NBA Power Rankings: Can the surging Suns catch the Warriors?
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4 years agoon
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adminThe Golden State Warriors rolled past the Brooklyn Nets 117-99 on Tuesday, cruising to a league-best 15-2 record. And while coach Steve Nash has the Nets trending in the right direction, the loss to the Warriors at home is a reminder of the work still needed to be done.
Stephen Curry dropped 37 points in Brooklyn as he inches closer to the all-time 3-point record. And even when Curry has an off night like Sunday’s 12 points in a 119-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors, the Warriors’ bench is there to pick up the slack.
Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have won 12 straight games to improve to 13-3 on the season and sit comfortably at No. 2 in the West. They head east to take on the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
The Los Angeles Lakers, meanwhile, finally got LeBron James back in the lineup on Friday, but they still suffered a third straight loss, falling to the Boston Celtics 130-108. And James was assessed a flagrant foul 2 in Sunday’s 121-116 win over the Detroit Pistons after an altercation with Isaiah Stewart.
Can the Suns close the gap on the Warriors? Can the Lakers turn things around? Our experts break down all 30 teams.
Note: Throughout the regular season, our panel (Tim Bontemps, Jamal Collier, Nick Friedell, Andrew Lopez, Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Ohm Youngmisuk) is ranking all 30 teams from top to bottom, taking stock of which teams are playing the best basketball now and which teams are looking most like title contenders.


1. Golden State Warriors
2021-22 record: 15-2
Previous ranking: 1
The Warriors just keep on rolling at a league-best 15-2 after Sunday’s win over the Raptors. They continue to get contributions up and down the roster, but one thing to keep an eye on is the health of veteran swingman Andre Iguodala. The 37-year-old has missed three straight games because of knee soreness. He has been a steadying presence for a group that benefits a great deal from his leadership on and off the floor. — Friedell
This week: PHI, POR, @LAC

2. Phoenix Suns
2021-22 record: 13-3
Previous ranking: 3
With a win against the Nuggets on Sunday night, the Suns won their 12th game in a row this season — the best mark in the NBA in the early part of the 2021-22 season. The 12-game streak marks the fourth longest in Suns franchise history behind separate 15-game and 17-game streaks in 2006-07 and a 14-game streak in 1992. — Lopez
This week: @SA, @CLE, @NY, @BKN

3. Brooklyn Nets
2021-22 record: 12-5
Previous ranking: 2
While garnering little attention, Brooklyn continues to churn out wins, as the Nets are now victors in 10 of their past 12 after Saturday’s win in Detroit without Kevin Durant. But Tuesday’s blowout loss at home to the Warriors is a reminder that, despite their win total, the Nets still are not at the level they expect themselves to reach this season. — Bontemps
This week: @CLE, @BOS, PHX

4. Chicago Bulls
2021-22 record: 12-5
Previous ranking: 7
DeMar DeRozan (126) and Zach LaVine (111) rank first and second, respectively, in the NBA in total points scored during the fourth quarter this season. Their excellence during the final period is one of the main reasons the Bulls begin the week tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference. — Collier
This week: IND, @HOU, @ORL, MIA

5. Utah Jazz
2021-22 record: 11-5
Previous ranking: 8
The Utah bench, featuring the top two finishers in last season’s Sixth Man of the Year voting, got significantly deeper and more experienced with Rudy Gay. After missing the first month while recovering from heel surgery, Gay starred in his Jazz debut, scoring 20 points on 5-of-6 from 3 in 18 minutes during Thursday’s win over the Raptors. — MacMahon
This week: MEM, @OKC, NO, NO

6. Miami Heat
2021-22 record: 11-6
Previous ranking: 6
Miami has won four of its past five and is doing so behind the All-Star play of Jimmy Butler. The talented swingman is averaging 25 points a game this month and has driven a talented Heat squad back toward the top of the East. Butler has an interesting homecoming on Saturday against DeMar DeRozan and the surging Bulls in Chicago. — Friedell
This week: @DET, @MIN, @CHI

7. Washington Wizards
2021-22 record: 11-5
Previous ranking: 4
For only the second time this season, the Wizards lost two games in a row when they dropped games at Charlotte and Miami. But Washington rebounded with a three-point win against the Heat on Saturday and have a rematch against Charlotte on Monday. Washington’s defense remains a surprising strength. The Wizards have held opponents to 100 points or fewer in seven of their past eight games. We will find out more about Washington in this next week as it embarks on a four-game road swing during a stretch in which the Wizards play seven of 10 games on the road. — Youngmisuk
This week: CHA, @NO, @OKC, @DAL

