Week 0 poll ranking all 138 FBS teams by a transparent, formula-based model. The Top 25 is the 25 highest-rated teams — no human ballots, no conference bonuses, no reputation votes.
| Rank | Change | Team | Conference | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | – |  Ohio StateBuckeyes | Big Ten | |
| 2 | – |  OregonDucks | Big Ten | |
| 3 | – |  Notre DameFighting Irish | FBS Independents | |
| 4 | – |  GeorgiaBulldogs | SEC | |
| 5 | – |  Ole MissRebels | SEC | |
| 6 | – |  TexasLonghorns | SEC | |
| 7 | – |  Texas A&MAggies | SEC | |
| 8 | – |  MiamiHurricanes | ACC | |
| 9 | +1 |  Texas TechRed Raiders | Big 12 | |
| 10 | +1 |  AlabamaCrimson Tide | SEC | |
| 11 | +1 |  MichiganWolverines | Big Ten | |
| 12 | -3 |  USCTrojans | Big Ten | |
| 13 | – |  IndianaHoosiers | Big Ten | |
| 14 | – |  UtahUtes | Big 12 | |
| 15 | – |  OklahomaSooners | SEC | |
| 16 | – |  TennesseeVolunteers | SEC | |
| 17 | – |  LSUTigers | SEC | |
| 18 | – |  WashingtonHuskies | Big Ten | |
| 19 | – |  FloridaGators | SEC | |
| 20 | – |  BYUCougars | Big 12 | |
| 21 | – |  South CarolinaGamecocks | SEC | |
| 22 | – |  MissouriTigers | SEC | |
| 23 | – |  IowaHawkeyes | Big Ten | |
| 24 | – |  VanderbiltCommodores | SEC | |
| 25 | – |  SMUMustangs | ACC | |
| 26 | – |  AuburnTigers | SEC | |
| 27 | – |  Penn StateNittany Lions | Big Ten | |
| 28 | – |  Kansas StateWildcats | Big 12 | |
| 29 | – |  ArizonaWildcats | Big 12 | |
| 30 | – |  NorthwesternWildcats | Big Ten | |
| 31 | – |  ClemsonTigers | ACC | |
| 32 | +1 |  IllinoisFighting Illini | Big Ten | |
| 33 | +1 |  LouisvilleCardinals | ACC | |
| 34 | +2 |  MinnesotaGolden Gophers | Big Ten | |
| 35 | – |  Florida StateSeminoles | ACC | |
| 36 | +20 |  VirginiaCavaliers | ACC | |
| 37 | – |  South FloridaBulls | American Athletic | |
| 38 | – |  BaylorBears | Big 12 | |
| 39 | – |  San Diego StateAztecs | Pac-12 | |
| 40 | – |  PittsburghPanthers | ACC | |
| 41 | – |  Georgia TechYellow Jackets | ACC | |
| 42 | – |  Mississippi StateBulldogs | SEC | |
| 43 | – |  HoustonCougars | Big 12 | |
| 44 | – |  ArkansasRazorbacks | SEC | |
| 45 | – |  Washington StateCougars | Pac-12 | |
| 46 | -14 |  NC StateWolfpack | ACC | |
| 47 | -1 |  Arizona StateSun Devils | Big 12 | |
| 48 | – |  NebraskaCornhuskers | Big Ten | |
| 49 | – |  Boise StateBroncos | Pac-12 | |
| 50 | – |  Iowa StateCyclones | Big 12 | |
| 51 | -4 |  TCUHorned Frogs | Big 12 | |
| 52 | -1 |  UCLABruins | Big Ten | |
| 53 | -1 |  CaliforniaGolden Bears | ACC | |
| 54 | -1 |  UTSARoadrunners | American Athletic | |
| 55 | -1 |  James MadisonDukes | Sun Belt | |
| 56 | -1 |  MarylandTerrapins | Big Ten | |
| 57 | – |  WisconsinBadgers | Big Ten | |
| 58 | – |  KentuckyWildcats | SEC | |
| 59 | – |  DukeBlue Devils | ACC | |
| 60 | – |  ColoradoBuffaloes | Big 12 | |
| 61 | – |  RutgersScarlet Knights | Big Ten | |
| 62 | – |  Wake ForestDemon Deacons | ACC | |
| 63 | – |  North TexasMean Green | American Athletic | |
| 64 | – |  ToledoRockets | Mid-American | |
| 65 | +2 |  North CarolinaTar Heels | ACC | |
| 66 | -1 |  Texas StateBobcats | Pac-12 | |
| 67 | +1 |  MemphisTigers | American Athletic | |
| 68 | -2 |  Western MichiganBroncos | Mid-American | |
| 69 | – |  OhioBobcats | Mid-American | |
| 70 | – |  KansasJayhawks | Big 12 | |
| 71 | – |  Western KentuckyHilltoppers | Conference USA | |
| 72 | – |  Michigan StateSpartans | Big Ten | |
| 73 | – |  TulaneGreen Wave | American Athletic | |
