The 2025 NCAA Division I FBS college football season is in full swing, and here’s a summary of how the championship is going, the highlights so far, and what to watch for in the rest of the campaign.

🏛️ General Organization of the NCAA

The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) governs college sports in the United States.
It is divided into three main divisions based on the size of the universities, their budgets, and their competitive level:

🏈 Division I

In terms of football, within Division I there are two different levels of competition:

1.- FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision)

It is the highest level of college football.
Includes 134 programs in 2025.
Famous teams: Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame, Miami, Georgia, etc.
The national champion is decided through the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Teams participate in traditional bowl games such as the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, etc.

2.- FCS (Football Championship Subdivision)

One level below the FBS.
Around 120 universities participate.
They have their own single-elimination tournament, similar to the NFL playoffs (24 teams in total).
Examples: North Dakota State, Montana, South Dakota State.

🧭 Internal Structure of the FBS
The FBS is divided into conferences — groups of universities that play regularly against each other (like regional leagues).

Main FBS Conferences (Power Five)
These are the most influential and best-funded:

1. Big Ten – Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, Washington.
2. SEC (Southeastern Conference) – Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M.
3. ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) – Clemson, Florida State, Miami.
4. Big 12 – Texas Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma State.
5. Pac-12 (or Pac Conference) – currently under restructuring after mergers (Oregon State, Washington State, etc.).

In addition, there are other “Group of Five” conferences with competitive programs:
American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Mountain West
Sun Belt
Conference USA
Mid-American Conference (MAC)

🏟️ Cultural and Economic Importance
It is the most followed college sporting event in the U.S., with stadiums holding 100,000 or more fans.
Generates billions of dollars in TV rights (ESPN, FOX, CBS).
Many players jump from here to the NFL Draft.
Each university has its own mascot, anthem, and traditions; rivalries (Alabama vs Auburn, Michigan vs Ohio State, Army vs Navy) are historic.

🏈 Current Status
In the Associated Press ranking (AP Top 25), the top spots currently look like this:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0)
2. Miami Hurricanes (5-0)
3. Indiana Hoosiers (6-0) achieved their highest ranking in program history.
4. Texas A&M Aggies (6-0)
5. Ole Miss Rebels (6-0)
   Several teams remain undefeated: Indiana, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-0), etc.
   Some notable setbacks: Penn State Nittany Lions suffered an unexpected loss and have struggled since.
   The rankings have seen major shifts after recent weeks of upsets.

✨ Highlights
Indiana earned a major road victory against the Oregon Ducks (30-20), which propelled them to #3 in the nation.
Ohio State continues to prove they are in title contention, maintaining a perfect record so far.
In the Southeastern Conference (SEC), several teams have solidified their positions in the Top 10, reinforcing the conference’s competitive strength.
The theme of an “unpredictable ranking” is very present: teams once considered secure have lost, opening the door for late-season surprises.

🔍 What to Watch Going Forward
Who will remain undefeated and reach the final months without a loss? Staying perfect is crucial for playoff aspirations.
Top-ranked matchups: every game between ranked teams can dramatically shift the championship landscape.
The impact of early losses: a single defeat can significantly drop a team in the standings and complicate its title hopes.
Injuries, offensive/defensive consistency, and the ability to win on the road will be decisive factors.

Upcoming Key Games

📅  When did it start?

The regular season began in August 2025 (“Week 0” began on August 23).

The postseason phase (bowl games + playoffs) begins in mid-December 2025.

🏆 Semifinals

The playoff semifinals are scheduled as follows for the 2025-26 season:

Semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Thursday, January 8, 2026

Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl played at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Friday, January 9, 2026

🎯 Final / Championship

The grand final, the CFP national title game, at HardRock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Monday, January 19, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET