We knew the Aggies would drop.
The question was how much?
That was answered on Tuesday night as the College Football Playoff committee moved Texas A&M down four spots to No. 7 following a 27-17 loss to Texas in the regular-season finale.
Before this week, the Aggies were ranked No. 3 in every previous edition of the CFP rankings in 2025.
In the other polls, A&M is ranked No. 7 by both the Associated Press and US LBM Coaches Poll.
As it stands right now, the Aggies would be the No. 7 seed and would face No. 10 seed Notre Dame in a first-round rematch at Kyle Field on either Dec. 19 or 20. The victor would then face No. 2 seed Indiana in a quarterfinal on either New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
A home game in the CFP in front of the 12th Man is not a bad consolation prize for missing the SEC title game, but being idle on championship weekend again puts the Maroon & White at the mercy of the committee...
...not to mention the chaos that could ensue.
At 11-1, there is little doubt that A&M will be in the field of 12 on Selection Sunday, but where the Aggies are ultimately seeded could play a huge role in their possible path to Miami.
There are also a number of questions the CFP committee must answer over the next five days.
How will 11-1 Ole Miss, which is ranked No. 6 tonight, be treated now that Lane Kiffin has left for Baton Rouge? And before you say anything about Florida State, this is completely different than when the 13-0 Seminoles were left out of a four-team playoff in 2023.
What happens if five-loss Duke upsets Virginia for the ACC championship? Remember, it’s the five highest-ranked conference champions, not the Power Four conference champions plus a Group of Five representative. A Blue Devil win would open up a path for the American champion and James Madison, which is a 22.5-point favorite in the Sun Belt title game.
How much will the committee listen to the burnt orange campaigning? Everyone in Austin, including Steve Sarkisian himself, has been very vocal about their case to be included despite having three losses (including one to Florida). While it sounds preposterous, the playoff is a made-for-TV event, and the Texas brand certainly carries a certain cachet. The Longhorns currently sit at No. 13.
Those questions — and maybe more — will be answered soon enough.
The final bracket will be unveiled on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 11 a.m. CT.
College Football Playoff Top 25 - Dec. 2, 2025
| Rank | Nov. 25, 2025 | Dec. 2, 2025 |
| 1 | 1. Ohio State (11-0) | 1. Ohio State (12-0) |
| 2 | 2. Indiana (11-0) | 2. Indiana (12-0) |
| 3 | 3. Texas A&M (11-0) | 3. Georgia (11-1) |
| 4 | 4. Georgia (10-1) | 4. Texas Tech (11-1) |
| 5 | 5. Texas Tech (10-1) | 5. Oregon (11-1) |
| 6 | 6. Oregon (10-1) | 6. Ole Miss (11-1) |
| 7 | 7. Ole Miss (10-1) | 7. Texas A&M (11-1) |
| 8 | 8. Oklahoma (9-2) | 8. Oklahoma (10-2) |
| 9 | 9. Notre Dame (9-2) | 9. Alabama (10-2) |
| 10 | 10. Alabama (9-2) | 10. Notre Dame (10-2) |
| 11 | 11. Brigham Young (10-1) | 11. Brigham Young (11-1) |
| 12 | 12. Miami (9-2) | 12. Miami (10-2) |
| 13 | 13. Utah (9-2) | 13. Texas (9-3) |
| 14 | 14. Vanderbilt (9-2) | 14. Vanderbilt (10-2) |
| 15 | 15. Michigan (9-2) | 15. Utah (10-2) |
| 16 | 16. Texas (8-3) | 16. SouthernCal (9-3) |
| 17 | 17. Southern Cal (8-3) | 17. Virginia (10-2) |
| 18 | 18. Virginia (9-2) | 18. Arizona (9-3) |
| 19 | 19. Tennessee (8-3) | 19. Michigan (9-3) |
| 20 | 20. Arizona State (8-3) | 20. Tulane (10-2) |
| 21 | 21. Southern Methodist (8-3) | 21. Houston (9-3) |
| 22 | 22. Pittsburgh (8-3) | 22. Georgia Tech (9-3) |
| 23 | 23. Georgia Tech (9-2) | 23. Iowa (8-4) |
| 24 | 24. Tulane (9-2) | 24. North Texas (11-1) |
| 25 | 25. Arizona (8-3) | 25. James Madison (11-1) |
Italics denotes Southeastern Conference member