8. Denver Nuggets
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 5
Nikola Jokic was on a tear with 35 points/16 rebounds and 30 points/10 rebounds in consecutive games only to see Denver lose to Dallas and Philadelphia. Making matters much worse is that Jokic injured a wrist and has missed the past two games. With and without Jokic, Denver has now lost four straight games and Michael Malone’s team is in dire need of getting healthier. Jamal Murray (ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (back) remain out indefinitely. And now it remains to be seen when Jokic is able to return. Sunday’s blowout loss at Phoenix started a torturous stretch in which the Nuggets play nine of 10 games on the road, including seven straight away from Denver. — Youngmisuk
This week: @POR, MIL

9. Milwaukee Bucks
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 14
The Bucks started to look more like themselves this week, winning three games in a row for the first time this season as their starting lineup starts to find some stability. Khris Middleton returned from his absence after testing positive for COVID-19. Bobby Portis posted back-to-back double-doubles and Jrue Holiday has started to find his footing defensively. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been consistently dominant, averaging 27.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists this month. — Collier
This week: ORL, DET, @DEN, @IND

10. Dallas Mavericks
2021-22 record: 9-7
Previous ranking: 9
The Mavs are 0-3 since Luka Doncic went down with left knee and ankle sprains, failing to crack triple digits in two of those three losses. The silver lining: Kristaps Porzingis has continued to score efficiently, averaging 25.3 points on .523/.405/.920 shooting splits over the past six games. There is hope that Doncic, who was ruled out of Sunday’s loss after a pregame workout, will be able to return for Tuesday’s rematch against the Clippers. — MacMahon
This week: @LAC, WAS

11. Philadelphia 76ers
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 10
Things have predictably been rough for Philadelphia without Joel Embiid, as the 76ers have dropped six of seven since he left the lineup after testing positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago. Philadelphia has always been a team heavily reliant on its superstar center, but that is especially true as the Ben Simmons saga continues to play out with no clear end in sight. — Bontemps
This week: @SAC, @GS, MIN

12. LA Clippers
2021-22 record: 10-7
Previous ranking: 12
The Clippers had a road trip to forget with double-digit losses at Memphis and New Orleans. The loss to the Pelicans was so ugly that the Clippers scored a total of 26 points in the second half. Just as LA got Serge Ibaka (back) back from a G League stint as he makes his way back into the fold, the Clippers lost Nicolas Batum (health and safety protocols) on Sunday, possibly for multiple days. With Kawhi Leonard and Marcus Morris Sr. out, Paul George has been carrying the load and it will remain a heavy lift for the foreseeable future. — Youngmisuk
This week: DAL, DET, GS

13. Charlotte Hornets
2021-22 record: 10-8
Previous ranking: 16
Charlotte had its five-game winning streak snapped on Saturday in Atlanta — but there are still plenty of good signs for the young team. At the top of the list is the play of Miles Bridges, who had 35 points in Saturday’s loss and is averaging 21.6 points a game this year. The Hornets have an interesting measuring stick game against Bradley Beal and the hot Wizards on Monday. — Friedell
This week: @WAS, @ORL, MIN, @HOU

14. New York Knicks
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 15
Sunday night’s loss in Chicago began a stretch for the Knicks that sees them play six of seven games against teams in playoff contention. With things already on edge in Gotham following an up-and-down start to the season, the panic meter could take a big jump up if the next couple of weeks go poorly — especially as so many teams around them in the East keep winning. — Bontemps
This week: LAL, PHX, @ATL

15. Boston Celtics
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 19
Just when it seemed like things were falling apart in Boston, the Celtics have rattled off seven wins in their past 10 games, moving them back over .500 again. Long term, Boston has to figure out how to surround Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with more talent to return to championship contention. In the short term, a strong defense — with just enough offense — should be enough to keep them in the mix for a top-six spot in the suddenly deep Eastern Conference. — Bontemps
This week: HOU, BKN, @SA, @TOR

