College Football Ratings · 2025
College Football Ratings — Week 18
136 FBS teams · 11 conferences · Through December 29, 2025 · Updated Jul 28, 11:21 PM ET
Home field worth 2.5 pts (estimated this season)
Team ratings
| # | Team | Conf | Rec | SRS | SOS | Elo | Δ Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 12–1 | +27.30 | +4.36 | 2256 | +0.0 |
| 2 | Indiana | Big Ten | 13–0 | +24.99 | +4.18 | 2189 | +0.0 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | FBS Independents | 10–2 | +24.61 | +4.31 | 2140 | +0.0 |
| 4 | Oregon | Big Ten | 12–1 | +24.05 | +6.65 | 2180 | +0.0 |
| 5 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 12–1 | +22.64 | -0.48 | 2122 | +0.0 |
| 6 | Miami | ACC | 11–2 | +21.01 | +4.13 | 2060 | +0.0 |
| 7 | Georgia | SEC | 12–1 | +19.59 | +5.05 | 2202 | +0.0 |
| 8 | Utah | Big 12 | 10–2 | +19.57 | +2.46 | 2011 | +0.0 |
| 9 | Ole Miss | SEC | 12–1 | +17.58 | +2.79 | 2108 | +0.0 |
| 10 | Vanderbilt | SEC | 10–2 | +16.13 | +2.82 | 2043 | +0.0 |
| 11 | Alabama | SEC | 11–3 | +16.01 | +6.51 | 2061 | +0.0 |
| 12 | USC | Big Ten | 9–3 | +15.88 | +5.46 | 1944 | +0.0 |
| 13 | Texas A&M | SEC | 11–2 | +15.85 | +5.45 | 1958 | +0.0 |
| 14 | Penn State | Big Ten | 7–6 | +15.35 | +5.43 | 1950 | +50.4 |
| 15 | Washington | Big Ten | 9–4 | +15.19 | +4.02 | 1909 | +0.0 |
| 16 | BYU | Big 12 | 12–2 | +14.76 | +5.02 | 1959 | +14.6 |
| 17 | Iowa | Big Ten | 8–4 | +14.56 | +2.63 | 1930 | +0.0 |
| 18 | Oklahoma | SEC | 10–3 | +14.25 | +6.75 | 1940 | +0.0 |
| 19 | Texas | SEC | 9–3 | +13.82 | +4.64 | 2053 | +0.0 |
| 20 | SMU | ACC | 8–4 | +12.42 | -0.17 | 1897 | +0.0 |
| 21 | Tennessee | SEC | 8–4 | +12.22 | +2.31 | 1836 | +0.0 |
| 22 | Michigan | Big Ten | 9–3 | +11.30 | +5.21 | 1923 | +0.0 |
| 23 | Arizona | Big 12 | 9–3 | +11.01 | +1.68 | 1934 | +0.0 |
| 24 | James Madison | Sun Belt | 12–2 | +10.92 | -4.31 | 1940 | +0.0 |
| 25 | Louisville | ACC | 9–4 | +10.87 | +2.87 | 1868 | +28.6 |
| 26 | Missouri | SEC | 8–5 | +10.53 | +2.71 | 1796 | -58.7 |
| 27 | Illinois | Big Ten | 8–4 | +10.20 | +5.04 | 1766 | +0.0 |
| 28 | South Florida | American Athletic | 9–4 | +9.85 | -2.50 | 1758 | +0.0 |
| 29 | Iowa State | Big 12 | 8–4 | +9.74 | +3.60 | 1798 | +0.0 |
| 30 | TCU | Big 12 | 8–4 | +9.21 | +3.83 | 1828 | +0.0 |
| 31 | LSU | SEC | 7–6 | +9.10 | +6.89 | 1773 | -41.7 |
| 32 | Auburn | SEC | 5–7 | +8.95 | +5.36 | 1721 | +0.0 |
| 33 | North Texas | American Athletic | 12–2 | +8.78 | -4.94 | 1800 | +16.7 |
| 34 | Clemson | ACC | 7–6 | +8.53 | +1.65 | 1805 | -50.4 |
| 35 | Kansas State | Big 12 | 6–6 | +8.52 | +5.42 | 1791 | +0.0 |
| 36 | Virginia | ACC | 11–3 | +8.34 | -0.05 | 1822 | +58.7 |
| 37 | Pittsburgh | ACC | 8–5 | +7.75 | +1.92 | 1727 | -55.7 |