| 74 | – |  Virginia TechHokies | ACC | |
| 75 | – |  East CarolinaPirates | American Athletic | |
| 76 | +1 |  PurdueBoilermakers | Big Ten | |
| 77 | +1 |  Southern MissGolden Eagles | Sun Belt | |
| 78 | +1 |  Utah StateAggies | Pac-12 | |
| 79 | +1 |  CincinnatiBearcats | Big 12 | |
| 80 | +1 |  Old DominionMonarchs | Sun Belt | |
| 81 | +1 |  MarshallThundering Herd | Sun Belt | |
| 82 | +1 |  New MexicoLobos | Mountain West | |
| 83 | +1 |  West VirginiaMountaineers | Big 12 | |
| 84 | -8 |  UNLVRebels | Mountain West | |
| 85 | +7 |  North Dakota StateBison | Mountain West | |
| 86 | – |  UCFKnights | Big 12 | |
| 87 | – |  Fresno StateBulldogs | Pac-12 | |
| 88 | – |  UConnHuskies | FBS Independents | |
| 89 | -4 |  Hawai'iRainbow Warriors | Mountain West | |
| 90 | +5 |  StanfordCardinal | ACC | |
| 91 | -2 |  SyracuseOrange | ACC | |
| 92 | -1 |  Boston CollegeEagles | ACC | |
| 93 | – |  TroyTrojans | Sun Belt | |
| 94 | – |  App StateMountaineers | Sun Belt | |
| 95 | +1 |  Louisiana TechBulldogs | Sun Belt | |
| 96 | +1 |  Miami (OH)RedHawks | Mid-American | |
| 97 | +1 |  LouisianaRagin' Cajuns | Sun Belt | |
| 98 | +1 |  LibertyFlames | Conference USA | |
| 99 | +2 |  UABBlazers | American Athletic | |
| 100 | +2 |  DelawareBlue Hens | Conference USA | |
| 101 | +2 |  Oklahoma StateCowboys | Big 12 | |
| 102 | +2 |  South AlabamaJaguars | Sun Belt | |
| 103 | -13 |  Jacksonville StateGamecocks | Conference USA | |
| 104 | +1 |  Arkansas StateRed Wolves | Sun Belt | |
| 105 | +1 |  Florida AtlanticOwls | American Athletic | |
| 106 | -6 |  Sacramento StateHornets | Mid-American | |
| 107 | – |  TulsaGolden Hurricane | American Athletic | |
| 108 | – |  TempleOwls | American Athletic | |
| 109 | +5 |  Eastern MichiganEagles | Mid-American | |
| 110 | -1 |  Colorado StateRams | Pac-12 | |
| 111 | -1 |  Florida InternationalPanthers | Conference USA | |
| 112 | -1 |  Oregon StateBeavers | Pac-12 | |
| 113 | -1 |  AkronZips | Mid-American | |
| 114 | -1 |  Georgia SouthernEagles | Sun Belt | |
| 115 | – |  Central MichiganChippewas | Mid-American | |
| 116 | – |  NevadaWolf Pack | Mountain West | |
| 117 | – |  Kennesaw StateOwls | Conference USA | |
| 118 | – |  WyomingCowboys | Mountain West | |
| 119 | – |  Bowling GreenFalcons | Mid-American | |
| 120 | +8 |  San José StateSpartans | Mountain West | |
| 121 | -1 |  Missouri StateBears | Conference USA | |
| 122 | -1 |  Northern IllinoisHuskies | Mountain West | |
| 123 | -1 |  Air ForceFalcons | Mountain West | |
| 124 | -1 |  Coastal CarolinaChanticleers | Sun Belt | |
| 125 | -1 |  BuffaloBulls | Mid-American | |
| 126 | -1 |  RiceOwls | American Athletic | |
| 127 | -1 |  Georgia StatePanthers | Sun Belt | |
| 128 | -1 |  Middle TennesseeBlue Raiders | Conference USA | |
| 129 | – |  Kent StateGolden Flashes | Mid-American | |
| 130 | – |  Sam HoustonBearkats | Conference USA | |
| 131 | – |  NavyMidshipmen | American Athletic | |
| 132 | +3 |  New Mexico StateAggies | Conference USA | |
| 133 | -1 |  Charlotte49ers | American Athletic | |
| 134 | -1 |  UTEPMiners | Mountain West | |
| 135 | -1 |  UL MonroeWarhawks | Sun Belt | |
| 136 | – |  ArmyBlack Knights | American Athletic | |
| 137 | – |  Ball StateCardinals | Mid-American | |
| 138 | – |  MassachusettsMinutemen | Mid-American |
Top 25 teams are highlighted. All 138 FBS teams are rated using the same formula — there is no separate voting process.