16. Los Angeles Lakers
2021-22 record: 9-9
Previous ranking: 11
With LeBron James out — ejected for the second time in his 19-year career after striking Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart in the face — Russell Westbrook put up 15 of his 26 points and six of his 10 assists in the fourth quarter to help the Lakers storm back and beat the Pistons. “Just showed that will that Russell is famous for,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. Could this be the moment that gets Westbrook on track with the Lakers? — McMenamin
This week: @NY, @IND, SAC, DET

17. Portland Trail Blazers
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 20
Damian Lillard was out for only a game and the Blazers were happy to have their star back. Lillard helped Portland to its best week with three wins over the Raptors, Bulls and Sixers. Lillard scored 39 in the win over the Sixers and now Portland is above .500. Coach Chauncey Billups’ team will have a chance to atone for a 29-point loss to Denver with a rematch against the Nuggets on Tuesday before going on a three-game road swing. — Youngmisuk
This week: DEN, @SAC, @GS

18. Atlanta Hawks
2021-22 record: 8-9
Previous ranking: 21
Seems like the cure for Atlanta’s early-season woes was simply playing at home. Atlanta has rattled off four consecutive wins after dropping six in a row. The Hawks are tied with Washington for the best home record in the Eastern Conference this season (7-1). — Lopez
This week: OKC, @SA, @MEM, NY

19. Cleveland Cavaliers
2021-22 record: 9-8
Previous ranking: 13
It’s been a tough stretch to be a Cleveland fan. As bad as it is getting outscored 36-8 in the fourth quarter on Thursday in a loss to the Warriors, sometimes you tip your hat to greatness, as Steph Curry scored 20 of his 40 in the final frame. The tougher pill to swallow came Friday, when news broke that Collin Sexton would miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. — McMenamin
This week: BKN, PHX, ORL

20. Toronto Raptors
2021-22 record: 8-10
Previous ranking: 17
Toronto’s season so far has been a series of runs. The Raptors lost three of their first four games, only to win their next five in a row. They’ve since followed that up by losing seven of their past nine, including Sunday night’s loss to the league-leading Warriors. The surprising part? The Raptors are a top-10 offensive team and a bottom-10 defensive team. Before the season, it would’ve been expected to have been the reverse. — Bontemps
This week: @MEM, @IND, BOS

21. Memphis Grizzlies
2021-22 record: 8-8
Previous ranking: 18
The 138-95 loss to the Timberwolves on Saturday was the third time the Grizzlies have been blown out by at least 25 points this month. As a result, only five teams have worse average point differentials than Memphis (minus-5.1). The Grizzlies have to fix their defense, which ranks last in the league (113.8 points allowed per 100 possessions). — MacMahon
This week: @UTAH, TOR, ATL, SAC

22. Indiana Pacers
2021-22 record: 7-11
Previous ranking: 22
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle benched his starters during the second half of a game against Charlotte on Friday night, sending a message to his team during a three-game losing skid. A matchup with the Pelicans the next night provided the perfect remedy to snap the losing streak, but Indiana faces a tough schedule this week — Bulls, Lakers, Raptors and Bucks — to try and get back on the right track. — Collier
This week: @CHI, LAL, TOR, MIL

23. Minnesota Timberwolves
2021-22 record: 7-9
Previous ranking: 25
The Timberwolves put together one of their most dominant performances in years to cruise to a 43-point victory against the Memphis Grizzlies and enter this week on a three-game winning streak. Despite an up-and-down season overall, Minnesota is holding on because of its defense, which is 11th in efficiency, fifth in steals and third in blocks. — Collier
This week: @NO, MIA, @CHA, @PHI

24. Oklahoma City Thunder
2021-22 record: 6-10
Previous ranking: 23
Forward Darius Bazley has started every game this season, but the 21-year-old former first-round pick isn’t making much of a case that he should be considered part of the Thunder’s long-term core. Bazley is shooting only 37.1% from the floor and 28.1% from 3-point range, slight dips from last season’s poor percentages. But 19-year-old former first-rounder Aleksej Pokusevski (34.9% from the floor, 20.5% on 3s) isn’t exactly pushing for more playing time. — MacMahon
This week: @ATL, UTAH, WAS