| 38 | Arizona State | Big 12 | 8–4 | +7.63 | +5.29 | 1775 | +0.0 |
| 39 | South Carolina | SEC | 4–8 | +7.29 | +6.68 | 1678 | +0.0 |
| 40 | Georgia Tech | ACC | 9–4 | +6.93 | +1.40 | 1707 | -14.6 |
| 41 | Old Dominion | Sun Belt | 10–3 | +5.81 | -5.01 | 1864 | +0.0 |
| 42 | Duke | ACC | 8–5 | +5.67 | +1.18 | 1834 | +0.0 |
| 42 | Houston | Big 12 | 10–3 | +5.67 | +1.03 | 1766 | +41.7 |
| 44 | Florida | SEC | 4–8 | +5.46 | +8.73 | 1678 | +0.0 |
| 45 | Toledo | Mid-American | 8–5 | +5.29 | -8.18 | 1712 | -28.6 |
| 46 | Florida State | ACC | 5–7 | +4.99 | +1.75 | 1542 | +0.0 |
| 47 | Boise State | Mountain West | 9–5 | +4.65 | -1.73 | 1709 | +0.0 |
| 48 | NC State | ACC | 8–5 | +4.54 | +3.98 | 1787 | +0.0 |
| 49 | Kansas | Big 12 | 5–7 | +4.53 | +2.96 | 1603 | +0.0 |
| 50 | Cincinnati | Big 12 | 7–5 | +4.41 | +1.08 | 1659 | +0.0 |
| 51 | Arkansas | SEC | 2–10 | +4.23 | +6.10 | 1543 | +0.0 |
| 52 | East Carolina | American Athletic | 9–4 | +4.08 | -4.93 | 1766 | +55.7 |
| 53 | Kentucky | SEC | 5–7 | +3.93 | +7.63 | 1686 | +0.0 |
| 54 | Tulane | American Athletic | 11–3 | +3.92 | -0.51 | 1839 | +0.0 |
| 55 | Northwestern | Big Ten | 7–6 | +3.89 | +1.65 | 1691 | +47.5 |
| 56 | Nebraska | Big Ten | 7–5 | +3.27 | +1.02 | 1667 | +0.0 |
| 57 | Washington State | Pac-12 | 7–6 | +3.15 | +0.36 | 1687 | +0.0 |
| 58 | Baylor | Big 12 | 5–7 | +3.03 | +3.54 | 1603 | +0.0 |
| 59 | Memphis | American Athletic | 8–5 | +2.96 | -6.07 | 1604 | +0.0 |
| 60 | Mississippi State | SEC | 5–7 | +2.08 | +4.53 | 1579 | +0.0 |
| 61 | Wake Forest | ACC | 8–4 | +1.57 | -1.28 | 1656 | +0.0 |
| 62 | Wisconsin | Big Ten | 4–8 | +1.37 | +9.89 | 1643 | +0.0 |
| 63 | UTSA | American Athletic | 7–6 | +1.30 | -3.47 | 1749 | +53.6 |
| 64 | Rutgers | Big Ten | 5–7 | +1.28 | +4.73 | 1653 | +0.0 |
| 65 | San Diego State | Mountain West | 9–4 | +1.12 | -6.33 | 1657 | -16.7 |
| 66 | UNLV | Mountain West | 10–4 | +0.52 | -6.53 | 1687 | -49.7 |
| 67 | Minnesota | Big Ten | 8–5 | +0.47 | +0.98 | 1785 | +32.0 |
| 68 | Army | American Athletic | 7–6 | +0.10 | -3.48 | 1760 | +95.9 |
| 69 | Navy | American Athletic | 10–2 | -0.28 | -5.63 | 1837 | +0.0 |
| 70 | Western Michigan | Mid-American | 10–4 | -0.70 | -6.78 | 1810 | +0.0 |
| 71 | UCF | Big 12 | 5–7 | -0.77 | -0.26 | 1541 | +0.0 |
| 72 | Michigan State | Big Ten | 4–8 | -0.97 | +5.30 | 1506 | +0.0 |
| 73 | Colorado | Big 12 | 3–9 | -0.99 | +5.54 | 1488 | +0.0 |
| 74 | Texas State | Sun Belt | 6–6 | -1.17 | -7.20 | 1700 | +0.0 |
| 75 | Ohio | Mid-American | 9–4 | -1.26 | -7.73 | 1774 | +49.7 |
| 76 | Maryland | Big Ten | 4–8 | -1.68 | +1.25 | 1460 | +0.0 |
| 77 | Virginia Tech | ACC | 3–9 | -1.84 | +5.50 | 1462 | +0.0 |
| 78 | New Mexico | Mountain West | 9–4 | -2.25 | -5.35 | 1722 | -32.0 |