Common questions about how the Top 25 is determined, how formula-based rankings work, and how weekly college football ratings are calculated for all 138 FBS teams.
On CFBRanked.com, the Top 25 is not voted on by humans. All 138 FBS teams receive a numerical rating using the same formula, then are sorted highest to lowest. The Top 25 is simply the 25 teams with the highest rating that week — there are no ballots, no "receiving votes" list, and no separate selection process.
Formula-based rankings start with a preseason rating built from prior-year strength, roster quality, returning production, and transfer portal data. Once the season begins, each completed game updates team ratings based on opponent strength, home-field advantage, and whether a team over- or under-performed expectations. CFB Ranked applies this same math to every FBS team every week.
Preseason rankings combine four weighted factors: prior-year program strength (40%), roster talent and recruiting (25%), returning production (15%), and transfer portal impact (20%). Each team starts near a 1500 baseline — roughly national average — with points added or subtracted based on measurable data from CFDB. CFBRanked.com publishes the full 138-team preseason list before Week 1.
The AP Poll and Coaches Poll rely on human voters ranking teams subjectively each week. CFB Ranked does not use ballots, voter panels, or reputation-based picks. Ratings are generated by a published formula using data and game results. The AP Poll is never used as an input — though you can compare the two to see where they agree or disagree.
Rankings on CFBRanked.com update once per week after all games for that week are final. Preseason ratings are published before the season starts; weekly updates begin after Week 1. There are no mid-week changes — each publish reflects every completed game through that week.
Yes, in a performance-based system. Rankings measure results against expectation, not just wins and losses. If a heavy favorite was expected to win by 30 but only won by 7, they underperformed relative to opponent strength and may lose rating points — even in a win. Margin matters, but only compared to what the model projected.
Yes. An underdog that loses closer than expected can gain rating points. For example, losing by 3 when projected to lose by 28 means the team outperformed expectations. The model estimates true team strength, not just the final score or win-loss record.
All 138 FBS teams are ranked every week on CFBRanked.com. The Top 25 is the top of the full national table — teams ranked 26 through 138 still have ratings and ranks. Every opponent has a real strength value; there is no unranked tier.
A fair formula-based system should not hand automatic bonuses to any conference. On CFB Ranked, SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC, and all other conferences are treated identically. If a conference is strong, that emerges through team ratings and game results over time — not a manual conference adjustment.
Strength of schedule is built into each game's expected margin before kickoff, not added as a separate bonus afterward. Beating a highly rated opponent counts more than beating a weak one because the expectation — and the surprise when you exceed it — is different. Opponent quality is continuous, not a simple "ranked vs. unranked" label.
CFBRanked.com uses data from CFDB: schedules, final scores, home/away/neutral designation, prior-year Elo/SRS/SP+, talent composites, recruiting rankings, returning production, and transfer portal activity. In-season, completed game results drive all weekly rating movement.
Yes. CFBRanked.com publishes weekly ratings as downloadable CSV files on the poll page. Anyone can verify the numbers, track week-over-week changes, or run their own analysis. Raw data is not locked behind the website interface.
On the CFB Ranked scale, 1500 represents roughly the national FBS average. Teams above 1500 are rated above average; teams below are below average. About 100 rating points equals one standard deviation of preseason strength, and roughly 15 points of expected scoreboard margin in a head-to-head matchup.
Traditional polls depend on voter judgment, which can reflect reputation, recency bias, or conference narratives. A transparent formula applies the same rules to every team, every week, with published inputs and auditable results. CFB Ranked is not claiming perfection — it is claiming every number can be traced, checked, and reproduced.
CFB Ranked (CFBRanked.com) is an independent, formula-based college football ranking system for all 138 FBS teams. It replaces weekly human ballots with a published mathematical model built on prior performance, roster data, returning production, transfer activity, and in-season game results. The Top 25 is the 25 highest-rated teams — nothing more.
Want the full breakdown? Read how the formula works →