USC vs. Seton Hall Hoops Had Football Fans Fuming Over Significant CFP Rankings Delay

The College Football Playoff rankings were scheduled to be unveiled at 7 p.m. ET.

A Maui Invitational Game between Seton Hall and USC significantly delayed the College Football Playoff rankings release. / Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

With a scheduled start time of 7 p.m. ET, college football fans flocked to ESPN to see the latest release of the College Football Playoff Top 25, as chosen by the selection committee. Instead, they were greeted by a tight men’s basketball game between USC and Seton Hall at the Maui Invitational—one that had most of the second half to go before it would end.

The game followed an 81–70 win for NC State over Boise State, and because of delays in the game typical of college hoops games and the break between contests, ESPN’s schedule of programming wound up being pretty significantly backed up. USC would ultimately come out on top, avoiding overtime with an 83–81 win in Maui.

Hang tight, college football fans. ⏳

This week’s CFP Selection Committee Rankings will be announced on ESPN after the Seton Hall/USC men’s basketball game in Maui.#CFBPlayoff 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/txVnp21VXg

— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) November 25, 2025

There’s certainly nothing wrong with some good college hoops during “feast week,” but for fans of programs like Oregon, Notre Dame, Miami and BYU who were excitedly awaiting the latest rankings, the delay—which lasted nearly 50 minutes—was a real issue.

Plenty of college football-focused folks had some words for ESPN about the scheduling mishap.

ESPN exec: Will anyone actually want to watch a Seton Hall-USC men's basketball game?

Other ESPN exec: They will if we lie about the time that the CFP rankings show begins. pic.twitter.com/jXAEx9DxA4

— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) November 26, 2025

The CFP Rankings Show being delayed by a college hoops game that has 10 minutes left is all-time bad scheduling

How did this happen

— Josh Callaway (@JoshMCallaway) November 26, 2025

Not mad at all there are still 9 minutes left in the basketball game that's on instead of the CFP rankings don't let anybody tell you I'm mad because as I said I am not

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 26, 2025

whoever scheduled this Maui game into the CFP Rankings reveal should dropped into a volcano. Not saying it has to be an active one, but not not saying it either.

— Kevin Noon (@Kevin_Noon) November 26, 2025

Scheduling the CFP Rankings show at 6 only to have 10 mins of a Maui Invitational game left is a dirty move…

— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) November 26, 2025

Why didn't ESPN put the CFP rankings show between MACtion games? We all could have watched the end of UMass-Bowling Green, seen some rankings and then watched the kickoff of EMU-WMU? Much better!

— Matt Baker (@MattBakerCFB) November 26, 2025

After the lengthy delay, the rankings were updated—though as expected, the shake-ups after a relatively chalk-y Week 13 were minimal. There is some good news for Miami, which likely still needs some help to get into the field with its back against the wall for an ACC championship bid, and a Michigan team set to try and keep Ohio State winless in The Game in the 2020s (which would give the Wolverines a very interesting résumé at 10–2).

The updated CFP Top 25 is available here.

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