Former Pac-12 teams were considered for bowls with Pac-12 tie-ins instead of their current conference for 2025.
Number of postseason berths available: 82
Number of bowl-eligible teams: 82
Bowl-ineligible teams
[edit]- ACC (6): Boston College, Florida State, North Carolina, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
- American (6): Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Rice‡, Temple, Tulsa, UAB
- Big Ten (6): Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
- Big 12 (6): Baylor, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma State, UCF, West Virginia
- CUSA (5): Liberty, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico State, Sam Houston, UTEP
- MAC (8): Akron[b], Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois, UMass
- Mountain West (5): Air Force, Colorado State, Nevada, San Jose State, Wyoming
- Pac-12 (1): Oregon State
- SEC (6): Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi State‡, South Carolina
- SBC (5): Appalachian State‡, Georgia State, Louisiana–Monroe, Marshall, South Alabama
Number of bowl-ineligible teams: 54
- ^ a b Delaware and Missouri State were normally bowl-ineligible due to their FCS-to-FBS transitions; however, as they posted bowl-eligible records and there were not enough bowl-eligible teams, both were invited.[86][87]
- ^ Akron is ineligible due to low APR scores.[88] The team posted a 5–7 record for the season, and it would not have been bowl-eligible regardless.
† Appalachian State, Mississippi State, and Rice were not bowl eligible, but participated in a bowl game due to bowl-eligible teams opting out.
Conference summaries
[edit]Rankings in this section are based on CFP rankings released prior to the games (Week 13–December 2).
Note: Clicking on a link in the Conference column will open an article about that conference's championship game, where applicable.
Conference championship games
[edit]Conference champions' bowl games
[edit]For conference champions not part of the College Football Playoff.
| Conference | Champion | W–L | Rank | Bowl game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC | Duke | 8–5 | — |
Sun Bowl |
| CUSA | Kennesaw State | 10–3 | — |
Myrtle Beach Bowl |
| MAC | Western Michigan | 9-4 | — |
Myrtle Beach Bowl |
| Mountain West | Boise State | 9–4 | — |
LA Bowl |
At-large bowl games
[edit]| At-Large Teams | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School | Conference | Record | Result | Bowl game | |||
| North Texas | American | 11–2 | New Mexico Bowl | ||||
| Virginia | ACC | 10–3 | Gator Bowl | ||||
| BYU | Big 12 | 11–2 | Pop-Tarts Bowl | ||||
| Jacksonville State | Conference USA | 8–5 | Salute to Veterans Bowl | ||||
| Miami (OH) | MAC | 7–6 | Arizona Bowl | ||||
| UNLV | Mountain West | 10–3 | Frisco Bowl | ||||
| Troy | Sun Belt | 8–5 | Salute to Veterans Bowl | ||||
Awards and honors
[edit]Source:[98]
Heisman Trophy voting
[edit]The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player
| Player | School | Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | 643 | 191 | 51 | 2,362 |
| Diego Pavia | Vanderbilt | QB | 189 | 352 | 164 | 1,435 |
| Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame | RB | 46 | 157 | 267 | 719 |
| Julian Sayin | Ohio State | QB | 8 | 118 | 172 | 432 |
| Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | LB | 17 | 56 | 132 | 295 |
| Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | WR | 4 | 18 | 36 | 84 |
| Gunner Stockton | Georgia | QB | 3 | 6 | 22 | 31 |
| Trinidad Chambliss | Ole Miss | QB | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 |
| Caleb Downs | Ohio State | S | 2 | 3 | 10 | 15 |
| Haynes King | Georgia Tech | QB | 2 | 1 | 10 | 13 |
Other overall
[edit]| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| AP Player of the Year | Fernando Mendoza[99] | QB | Indiana |
| Maxwell Award | Fernando Mendoza | QB | Indiana |
| SN Player of the Year | |||
| Walter Camp Award | Fernando Mendoza[100] | QB | Indiana |
Special overall
[edit]| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlsworth Trophy (top player who began as walk-on) | Drew Mestemaker[101] | QB | North Texas |
| Paul Hornung Award (most versatile player) | KC Concepcion[102] | WR/RS | Texas A&M |
| Polynesian Football Player of the Year Award (top Polynesian player) | |||
