Coaches Poll top 25: Georgia rises, Ohio State falls in college football rankings

Championship Saturday re-sorted many of the higher-placed teams in the Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings as we move into the 2025 playoff and bowl season.

The updated Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings heading into the playoff. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Championship Weekend didn’t disappoint this season, unless you’re Ohio State and Alabama, and with some movement among the higher-placed teams on Saturday, voters were faced with some notable decisions at the top of the Coaches Poll top 25 college football rankings as we move into Bowl Season.

Indiana edged out top-ranked Ohio State to win the Big Ten championship and complete an historic 13-0 season that impressed the College Football Playoff selectors.

Georgia also moved up in the poll after a dominating effort against Alabama to win the SEC championship in a cathartic moment for Kirby Smart, who had won just once against the Crimson Tide in nine tries before.

Where does that leave everything in the updated Top 25 college football rankings?

Let’s take a look at what teams moved up, and down, and who stayed put, as playoff and bowl season begins, according to the coaches’ vote.

Coaches Poll top 25 rankings for Bowl Season

First-place votes in parentheses

1. Indiana (61)
2. Georgia (1)
3. Ohio State
4. Texas Tech
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas A&M
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Miami
11. Alabama
12. Vanderbilt
13. BYU
14. Texas
15. Utah
16. USC
17. Michigan
18. Tulane
19. James Madison
20. Arizona
21. Virginia
22. Georgia Tech
23. Tennessee
24. Houston
25. Navy

Coaches Poll top 25 biggest movers

Indiana (Up 1). After sitting behind the Buckeyes all season, the Hoosiers finally took the big step and upset the reigning national champs to win the Big Ten title and get the No. 1 seed in the playoff in what must be the best turnaround in college football history.

Ohio State (Down 2). Undefeated no more, the Buckeyes are still one of the favorites to repeat as national champions once the playoff begins.

Georgia (Up 1). For the second-straight year, the Bulldogs are SEC champions after a dominating performance against Alabama, avenging their one loss from the regular season, and earning a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff again.

Alabama (Down 2). A third loss for the Crimson Tide and another black mark for Kalen DeBoer as his offense failed to generate much of anything against the Georgia defense.

Texas Tech (Up 2). An overwhelming defense that had four takeaways in the second half, including two Ben Roberts interceptions, finally strangled BYU to win the Big 12 championship and clinch a first-round bye in the playoff.

BYU (Down 2). Bear Bachmeier led a 90-yard touchdown drive to get an early lead on the Red Raiders, but had no answers in the face of that defense the rest of the way. Both their losses came against playoff-bound Texas Tech.

Tulane (Up 3). The champions of the American Conference put on a defensive clinic to ground North Texas and clinch a place in the College Football Playoff.

Virginia (Down 5). With a spot in the playoff on the line, the Cavaliers failed to get past Duke and lost the ACC championship in the process.

Other teams receiving votes

These teams got votes from the coaches, but not enough to be included in the rankings this week

Iowa 102; North Texas 89; Missouri 51; Duke 43; SMU 32; Washington 24; Illinois 10; Boise State 10; TCU 9; Pittsburgh 9; Arizona State 8; USF 7; Louisville 7; UConn 7; Penn State 6; Kennesaw State 3; UNLV 2; Old Dominion 2; Western Michigan 1; San Diego State 1.

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