| 79 | UCLA | Big Ten | 3–9 | -2.89 | +10.09 | 1549 | +0.0 |
| 80 | California | ACC | 7–6 | -3.00 | -2.07 | 1563 | -20.6 |
| 81 | UConn | FBS Independents | 9–4 | -3.06 | -10.24 | 1650 | -95.9 |
| 82 | West Virginia | Big 12 | 4–8 | -3.27 | +4.56 | 1595 | +0.0 |
| 83 | Utah State | Mountain West | 6–7 | -3.41 | -3.61 | 1539 | +0.0 |
| 84 | Fresno State | Mountain West | 9–4 | -3.42 | -8.95 | 1675 | +58.7 |
| 85 | Marshall | Sun Belt | 5–7 | -3.85 | -6.03 | 1573 | +0.0 |
| 86 | Miami (OH) | Mid-American | 7–7 | -4.40 | -6.58 | 1533 | -58.7 |
| 87 | Purdue | Big Ten | 2–10 | -4.45 | +8.93 | 1400 | +0.0 |
| 88 | Hawai'i | Mountain West | 9–4 | -4.73 | -7.73 | 1694 | +20.6 |
| 89 | Louisiana Tech | Conference USA | 7–5 | -4.79 | -9.25 | 1578 | +0.0 |
| 90 | Western Kentucky | Conference USA | 9–4 | -5.17 | -10.73 | 1572 | +44.8 |
| 91 | Stanford | ACC | 4–8 | -5.56 | +5.03 | 1547 | +0.0 |
| 92 | Boston College | ACC | 2–10 | -5.75 | +1.48 | 1497 | +0.0 |
| 93 | North Carolina | ACC | 4–8 | -5.96 | -1.82 | 1499 | +0.0 |
| 94 | Syracuse | ACC | 3–9 | -6.09 | +4.97 | 1367 | +0.0 |
| 95 | Troy | Sun Belt | 8–6 | -7.13 | -6.56 | 1583 | +0.0 |
| 96 | Air Force | Mountain West | 4–8 | -7.85 | -6.67 | 1519 | +0.0 |
| 97 | Jacksonville State | Conference USA | 9–5 | -8.37 | -12.29 | 1622 | +0.0 |
| 98 | Kennesaw State | Conference USA | 10–4 | -8.57 | -8.46 | 1622 | +0.0 |
| 99 | Missouri State | Conference USA | 7–6 | -8.98 | -7.72 | 1469 | +0.0 |
| 100 | Georgia Southern | Sun Belt | 7–6 | -9.07 | -6.14 | 1629 | +45.0 |
| 101 | Temple | American Athletic | 5–7 | -9.30 | -5.04 | 1434 | +0.0 |
| 102 | Central Michigan | Mid-American | 7–6 | -9.31 | -9.31 | 1471 | -47.5 |
| 103 | Louisiana | Sun Belt | 6–7 | -9.36 | -7.97 | 1536 | +0.0 |
| 104 | Liberty | Conference USA | 4–8 | -9.70 | -8.87 | 1416 | +0.0 |
| 105 | Oklahoma State | Big 12 | 1–11 | -10.06 | +4.83 | 1319 | +0.0 |
| 105 | Southern Miss | Sun Belt | 7–6 | -10.06 | -8.51 | 1415 | -44.8 |
| 107 | South Alabama | Sun Belt | 4–8 | -10.28 | -7.75 | 1479 | +0.0 |
| 108 | Arkansas State | Sun Belt | 7–6 | -10.29 | -8.10 | 1593 | +0.0 |
| 109 | Florida International | Conference USA | 7–6 | -10.78 | -9.47 | 1525 | -53.6 |
| 110 | Wyoming | Mountain West | 4–8 | -10.94 | -6.26 | 1397 | +0.0 |
| 111 | Bowling Green | Mid-American | 4–8 | -11.19 | -9.15 | 1289 | +0.0 |
| 112 | Buffalo | Mid-American | 5–7 | -12.07 | -12.92 | 1392 | +0.0 |
| 113 | App State | Sun Belt | 5–8 | -12.27 | -8.19 | 1426 | -45.0 |
| 114 | Coastal Carolina | Sun Belt | 6–6 | -12.30 | -4.99 | 1557 | +0.0 |
| 115 | Delaware | Conference USA | 7–6 | -12.33 | -10.44 | 1523 | +0.0 |
| 116 | Oregon State | Pac-12 | 2–10 | -12.41 | -1.18 | 1306 | +0.0 |