25. Sacramento Kings
2021-22 record: 6-11
Previous ranking: 24
Quite the eventful weekend for Sacramento. A courtside fan lost their lunch onto the floor on Saturday and then Luke Walton lost his job on Sunday, marking the first coaching casualty of the 2021-22 season. Alvin Gentry was named the interim coach, the sixth team for which he’s been the head guy. Larry Brown (nine teams) holds the record. Gentry will have his work cut out for him, taking over a team that’s lost seven out of eight. — McMenamin
This week: PHI, POR, @LAL, @MEM

26. San Antonio Spurs
2021-22 record: 4-11
Previous ranking: 26
It was a light week of work for San Antonio, which had only two games in a seven-day span. Both of the games last week were losses, dropping the Spurs to 4-11 this season. That mark is the second-worst 15-game start in San Antonio franchise history, behind only the 2-13 start in 1996-97. That season, Gregg Popovich replaced head coach Bob Hill after 18 games. — Lopez
This week: PHX, ATL, BOS

27. Detroit Pistons
2021-22 record: 4-12
Previous ranking: 28
After missing the start of the season with an injury, Pistons rookie Cade Cunningham appears to be finding his footing on the floor. In four games last week, he averaged 18.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists, and became the youngest player in Detroit history with a triple-double on Sunday against the Lakers. — Collier
This week: MIA, @MIL, @LAC, @LAL

28. Orlando Magic
2021-22 record: 4-13
Previous ranking: 27
The Magic have lost five of six, but they did have another strong moment on Wednesday in their second win of the season at Madison Square Garden. Mo Bamba had 12 rebounds in that win and is averaging 9.4 rebounds a game this season. The Magic have plenty of room for improvement, but Bamba has had some nice numbers early in the year. — Friedell
This week: @MIL, CHA, CHI, @CLE

29. New Orleans Pelicans
2021-22 record: 3-15
Previous ranking: 30
Without Zion Williamson for the entire season and Brandon Ingram for seven games, the Pelicans’ offense has struggled. In 18 games this season, the Pelicans have scored fewer than 100 points nine times already. In 72 games last season, they scored fewer than 100 only seven times. — Lopez
This week: MIN, WAS, @UTAH, @UTAH

30. Houston Rockets
2021-22 record: 1-15
Previous ranking: 29
Houston has lost 14 in a row, the second-longest losing streak in the league over the past two seasons, ranking behind only the Rockets’ 20-game drought last season. Only four of the losses during the current streak have come by single-digit margins. “That’s a team learning, growing and fighting to the point where we got to five minutes and we had an opportunity,” coach Stephen Silas said after Saturday’s 106-99 road loss to the Knicks. “It hasn’t been like that.” — MacMahon
This week: @BOS, CHI, CHA
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Sports
Hicks, ex-owner of Rangers and Stars, dies at 79
Published
7 hours agoon
December 7, 2025By
admin
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Associated Press
Dec 7, 2025, 02:44 AM ET
DALLAS — Tom Hicks, the Texas businessman and philanthropist who owned two Dallas-area professional sports franchises and an English Premier League soccer team, died Saturday. He was 79.
Spokesperson Lisa LeMaster said in statement that Hicks died peacefully in Dallas surrounded by family.
Hicks owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2011, winning the Stanley Cup in 1999. He also owned baseball’s Texas Rangers from 1998 to 2010, leading them to three American West Division titles and a World Series appearance. In 2007, he acquired a 50% stake in Liverpool.
“Being shoulder to shoulder with him was always about more than ballparks and stadiums, though,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “It was about personal respect, trust and friendship. We shared a lot of miles together, and I’ll miss him greatly. My heart goes out to his family.”
Hicks co-founded Hicks & Haas in 1984 and helped reshape private equity and investing strategy. He served on the University of Texas’s board of regents from 1994 to 1999.
“Tom Hicks was an innovative businessman and a pioneer in private equity,” fellow Texas businessman Ross Perot Jr. said in a statement. “He combined his commitment to business and sports through his ownership of the Stars and the Rangers.”
Hicks is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, and his six children — Thomas Ollis Hicks Jr., Mack Hardin Hicks, John Alexander Hicks, Robert Bradley Hicks, William Cree Hicks and Catherine Forgrave Hicks.
His children released a joint statement, saying:
“Of everything he accomplished in his remarkable life, Tom Hicks’s most cherished title was, ‘Dad.’ No matter the trials and tribulations he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family. He remains a guiding force for our family, and we are deeply honored to continue expanding his legacy. Although we are devastated by this loss, we are profoundly grateful to have been his children.”
Sports
Projecting the final CFP top 12: Where does Alabama land?
Published
8 hours agoon
December 7, 2025By
admin

