Illinois football breaks into 2025 CFP rankings: Full bracket, playoff picture
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CHAMPAIGN — Illinois football joined the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time in 2025 when it landed at No. 21 in the third ranking, released Tuesday, Nov. 18.
The Illini (7-3) were not part of the first two rankings, which eventually will be used to seed the 12-team CFP. Illinois is an underdog to make the playoffs, but finds itself in the rankings for the first time this season. Illinois also was ranked in CFP last season on the way to a 10-win season and a victory in the Citrus Bowl.
Illinois, which has won two in a row, is unranked in both The Associated Press and US LBM coaches polls ahead of their road game Saturday at Wisconsin.
College Football Playoff bracket: Who's in, who's out
Here is the full College Football Playoff bracket according to the rankings released Tuesday:
- No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 8 Oklahoma would face No. 1 Ohio State
- No. 10 Alabama vs. No. 7 Oregon winner would face No. 2 Indiana
- No. 11 Miami vs. No. 6 Ole Miss winner would face No. 3 Texas A&M
- No. 12 Tulane vs. No. 5 Texas Tech winner would face No. 4 Georgia
Latest CFP rankings
Here are the full College Football Playoff rankings released Nov. 18, 2025:
- Ohio State (10-0)
- Indiana (11-0)
- Texas A&M (10-0)
- Georgia (9-1)
- Texas Tech (10-1)
- Ole Miss (10-1)
- Oregon (9-1)
- Oklahoma (8-2)
- Notre Dame (8-2)
- Alabama (8-2)
- BYU (9-1)
- Utah (8-2)
- Miami (8-2)
- Vanderbilt (8-2)
- USC (8-2)
- Georgia Tech (9-1)
- Texas (7-3)
- Michigan (8-2)
- Virginia (9-2)
- Tennessee (7-3)
- Illinois (7-3)
- Missouri (7-3)
- Houston (8-2)
- Tulane (8-2)
- Arizona State (7-3)
How many teams in College Football Playoff 2025?
At the end of the 2025 regular season, 12 teams will make the College Football Playoff.
The five highest ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams will be seeded into a bracket based on the final ranking. The four highest-ranked teams receive a first-round bye. The teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the first round, with the higher seeds as host.
When next College Football Playoff rankings come out
The next set of CFP rankings will be released Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. on ESPN.
- Ranking 4: 6 p.m., Nov. 25
- Ranking 5: 6 p.m., Dec. 2
- Final Ranking: 11 a.m., Dec. 7
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois football in CFP: Third bracket, playoff picture, what to know
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