| 117 | Florida Atlantic | American Athletic | 4–8 | -13.67 | -6.26 | 1405 | +0.0 |
| 118 | Nevada | Mountain West | 3–9 | -13.71 | -4.03 | 1426 | +0.0 |
| 119 | Northern Illinois | Mid-American | 3–9 | -13.79 | -8.62 | 1318 | +0.0 |
| 120 | Eastern Michigan | Mid-American | 4–8 | -13.85 | -8.57 | 1405 | +0.0 |
| 121 | San José State | Mountain West | 3–9 | -14.06 | -5.14 | 1286 | +0.0 |
| 122 | Colorado State | Mountain West | 2–10 | -14.08 | -2.42 | 1301 | +0.0 |
| 123 | Tulsa | American Athletic | 4–8 | -14.26 | -6.45 | 1338 | +0.0 |
| 124 | Akron | Mid-American | 5–7 | -14.38 | -12.02 | 1380 | +0.0 |
| 125 | Rice | American Athletic | 5–7 | -14.44 | -4.58 | 1428 | +0.0 |
| 126 | UAB | American Athletic | 4–8 | -14.96 | -3.45 | 1426 | +0.0 |
| 127 | Georgia State | Sun Belt | 1–11 | -17.04 | -2.75 | 1227 | +0.0 |
| 128 | UTEP | Conference USA | 2–10 | -17.71 | -10.03 | 1247 | +0.0 |
| 129 | New Mexico State | Conference USA | 4–8 | -17.85 | -11.04 | 1277 | +0.0 |
| 130 | Kent State | Mid-American | 5–7 | -17.96 | -7.65 | 1347 | +0.0 |
| 131 | UL Monroe | Sun Belt | 3–9 | -18.11 | -7.82 | 1266 | +0.0 |
| 132 | Ball State | Mid-American | 4–8 | -18.22 | -6.35 | 1289 | +0.0 |
| 133 | Middle Tennessee | Conference USA | 3–9 | -19.32 | -10.13 | 1298 | +0.0 |
| 134 | Sam Houston | Conference USA | 2–10 | -21.44 | -8.26 | 1235 | +0.0 |
| 135 | Charlotte | American Athletic | 1–11 | -21.58 | -0.73 | 1221 | +0.0 |
| 136 | Massachusetts | Mid-American | 0–12 | -31.76 | -8.11 | 983 | +0.0 |
Ratings are points relative to an average FBS team on a neutral field, so a difference between two teams is a projected spread. Ranks are re-based to the teams shown and are assigned on the displayed values, so teams with identical published ratings share a rank.
Conference strength
| # | Conference | Teams | Avg SRS | Top 25 | Best team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SEC | 16 | +11.06 | 8 | Georgia+19.59 |
| — | FBS Independents | 2 | +10.78 | 1 | Notre Dame+24.61 |
| 2 | Big Ten | 18 | +8.84 | 8 | Ohio State+27.30 |
| 3 | Big 12 | 16 | +6.60 | 4 | Texas Tech+22.64 |
| 4 | ACC | 17 | +3.79 | 3 | Miami+21.01 |
| 5 | American Athletic | 14 | -4.11 | 0 | South Florida+9.85 |
| — | Pac-12 | 2 | -4.63 | 0 | Washington State+3.15 |
| 6 | Mountain West | 12 | -5.68 | 0 | Boise State+4.65 |
| 7 | Sun Belt | 14 | -7.44 | 1 | James Madison+10.92 |
| 8 | Mid-American | 13 | -11.05 | 0 | Toledo+5.29 |
| 9 | Conference USA | 12 | -12.08 | 0 | Louisiana Tech-4.79 |
Leagues too small for a mean to mean anything are listed with their real numbers but are not ranked — a three-team independents bucket is not a league, and ranking it would say more about who happens to be in it than about its strength.
