Where CFP Committee Ranks Alabama Before SEC Championship Weekend

Alabama went to Jordan-Hare Stadium this past Saturday and left with a 27-20 Iron Bowl victory to conclude its regular season 10-2. The strong regular season qualifies the Crimson Tide for the program's 16th appearance in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on the final Saturday before the College Football Playoff committee makes their choices for the 12-team field.

The College Football Playoff committee met and announced the fifth and penultimate playoff rankings of the season on Tuesday night. Alabama looks to return to the College Football Playoff after missing the first 12-team edition last season. The Crimson Tide is ranked No. 9 ahead of its SEC Championship game rematch against Georgia.

The Crimson Tide has made eight College Football Playoff appearances dating back to 2014 while claiming three national championships in the playoff era.

The College Football Playoff will select 12 teams, with the selection committee's five highest-ranked conference champions earning automatic bids. The top-four seeds all earn a first-round bye. The teams ranked No. 5-8 will host first-round playoff games in on-campus games against the teams ranked No. 9-12.

What College Football Playoff Committee Chair Hunter Yurachek Said About Alabama

2025 College Football Playoff Rankings

1. Ohio State, 12-0
2. Indiana, 12-0
3. Georgia, 11-1
4. Texas Tech, 11-1
5. Oregon, 11-1
6. Ole Miss, 11-1
7. Texas A&M, 11-1
8. Oklahoma, 10-2
9. Alabama, 10-2
10. Notre Dame, 10-2
11. BYU, 11-1
12. Miami (FL), 10-2
13. Texas, 9-3
14. Vanderbilt, 10-2
15. Utah, 10-2
16. Southern Cal, 9-3
17. Virginia, 10-2
18. Arizona, 9-3
19. Michigan, 9-3
20. Tulane, 10-2
21. Houston, 9-3
22. Georgia Tech, 9-3
23. Iowa, 8-4
24. North Texas, 11-1
25. James Madison, 11-1

Alabama moves up to No. 9 and would travel to Oklahoma in the first round in the penultimate College Football Playoff Rankings pic.twitter.com/ZLtanQLufO
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) December 3, 2025

2025-26 College Football Playoff round-by-round schedule

First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
One game | Friday, Dec. 19
Three games | Saturday, Dec. 20
Quarterfinal sites:
Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN
Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Semifinal sites:
Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
CFP National Championship Game:
Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 (in Miami, Florida) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

The 2025 College Football Playoff Committee
Hunter Yuracheck - Committee Chair - Arkansas Athletic Director
Chris Ault - Former College Football Head Coach
Troy Dannen - Nebraska Athletic Director
Mark Dantonio - Former College Football Head Coach
Jeff Long - Former College Football Playoff Committee Chair
Ivan Maisel - Sportswriter
Chris Massaro - MTSU Athletic Director
Mike Riley - Former College Football Head Coach
David Sayler - Miami (Ohio) Athletic Director
Wesley Walls - College Football Hall of Famer (Ole Miss)
Carla Williams - Virginia Athletic Director
Mark Harlan - University of Utah Athletic Director

Alabama in the College Football Playoff Ranking Through 2025

Week 1 (After Second BYE): No. 4
Week 2 (After LSU Win): No. 4
Week 3 (After Oklahoma Loss): No. 10
Week 4 (After Eastern Illinois Win): No. 10
Week 5 (After Auburn Win): No. 9