| Jon Cornish Trophy (top Canadian player) | Antwan Raymond[103] | RB | Rutgers |
| Campbell Trophy ("academic Heisman") | Eli Stowers[104] | TE | Vanderbilt |
| Academic All-American of the Year | To be announced on January 27, 2026 | ||
| Wuerffel Trophy (humanitarian-athlete) | Michael Taaffe | DB | Texas |
Offense
[edit]Quarterback
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Davey O'Brien Award | Fernando Mendoza | Indiana |
| Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award | Diego Pavia[105] | Vanderbilt |
| Manning Award |
Running back
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Doak Walker Award | Jeremiyah Love | Notre Dame |
Wide receiver
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Fred Biletnikoff Award[106] | Makai Lemon | USC |
Tight end
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| John Mackey Award | Eli Stowers | Vanderbilt |
Lineman
| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rimington Trophy (center) | Logan Jones | C | Iowa |
| Outland Trophy (interior lineman) | Spencer Fano | OT | Utah |
| Joe Moore Award (offensive line) | N/A |
Defense
[edit]| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player) | Jacob Rodriguez | LB | Texas Tech |
| Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player) | |||
| Lott Trophy (defensive impact) | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
Defensive front
| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Dick Butkus Award (linebacker) | Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech |
| Ted Hendricks Award (defensive end) |
Defensive back
| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Thorpe Award | Caleb Downs | S | Ohio State |
Linemen or linebackers
[edit]| Award | Winner | Position | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lombardi Award | Jacob Rodriguez | LB | Texas Tech |
Special teams
[edit]| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| Lou Groza Award (placekicker) | Tate Sandell | Oklahoma |
| Ray Guy Award (punter) | Brett Thorson | Georgia |
| Jet Award (return specialist) | ||
| Patrick Mannelly Award (long snapper) | Beau Gardner | Georgia |
Coaches
[edit]| Award | Winner | School |
|---|---|---|
| AFCA Coach of the Year | Curt Cignetti[107] | Indiana |
| AP Coach of the Year | Curt Cignetti[108] | Indiana |
| Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year | ||
| Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year | Clark Lea[109] | Vanderbilt |
| George Munger Award | ||
| Home Depot Coach of the Year | Curt Cignetti | Indiana |
| Paul "Bear" Bryant Award | ||
| Walter Camp Coach of the Year | Curt Cignetti[110] | Indiana |
Assistants
[edit]| Award | Winner | Coordinator | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year[111] | Bryant Haines | Defensive coordinator | Indiana |
| Broyles Award |
All-Americans
[edit]The following players were recognized as consensus All-Americans for 2025. Unanimous selections are followed by an asterisk (*).
| Name | Position | Year | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Mendoza | Quarterback | Junior | Indiana |
| Jeremiyah Love | Running back | Notre Dame | |
| Ahmad Hardy | Sophomore | Missouri | |
| Makai Lemon | Wide receiver | Junior | USC |
| Jeremiah Smith | Sophomore | Ohio State | |
| Skyler Bell |  |
UConn | |
| Eli Stowers | Tight end | Senior | Vanderbilt |
| Logan Jones | Offensive line | Iowa | |
| Spencer Fano | Junior | Utah | |
| Francis Mauigoa | Miami (FL) | ||
| David Bailey | Defensive line | Senior | Texas Tech |
| Cashius Howell | |
Texas A&M | |
| Kayden McDonald | Junior | Ohio State | |
| Rueben Bain Jr. | Miami (FL) | ||
| Arvell Reese | Linebacker | Junior | Ohio State |
| Jacob Rodriguez | Senior | Texas Tech | |
| Mansoor Delane | Defensive back | Senior | LSU |
| Caleb Downs | Junior | Ohio State | |
| Leonard Moore | Sophomore | Notre Dame | |
| Kansei Matsuzawa | Kicker | Senior | Hawaii |
| Punter | |||
| All-purpose, return specialist |
Milestones and records
[edit]Coaching changes
[edit]Preseason and in-season
[edit]This is restricted to coaching changes taking place on or after May 1, 2025, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled game before its bowl game. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2025, see 2024 NCAA Division I FBS end-of-season coaching changes.