This week's movers
Risers
- ArmyAmerican Athletic+95.9
- VirginiaACC+58.7
- Fresno StateMountain West+58.7
- East CarolinaAmerican Athletic+55.7
- UTSAAmerican Athletic+53.6
Fallers
- UConnFBS Independents-95.9
- Miami (OH)Mid-American-58.7
- MissouriSEC-58.7
- PittsburghACC-55.7
- Florida InternationalConference USA-53.6
Change in Elo rating over this week's games.
Next week's projected margins
| Game | Projection | Home win % |
|---|---|---|
| Miami at Ohio Stateneutral | Ohio State by 6.3 | 65% |
| Oregon at Texas Techneutral | Oregon by 1.4 | 47% |
| Alabama at Indiananeutral | Indiana by 9.0 | 71% |
| Ole Miss at Georgianeutral | Georgia by 2.0 | 55% |
| Iowa at Vanderbiltneutral | Vanderbilt by 1.6 | 54% |
| Michigan at Texasneutral | Texas by 2.5 | 56% |
| USC at TCUneutral | USC by 6.7 | 34% |
| Arizona at SMUneutral | SMU by 1.4 | 54% |
| Nebraska at Utahneutral | Utah by 16.3 | 84% |
| Tennessee at Illinoisneutral | Tennessee by 2.0 | 45% |
| Arizona State at Dukeneutral | Arizona State by 2.0 | 45% |
| Navy at Cincinnatineutral | Cincinnati by 4.7 | 62% |
| Wake Forest at Mississippi Stateneutral | Mississippi State by 0.5 | 51% |
| Rice at Texas Stateneutral | Texas State by 13.3 | 80% |
| Coastal Carolina at Louisiana Techneutral | Louisiana Tech by 7.5 | 68% |
These ratings already include this week's results, so they project next week's games — projecting this week's with them would be reporting the past as a forecast. Games where either side is unrated are omitted rather than projected off a missing rating. Context, not betting advice.
Methodology
- These ratings are computed here from final scores — they are not a republished third-party rating. Nothing on this page comes from a subscription or permission-gated system.
- SRS is a ridge-regularized least-squares fit: each team's rating is chosen so that (home rating - away rating + home-field) best predicts the margin of every game played. It is a whole-season simultaneous solve, so a late upset re-weighs the entire season.
- Elo walks the games in date order and updates after each one, with diminishing credit for blowouts. It reacts to a team improving mid-season in a way a season-long average cannot, and it carries a regressed rating in from last season.
- Ratings are points relative to an average FBS team on a neutral field, so a difference between two teams is a projected spread.
- Home-field advantage is ESTIMATED from the season's own games rather than assumed. Measured home margin has ranged from about 2 points (2020, no crowds) to nearly 8 by season, so a fixed constant would be wrong in both directions.
- Strength of schedule is the average rating of the opponents a team actually played. Teams below Division I are pooled into a single opponent, so scheduling one cannot inflate a schedule rating.
- Blowouts are capped before they enter the fit, so a 63-0 win counts as a decisive win rather than four times a 17-0 win.
- Teams with fewer than four completed games are not rated: with a shorter schedule the rating reflects the prior more than the season.
- Validated walk-forward on 3,867 held-out games (2018-2025), fitting only on games played before each week: SRS predicted game margin to 12.7 points mean absolute error, against 13.5 for the same model with the schedule adjustment removed and 16.1 for assuming the home team wins.
What these numbers can't tell you
- These ratings see final scores only — no injuries, no weather, no personnel changes, no market information. A team missing its starting quarterback is rated exactly as if it were not.
- The consensus betting market predicted the same held-out games better (12.1 vs 12.7 mean absolute error). Projected margins here are context, not betting advice, and should not be read as an edge.
- Early-season ratings are unstable by construction. Through the first month a rating rests on three or four results and will move sharply; treat November's ratings as far more settled than September's.
- FCS teams are rated internally because FBS teams play them, but are not listed. A rating is only comparable within the population it was anchored on.
FACT (final scores, schedule, site, conference affiliation), DERIVED (SRS, Elo, strength of schedule, projected margins)
Fitted constants
- margin_cap
- 35
- ridge
- 0.25
- prior_weight
- 2
- elo_k
- 46
- elo_hfa
- 60
- elo_carry
- 0.87
- elo_epoch_season
- 2002
- min_games_to_rank
- 4
More for this week