Someone is going to be upset — and it’s not just ACC champion Duke, which likely will be excluded from the playoff in favor of Sun Belt champion James Madison.
It might be the entire ACC that is fuming.
With Alabama losing to Georgia in the SEC championship game, the College Football Playoff selection committee’s biggest decision Saturday night will be how far to drop the Tide — and the result could mean the difference for Miami’s playoff hopes. The focus of the final ranking on Selection Day (Noon ET, ESPN) will be where it has been all season — on Notre Dame, Alabama and Miami.
Will the three-loss Tide earn the committee’s final at-large bid as the SEC runner-up? Or will Alabama’s poor performance against Georgia open the door for Notre Dame and Miami to finish in the top 10?
Here’s our prediction for what the committee might do in its sixth and final ranking on Selection Day.

Projecting the top 12
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Why they could be here: The Big Ten champions are the only undefeated team left in the country, and they earned the best win of the season by defeating the committee’s No. 1 team, Ohio State. The Hoosiers entered Saturday ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s strength of record metric, No. 1 in total efficiency and No. 4 in game control — and that was before they beat Ohio State.
Why they could be lower: This isn’t a realistic scenario.
Need to know: Indiana won its first Big Ten title since 1967 (shared with Minnesota and Purdue) and its first outright Big Ten title since 1945.
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Why they could be here: The Buckeyes have arguably the best loss of the season — to the committee’s No. 2 team — and it was a close game that went down to the wire. Ohio State still has two wins against CFP top-25 teams in Texas and Michigan, and the committee has been impressed all season with the Buckeyes’ talent and consistent dominance.
Why they could be lower: Without the win against the Hoosiers, Ohio State’s best win is a close home game against Texas — a team that Georgia hammered 35-10. Georgia and Texas Tech also have multiple wins against CFP top-25 opponents. Ohio State’s strength of schedule was ranked No. 46 entering Saturday, while Georgia was No. 25.
Need to know: Even if the committee drops Ohio State lower, it’s highly unlikely the Buckeyes fall out of the top four. They still have a strong case for a first-round bye as the Big Ten runner-up.
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Why they could be here: The SEC champs avenged their regular-season loss to Alabama, and they did it in resounding fashion. The Bulldogs’ lone loss to the Tide is better than Texas Tech’s loss to Arizona, even though the committee knows the Red Raiders were without their starting quarterback in that game. Nobody has a better loss, though, than Ohio State, the Big Ten runner-up. Indiana and Ohio State entered Saturday ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in ESPN’s strength of record metric, and playing each other in the Big Ten title game will only boost that. Georgia also has a convincing victory against Texas, which should still be the committee’s No. 13 team. Wins against Tennessee, Ole Miss and Georgia Tech helped the Bulldogs to a top-five strength of record entering Saturday.
Why they could be higher: The committee might drop Ohio State to No. 3 because its strength of schedule is lower, and because of the common opponent in Texas. Georgia beat Texas 35-10, while Ohio State beat the Longhorns 14-7 in the season opener. Some committee members could believe Georgia has a stronger overall résumé.
Need to know: The Bulldogs’ 28-7 SEC title game win was Georgia’s largest margin of victory over Alabama since 1976 (won 21-0).
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Why they could be here: The Red Raiders dominated BYU for a second time this season, clinching a top-four finish and a first-round bye as the Big 12 champs. The committee has been impressed by how consistently they’ve owned the margin of victory this season, ranking No. 2 in the country in points margin per game (31.5) and No. 1 in points margin (410) entering Saturday. The Red Raiders’ defense, particularly up front, has also separated Texas Tech from other one-loss contenders. The committee has considered all season that Texas Tech’s lone loss came Oct. 18 at Arizona State when Red Raiders starting quarterback Behren Morton was injured.
Why they could be higher: Texas Tech entered Saturday No. 3 in total efficiency — behind Indiana and Ohio State. Georgia was No. 11. Defensively, the Red Raiders are No. 1.