| School | Outgoing Coach | Date | Reason | Contract Buyout | Replacement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Tech | Brent Pry | September 14, 2025 | Fired[112] | $6 million[113] | Philip Montgomery (interim) |
| UCLA | DeShaun Foster | September 14, 2025 | Fired[114] | $5 million[113] | Tim Skipper (interim) |
| Oklahoma State | Mike Gundy | September 23, 2025 | Fired[115] | $15 million[113] | Doug Meacham (interim) |
| Arkansas | Sam Pittman | September 28, 2025 | Fired[116] | $9.8 million[113] | Bobby Petrino (interim) |
| Oregon State | Trent Bray | October 12, 2025 | Fired[117] | $4 million[113] | Robb Akey (interim) |
| Penn State | James Franklin | October 12, 2025 | Fired[118] | $9 million[119][a] | Terry Smith (interim) |
| UAB | Trent Dilfer | October 12, 2025 | Fired[120] | $2.4 million[113] | Alex Mortensen |
| Florida | Billy Napier | October 19, 2025 | Fired[121] | $21 million[113] | Billy Gonzales (interim) |
| Colorado State | Jay Norvell | October 19, 2025 | Fired[122] | $1.5 million[113] | Tyson Summers (interim) |
| LSU | Brian Kelly | October 26, 2025 | Fired[123] | $54 million[113] | Frank Wilson (interim) |
| Auburn | Hugh Freeze | November 2, 2025 | Fired[124] | $15.8 million[125] | D. J. Durkin (interim) |
| California | Justin Wilcox | November 23, 2025 | Fired[126] | $10.9 million[126] | Nick Rolovich (interim, bowl) |
| North Texas | Eric Morris | November 25, 2025 | Hired by Oklahoma State[127] | N/A | Drew Svoboda (interim, bowl)[128] |
| UConn | Jim L. Mora | November 26, 2025 | Hired by Colorado State[129] | N/A | Gordon Sammis (interim, bowl) |
| South Florida | Alex Golesh | November 30, 2025 | Hired by Auburn[130] | N/A | Kevin Patrick (interim, bowl) |
| Memphis | Ryan Silverfield | November 30, 2025 | Hired by Arkansas[131] | N/A | Reggie Howard (interim, bowl) |
| Coastal Carolina | Tim Beck | November 30, 2025 | Fired[132] | $1.7 million[133] | Jeremiah Johnson (interim, bowl) |
| Ole Miss | Lane Kiffin | November 30, 2025 | Hired by LSU[134] | N/A | Pete Golding[135] |
| Washington State | Jimmy Rogers | December 5, 2025 | Hired by Iowa State[136] | N/A | Jesse Bobbit (interim, bowl) |
| Southern Miss | Charles Huff | December 6, 2025 | Hired by Memphis[137] | N/A | Blake Anderson |
| Toledo | Jason Candle | December 6, 2025 | Hired by UConn[138] | N/A | Robert Weiner (interim, bowl) |
| Michigan | Sherrone Moore | December 10, 2025 | Fired[139] | N/A | Biff Poggi (interim, bowl) |
| Missouri State | Ryan Beard | December 11, 2025 | Hired by Coastal Carolina[140] | N/A | Nick Petrino (interim, bowl) |
| Ohio | Brian Smith | December 17, 2025 | Fired[141] | N/A | John Hauser (interim, bowl) |
End of season
[edit]The list includes coaching changes announced during the season that will not take effect until the end of the season.
| School | Outgoing coach | Date | Reason | Replacement | Previous position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Tech | Philip Montgomery (interim) | November 17, 2025 | Permanent replacement | James Franklin[142] | Penn State head coach |
| Oklahoma State | Doug Meacham (interim) | November 25, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Eric Morris[127] | North Texas head coach |
| North Texas | Drew Svoboda[128] (interim, bowl) | November 25, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Neal Brown[143] | Texas special assistant |
| Colorado State | Tyson Summers (interim) | November 26, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Jim L. Mora[129] | UConn head coach |
| Oregon State | Robb Akey (interim) | November 28, 2025 | Permanent replacement | JaMarcus Shephard[144] | Alabama co-offensive coordinator |
| Stanford | Frank Reich (interim) | November 28, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Tavita Pritchard[145] | Washington Commanders quarterbacks coach |
| Auburn | D. J. Durkin (interim) | November 30, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Alex Golesh[130] | South Florida head coach |
| Arkansas | Bobby Petrino (interim) | November 30, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Ryan Silverfield[131] | Memphis head coach |
| Florida | Billy Gonzales (interim) | November 30, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Jon Sumrall[146] | Tulane head coach |
| Tulane | Jon Sumrall | November 30, 2025 | Hired by Florida[146] | Will Hall[147] | Tulane passing game coordinator |
| Michigan State | Jonathan Smith | November 30, 2025 | Fired[148] | Pat Fitzgerald[149] | Northwestern head coach |
| LSU | Frank Wilson (interim, bowl) | November 30, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Lane Kiffin[134] | Ole Miss head coach |
| Kentucky | Mark Stoops | November 30, 2025 | Fired[150] | Will Stein[151] | Oregon offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach |
| South Florida | Kevin Patrick (interim, bowl) | December 3, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Brian Hartline[152] | Ohio State offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach |
| Kansas State | Chris Klieman | December 3, 2025 | Retired[153] | Collin Klein[154] | Texas A&M offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach |
| California | Nick Rolovich (interim, bowl) | December 5, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Tosh Lupoi[155] | Oregon defensive coordinator/linebackers coach |
| Penn State | Terry Smith (interim, bowl) | December 5, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Matt Campbell[156] | Iowa State head coach |
| Iowa State | Matt Campbell | December 5, 2025 | Hired by Penn State[156] | Jimmy Rogers[136] | Washington State head coach |
| UConn | Gordon Sammis (interim, bowl) | December 6, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Jason Candle[138] | Toledo head coach |
| UCLA | Tim Skipper (interim) | December 6, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Bob Chesney[157] | James Madison head coach |
| James Madison | Bob Chesney | December 6, 2025 | Hired by UCLA[157] | Billy Napier[158] | Florida head coach |
| Memphis | Reggie Howard (interim, bowl) | December 6, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Charles Huff[137] | Southern Miss head coach |
| Toledo | Robert Weiner (interim, bowl) | December 10, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Mike Jacobs[159] | Mercer head coach |
| Coastal Carolina | Jeremiah Johnson (interim, bowl) | December 11, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Ryan Beard[140] | Missouri State head coach |
| Utah | Kyle Whittingham | December 12, 2025 | Stepped down[160] | Morgan Scalley[161] | Utah defensive coordinator/safeties coach |
| Washington State | Jesse Bobbit (interim, bowl) | December 12, 2025 | Permanent replacement | Kirby Moore[162] | Missouri offensive coordinator |
Television viewers and ratings
[edit]Top 10 most watched regular season games
[edit]All times Eastern. Rankings are from the AP Poll (before 11/4) and CFP Rankings (thereafter).
| Rank | Date | Time | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions)[163][164] | Location | Significance | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | November 29, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 1 Ohio State | 27 | No. 15 Michigan | 9 | Fox | 18.42 | Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI |
Rivalry, Big Noon Kickoff |
| 2 | August 30, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. | No. 1 Texas | 7 | No. 3 Ohio State | 14 | 16.62 | Ohio Stadium Columbus, OH |
College GameDay, Big Noon Kickoff | |
| 3 | November 28, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 3 Texas A&M | 17 | No. 16 Texas | 27 | ABC | 13.04 | Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX |
Rivalry |
| 4 | September 13, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 6 Georgia | 44 | No. 15 Tennessee | 41 | 12.58 | Neyland Stadium Knoxville, TN |
Rivalry, College GameDay | |
| 5 | November 29, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 10 Alabama | 27 | Auburn | 20 | 11.31 | Jordan–Hare Stadium Auburn, AL |
Rivalry | |
| 6 | August 31, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 6 Notre Dame | 24 | No. 10 Miami | 27 | 10.80 | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, FL |
Rivalry, Kickoff game (Week 1) | |
| 7 | August 30, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 8 Alabama | 17 | Florida State | 31 | 10.66 | Doak Campbell Stadium Tallahassee, FL |
||
| 8 | November 15, 2025 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 11 Oklahoma | 23 | No. 4 Alabama | 21 | 10.48 | Saban Field at Bryant–Denny Stadium Tuscaloosa, AL |
||
| 9 | August 30, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 9 LSU | 17 | No. 4 Clemson | 10 | 10.45 | Memorial Stadium Clemson, SC |
Kickoff game (Week 1) | |
| 10 | November 15, 2025 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 10 Texas | 10 | No. 5 Georgia | 35 | 10.43 | Sanford Stadium Athens, GA |
Conference championship games
[edit]All times Eastern. Rankings are from the CFP Rankings.[165]
Most watched non-CFP bowl games
[edit]All times Eastern. Rankings are from the CFP Rankings.[165]
| Rank | Date | Time | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions) | Game | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
College Football Playoff games
[edit]| Rank | Date | Time | Matchup | Network | Viewers (millions) | Game | Location | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 19 | 8:00 pm (ET) | No. 9 Alabama | No. 8 Oklahoma | ABC/ESPN | Non-bowl game (First round) | Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Norman, OK (Campus site) | ||||
| December 20 | 12:00 pm (ET) | No. 10 Miami | No. 7 Texas A&M | Kyle Field College Station, TX (Campus site) | ||||||
| 4:00 pm (ET) | No. 11 Tulane | No. 6 Ole Miss | TNT | Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Oxford, MS (Campus site) | ||||||
| 8:00 pm (ET) | No. 12 James Madison | No. 5 Oregon | Autzen Stadium Eugene, OR (Campus site) | |||||||
| December 31 | 7:30 pm (ET) | No. 2 Ohio State | ESPN | Cotton Bowl Classic (Quarterfinals) | AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas | |||||
| January 1 | 1:00 pm (ET) | No. 4 Texas Tech | 2026 Orange Bowl (Quarterfinals) | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida | ||||||
| 5:00 pm (ET) | No. 1 Indiana | Rose Bowl (Quarterfinals) | Rose Bowl Pasadena, California | |||||||
