Greg McElroy names program he'd least like to play during CFP rankings reveal

Greg McElroy highlights the toughest College Football Playoff draw after the first CFP rankings reveal.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy highlights the college football program teams that should not want to play during the CFP rankings reveal on Tuesday night. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The first College Football Playoff rankings arrived Tuesday night on ESPN and the debate started immediately. Ohio State Buckeyes opened at No. 1 and Indiana Hoosiers slotted at No. 2 after an undefeated run through November’s doorstep. The bracket framework also came into focus with four byes and on-campus first-round matchups shaping early paths to a title under the 12-team format.

Greg McElroy distilled that conversation to one idea that cuts through numbers and resumes. “If we are going exclusively on eye test, the team I would least like to play is Indiana right now.” The remark framed a night defined by fine margins at the top and put the Hoosiers in the crosshairs as a threat regardless of seed.

The committee context supported the razor-thin separation. Selection Committee chair Mack Rhoades described “robust conversation” among the top three and cited slight edges for Ohio State in offensive line play and on defense. He also noted explosive playmakers on the Buckeyes’ roster as a separator. Indiana’s profile remains impressive, boasting wins over the Oregon Ducks and the Iowa Hawkeyes, along with an efficient balance on both sides of the ball.

McElroy Identifies Indiana As The Team He’d Least Want To Face After First CFP Rankings

Indiana’s standing reaches beyond a number beside its name. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Indiana ranks No. 2 in strength of record with No. 39 in strength of schedule and No. 26 in remaining strength of schedule. That blend has the Hoosiers positioned for a first-round bye in the 12-team bracket and a projected quarterfinal against the winner of BYU Cougars versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It also explains why a talent evaluator would view them as a nightmare draw.

The bracket itself underscores the importance of matchups. No. 1 seed Ohio State would await the Texas Tech Red Raiders or Oregon. The Alabama Crimson Tide sits as the No. 4 seed opposite the Georgia Bulldogs in a potential quarterfinal path. The Texas A&M Aggies earned a No. 3 ranking, with Rhoades pointing to a dynamic quarterback in Marcel Reed and road wins at LSU and Notre Dame as validation.

Booger McFarland: "I think Texas A&M's resume.... deserves to be No. 1."

Rece Davis: "Who do you think's better? That carries some weight too."

Joey Galloway: "Texas A&M is best analytically... I don't trust eye test as much as I trust analytics." #CFB #CFP https://t.co/EXC8yG66VV pic.twitter.com/3zTGsDd37A

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 5, 2025

Within that field, McElroy’s eye test callout singled out Indiana’s complete profile and physical edge that travels. Whether holding No. 2 or pushing for No. 1 on future Tuesdays, the Hoosiers are the team others would prefer to avoid.

The Hoosiers are traveling to Happy Valley to play Penn State on Saturday at noon ET on Fox.