Need to know: Texas Tech entered Saturday with the worst schedule strength (59) of the top-four contenders, and the lowest strength of record (10th).
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Why they could be here: With Georgia and Texas Tech winning their respective conference championship games, the No. 5 spot is likely the Ducks’ Selection Day ceiling. Oregon earned a respectable road win at Washington, a top-25 win against No. 16 USC, and the Nov. 8 victory at Iowa was ultimately against a CFP top-25 team, as the four-loss Hawkeyes came back into the ranking at No. 23 last week. Oregon has also impressed the committee with its top-five ranking in offensive and defensive efficiency. It also doesn’t hurt that the Ducks’ only loss is to the Big Ten champs, Indiana.
Why they could be higher: It’s unlikely that Ohio State drops behind Oregon. They both played the Hoosiers, and they both lost. The committee could compare their wins, but Ohio State’s victory against Texas trumps Oregon’s best win against USC.
Need to know: The No. 5 seed is one of the most desirable because Oregon gets home-field advantage and also plays the No. 12 seed, which this year will likely be James Madison, the Sun Belt champs.
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Why they could be here: The selection committee rewarded Ole Miss in its last ranking for its regular-season win against rival Mississippi State, but also bumped up the Rebels because Texas A&M dropped after losing to Texas. The Rebels’ Oct. 18 loss at Georgia will keep them behind the Bulldogs, but the Oct. 25 win at Oklahoma gives Ole Miss an edge against the Sooners. The Rebels’ 45-10 victory Sept. 20 against Tulane is one of their best wins. The Green Wave won the American title and clinched a spot in the CFP.
Why they could be higher: Now that Tulane is the American champ, the committee could consider giving Ole Miss a boost above Oregon for beating the Green Wave. That’s the kind of result that could impact an idle team’s résumé.
Need to know: Even without former coach Lane Kiffin, the Rebels should still be a lock to host a first-round game.
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Why they could be here: Because the Aggies didn’t play Alabama or Georgia this season, the SEC championship game didn’t impact their résumé while idle. The Aggies have only one win against a team in the CFP top 25, and that was the 41-40 victory at Notre Dame on Sept. 13. Still, the committee has a lot of respect for the Aggies’ four road wins.
Why they could be higher: It would be surprising to see Texas A&M move because Texas Tech won the Big 12 and won’t sink, and the loser of the Big Ten championship game is unlikely to drop outside of the top four.
Need to know: The Aggies should remain in position to host a first-round home game, and if they remain the No. 7 seed, they would face the No. 10 team, which is the committee’s toughest decision this week. Though the Aggies didn’t play Alabama during the regular season, it’s possible they could meet in the first round.
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Why they could be here: The Sooners have earned their spot in the CFP thanks to an elite defense and their ability to continue to find ways to win — even when the offense has been average. The committee respects OU’s back-to-back road victories at Tennessee and Alabama. The Tide’s loss to Georgia doesn’t diminish the value of that win, especially because Alabama can still finish in the CFP field. The Sooners will still have the head-to-head tiebreaker, though, over Alabama. Oklahoma’s loss to Ole Miss will keep the Sooners behind the Rebels, but the committee has kept OU ahead of Texas despite the Sooners’ loss to the Longhorns because Texas has a third loss.
Why they could be higher: It’s unlikely the Sooners move up after being idle because Saturday’s results didn’t directly impact their place.
Need to know: With Alabama losing in the SEC championship game, the Sooners should still be safe as the last at-large team to host a first-round game.
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Why they could be here: The Irish benefited from BYU losing to Texas Tech — preventing the Big 12 from having two teams in — and when Georgia beat Alabama soundly in the SEC title game. Arguably the biggest debate in the room all season has been between Notre Dame and Alabama, with the committee members seesawing between the two until Alabama’s Iron Bowl win tipped the scales last week for a few committee members who had been on the fence. With the loss to Georgia, though, the balance should swing back in Notre Dame’s favor, pushing Notre Dame safely into the bracket at No. 9.
