The Texas Longhorns are ranked No. 11 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of 2025, a placement that confirms Steve Sarkisian’s team’s strong résumé while keeping the Longhorns squarely on the playoff bubble as the season turns to November.
The committee’s release lists a top five of Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama, and Georgia, with Texas slotted behind No. 10 Notre Dame and ahead of No. 12 Oklahoma in a tightly packed grouping. That ordering reflects the committee’s emphasis on strength of schedule and head-to-head outcomes within an SEC- and Big Ten-heavy top 10, positioning the Longhorns as a contender just outside the inner circle.
From the program perspective, Texas has appeared in 13 straight CFP rankings dating to 2023 and opened in the CFP top 11 for a third consecutive season, reflecting sustained confidence from the committee. The Longhorns also sit higher in the CFP than in this week’s AP and Coaches Polls, a subtle signal that the selection committee sees a slightly stronger résumé than traditional voters.
Context around the bracket matters in the 12-team era. Multiple national outlets framed Texas as effectively the “first team out” when accounting for automatic bids to the highest-ranked conference champions and the Group of Five slot, despite the No. 11 placement. That dynamic tightens the margin for error and amplifies the stakes of every game remaining on the schedule.
For Texas, the path is clear: win out and play in your third College Football Playoff. Stumble and the at-large cushion shrinks fast in a crowded landscape. A bye this week is followed by a marquee road trip to Georgia on Nov. 15, which could vault Texas firmly into the field with a win, or leave the Longhorns fighting an uphill battle if missed.