| 4:00 pm (ET) | No. 3 Georgia | Sugar Bowl (Quarterfinals) | Caesars Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana | |||||||
| January 8 | 7:30 pm (ET) | Fiesta Bowl (Semifinals) | State Farm Stadium Glendale, Arizona | |||||||
| January 9 | Peach Bowl (Semifinals) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||||
| January 19 | College Football Playoff National Championship | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida |
Television changes
[edit]This is the first season of a new television contract for the Big 12 Conference with ESPN, Fox Sports and TNT Sports. ESPN hold the rights to the top four college football games per season, and twelve of the top twenty games, along with the Big 12 Championship Game. TNT Sports sublicense thirteen games from ESPN.[168][169]
The Pac-12 Conference renewed their media partnership with The CW for the 2025 season, while also agreeing to two-game deals with ESPN and CBS Sports. While The CW will continue to carry majority of the home games for Oregon State and Washington State, ESPN will carry two Oregon State home games and CBS will carry one home game from each school in primetime.[170]
This is the final year of the Mountain West Conference's broadcast agreement with Fox Sports and CBS Sports. The conference has not yet announced a new agreement.[171] Despite being announced as a multi-year deal, the Mountain West did not continue an agreement with TNT Sports from 2024 to air 14 games on TruTV.[172]
Attendances
[edit]![[icon]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2025) |
See also
[edit]- 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season
- 2025 NCAA Division II football season
- 2025 NCAA Division III football season
- 2025 NAIA football season
- 2025 U Sports football season
Notes
[edit]
References
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Jacob Rodriguez recorded a game-high 14 tackles; 1 INT, 1 FR
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- ^ Kosko, Nick (November 30, 2025). "Michigan State fires head coach Jonathan Smith". on3.com. on3 Media. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
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- ^ "Chris Klieman Announces Retirement". kstatesports.com. Kansas State University. December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
- ^ "K-State Legend Collin Klein Hired as Head Coach". kstatesports.com. Kansas State University. December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
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- ^ a b Olson, Max (December 5, 2025). "Penn State hiring Iowa State's Matt Campbell to 8-year deal as coach". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved December 5, 2025.
- ^ a b "Bob Chesney Named Head Coach of UCLA Football". uclabruins.com. UCLA Athletics. December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Billy Napier Takes the Reins as James Madison Head Coach with Bob Chesney's Departure to UCLA". jmusports.com. James Madison University Athletics. December 6, 2025. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Mike Jacobs Named Head Football Coach at Toledo". utrockets.com. University of Toledo Athletics. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- ^ "Kyle Whittingham to Step Down as Utah Head Coach" (Press release). Utah Utes. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ "Morgan Scalley Named Head Coach of Utah Football Program" (Press release). Utah Utes. December 13, 2025. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ "Kirby Moore Named Washington State Head Football Coach" (Press release). Washington State Cougars. December 12, 2025. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ "2025 College Football TV Ratings". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Jon. "College football has milestone opening weekend as "Big Data" era begins". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
- ^ a b "2024 college football TV ratings".
- ^ Lewis, Jon (December 9, 2025). "Despite rare second-place finish, SEC title game still big on ABC". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ Lewis, Jon (December 9, 2025). "Top-two matchup lifts Big Ten title game to new high, topping SEC". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- ^ Thamel, Pete (October 30, 2022). "Big 12 nears six-year, $2.28B TV extension deal with ESPN, Fox". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
- ^ Axelrod, Ben (November 18, 2024). "TNT lands Big 12 games from ESPN as part of WBD-NBA settlement". Awful Announcing. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
- ^ "2025 Pac-12 football to be featured nationally across CBS, The CW and ESPN". Pac-12 Conference. April 29, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ Murray, Chris (January 9, 2020). "Mountain West announces media rights deal with CBS, Fox. Here are the details". Nevada Sports Net. Retrieved April 30, 2025.
- ^ Huddleston, Ben (May 30, 2025). "News: March Madness, softball, CW, and more". Sports Media Watch. Retrieved May 31, 2025.
External links
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Media related to 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season at Wikimedia Commons