Why they could be lower: If Alabama falls behind Miami, and the Canes are right next to Notre Dame, the committee could consider Miami’s head-to-head win over Notre Dame in the season opener and flip them. Even if that happened, though, both teams would still be in, and it would impact only seeding.
Need to know: Notre Dame has been in the committee’s top 10 in all five rankings this season. Last year, under the 12-team format, there were six teams that were ranked in the top 10 of every poll leading up to Selection Day; all six of them made the CFP (Oregon, Texas, Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame), according to ESPN Research.
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Why they could be here: Georgia beat Alabama soundly in the SEC championship game — with the selection members watching together. The group had called out Alabama’s inability to run the ball since the loss to Florida State, and it was exposed again against a relentless Georgia defense, finishing with minus-3 yards on the ground (with minus-28 of that coming from quarterback Ty Simpson). Alabama had the edge against that defense in a 24-21 win Sept. 27 in Athens. Georgia gave up 262 yards in the first half that day as Alabama scored on four of five possessions. The committee will consider Alabama’s win that day against the eventual SEC champs (along with victories against Vanderbilt, Missouri and Tennessee). Alabama’s win against Georgia is better than Miami’s victory against Notre Dame.
Why they could be lower: Alabama was outplayed Saturday and Simpson was off-target. And the Tide lost the season opener to Florida State. If the committee drops the Tide lower, it won’t be as a punishment for playing in the SEC title game — it will be because of how Alabama performed in it.
Need to know: Same as Notre Dame above, Alabama has been ranked in the selection committee’s top 10 every week.
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Why they could be here: With Alabama and BYU losing, it’s possible Miami and Notre Dame get in, but for that to happen, Alabama has to drop behind Miami. The Canes are still on the outside in this projection because the committee has believed each week that Notre Dame is the better team, and they were both idle Saturday. The committee would not intentionally put Alabama between Miami and Notre Dame, so it doesn’t have to deal with the head-to-head — that’s not how the voting works — but the Tide could fall there because the committee recognized Alabama was put in a position where it had to beat the same team twice in an additional game. Miami finished the season with two losses to unranked opponents, while Alabama and Notre Dame had losses to top-10 teams.
Why they could be higher: Alabama lost to Florida State, which Miami beat. The selection committee could drop Alabama to No. 11 behind Miami because of its third loss — and poor play — in a lopsided game against Georgia. That would open the door for Miami and Notre Dame to earn the final two at-large spots, regardless of the order.
Need to know: This depends in part on whom the committee is comparing the Canes with — Alabama or Notre Dame. It has been well-documented how close Miami and Notre Dame are. But if the group is comparing Miami and Alabama side-by-side, the Tide could have the edge. Alabama entered Saturday ranked No. 8 in strength of record, while Miami was No. 14. The Canes were No. 44 in strength of schedule, while Bama was No. 11.
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Why they could be here: At 11-2, BYU is lumped in the group of two-loss teams at the bottom of the top 12, so the committee will compare the Cougars against Notre Dame and Miami. BYU lost by double digits again, though, to Texas Tech, and that likely will cause the Cougars to drop behind the Canes. BYU has two CFP top-25 wins: in double overtime at current No. 18 Arizona, and 24-21 at current No. 15 Utah. Though BYU’s wins aren’t as impressive as what Texas accomplished against Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, the committee could separate the two in part by their losses. The Longhorns’ defeat to Florida, along with their other losses, is holding back Texas in the committee meeting room.
Why they could be higher: BYU’s only two losses are to the Big 12 champions and a top-four team. Those two losses are better than Miami’s losses to SMU and Louisville. BYU also entered Saturday ranked No. 6 in ESPN’s strength of record metric, and it won’t be diminished by playing a top-four team. Miami was No. 14 and didn’t play. BYU also had a slight edge over Miami in strength of schedule.
Need to know: BYU will be excluded from the playoff for James Madison, which will earn the No. 12 seed as the Sun Belt champion.

