Tue Nov 25 04:20:00 UTC 2025: College Football Playoff Picture Nears Completion: Big Ten Poised for Dominance, Tiebreaker Chaos Looms
With only one week left in the regular season, the College Football Playoff landscape is beginning to solidify, marked by dominant conference narratives and potential tiebreaker nightmares.
The Big Ten is all but guaranteed three playoff spots, but its hopes for a fourth team faded as Southern California stumbled. Michigan has one last chance to shake things up against Ohio State, although the Buckeyes, already with a strong resume, don’t need the win.
The SEC faces a more complex situation. Conference expansion has led to an “absurd” number of tiebreaker scenarios, particularly if a four-way tie emerges at the top. An esoteric formula could determine championship game participants.
Despite a likely playoff representative, the ACC’s best team, Miami, might be relegated to an at-large bid due to earlier losses. The Big 12 also faces uncertainty, with the loser of the expected Texas Tech-Brigham Young title game heading into a crowded at-large pool, likely dominated by the SEC.
Meanwhile, the Group of Five lacks a clear frontrunner this year. The American champ will likely receive the automatic berth, but will enter the playoffs as a major underdog.
First Piper 