Bracket
Based on the rankings above, the seeding would be:
First-round byes
No. 1 Indiana (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Ohio State
No. 3 Georgia (SEC champ)
No. 4 Texas Tech (Big 12 champ)
First-round games
On campus, Dec. 19 and 20
No. 12 James Madison (Sun Belt champ) at No. 5 Oregon
No. 11 Tulane (American champ) at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Texas A&M
No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma
Quarterfinal games
At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
No. 12 James Madison/No. 5 Oregon winner vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
No. 11 Tulane/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Georgia
No. 10 Alabama/No. 7 Texas A&M winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State
No. 9 Notre Dame/No. 8 Oklahoma winner vs. No. 1 Indiana
Sports
Final bowl projections: Predicting every postseason game
Published
8 hours agoon
December 7, 2025By
admin

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Kyle Bonagura
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Kyle Bonagura
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers college football.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Attended Washington State University.
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Mark Schlabach
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Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
Dec 7, 2025, 01:00 AM ET
After a thrilling championship weekend, the games have all been played and it’s time to wait for the final College Football Playoff rankings and bowl assignments. Does Alabama make the playoff? What about Miami and Notre Dame? And what is the trickle-down effect of those decisions on bowl season?
We don’t need to wait for the official matchups.
ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are projecting every postseason matchup, including their breakdowns of how the playoff will play out.
Jump to a section:
Playoff picks | Quarterfinals
Semis, title game | Bowl season

College Football Playoff
First-round games (at campus sites)
All times Eastern
Friday, Dec. 19
8 p.m., ABC, ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 20
Noon, ABC, ESPN
3:30 p.m., TNT
7:30 p.m., TNT
Bonagura: No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon
Bonagura: No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss
Schlabach: No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss
Bonagura: No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Texas A&M
Schlabach: No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Texas A&M
Bonagura: No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma
Schlabach: No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 8 Oklahoma
CFP quarterfinals
Wednesday, Dec. 31
CFP Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
Thursday, Jan. 1
CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
Schlabach: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Ohio State
CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
4 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Indiana
Schlabach: No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Indiana
CFP Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia
Schlabach: No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Georgia
CFP semifinals, national championship game
Thursday, Jan. 8
CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Indiana
Schlabach: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Georgia
Friday, Jan. 9
CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 1 Indiana
Monday, Jan. 19
CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
7:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 3 Ohio State

Complete bowl season schedule
Matchups in bold have already been announced
Saturday, Dec. 13
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC
South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M
Bucked Up LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
8 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Washington vs. Boise State
Schlabach: Washington vs. Boise State
Tuesday, Dec. 16
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. Texas State
Schlabach: Jacksonville State vs. Troy
Wednesday, Dec. 17
StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
Old Dominion vs. South Florida
68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Louisiana vs. Delaware
Thursday, Dec. 18
Xbox Bowl
Ford Center at The Star (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN2
Missouri State vs. Arkansas State
Friday, Dec. 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl Presented by Engine
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
11 a.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern
Schlabach: Western Michigan vs. Georgia Southern
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: NC State vs. UConn
Schlabach: Wake Forest vs. UConn
Monday, Dec. 22
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Washington State vs. Utah State
Schlabach: Ohio vs. San Diego State
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Bush’s Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Florida International vs. Central Michigan
Schlabach: Florida International vs. Miami (Ohio)
New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Jacksonville State vs. Southern Miss
Schlabach: Kennesaw State vs. Southern Miss
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Ford Center at The Star (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Western Kentucky vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: Texas State vs. Louisiana Tech
Wednesday, Dec. 24
Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
California vs. Hawai’i
Friday, Dec. 26
GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Northwestern vs. Toledo
Schlabach: Northwestern vs. Central Michigan
Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Kansas State
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Iowa State
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina
Schlabach: UTSA vs. Utah State
Saturday, Dec. 27
Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Louisville vs. North Texas
Schlabach: Louisville vs. East Carolina
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: Penn State vs. Pitt
Schlabach: Penn State vs. Clemson
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Army
Schlabach: NC State vs. Army
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Virginia vs. TCU
Schlabach: Duke vs. TCU
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Toledo vs. Fresno State
Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: East Carolina vs. New Mexico
Schlabach: Washington State vs. New Mexico
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Bonagura: Miami vs. Vanderbilt
Schlabach: Miami vs. Vanderbilt
Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Houston vs. Missouri
Schlabach: Houston vs. Missouri
Monday, Dec. 29
JLab Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: UNLV vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Coastal Carolina vs. Memphis
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Cincinnati vs. Western Michigan
Schlabach: UNLV vs. Western Kentucky
Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Illinois vs. LSU
Schlabach: Illinois vs. LSU
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: BYU vs. USC
Schlabach: BYU vs. USC
Wednesday, Dec. 31
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Iowa vs. Tennessee
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Arizona State
Schlabach: Pitt vs. Arizona State
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Texas
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Texas
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Nebraska vs. Utah
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Utah
Friday, Jan. 2
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Duke vs. Kennesaw State
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. North Texas
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Navy
Schlabach: Cincinnati vs. Navy
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Georgia Tech vs. Troy
Schlabach: Georgia Tech vs. Virginia
Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Bonagura: SMU vs. Arizona
Schlabach: SMU vs. Arizona
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