The College Football Playoff semifinals will involve four red-hot teams coming off of consecutive wins in the twelve-team bracket. The bye week for all of the top four seeds did not serve them well as every game looked like it was going to be a rout after the first quarter. Some teams, like Arizona State, rallied and almost shocked No. 3 Texas. The other three teams that advanced, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Penn State, held onto their fast starts for largely comfortable wins. Some more comfortable than others.

While these four programs have decorated pasts, all of them are vying for their first national title in a while. Ohio State is the most recent semifinalist to win a championship in 2014. Next comes the Longhorns, who last finished the year No. 1 after their iconic 2006 Rose Bowl win. Notre Dame and Penn State have had much longer droughts, having not won titles since 1988 and 1986, respectively.

With the 2025 Orange Bowl kicking off the College Football Playoff semifinals on January 9, here is our re-ranking of the last four teams remaining.

No. 4 Texas (current ranking No. 3, current seed No. 5) 

Despite being the highest ranked remaining team, the Longhorns are slotted at No. 4 in these rankings. Texas is coming off a thrilling double overtime win over No. 12 Arizona State in the 2025 Peach Bowl. The good news for the Longhorns so far this College Football Playoff is that their offense has shown versatility. The dominant victory over No. 16 Clemson saw head coach Steve Sarkisian's team rush for 292 yards and four touchdowns.

In contrast, Texas only ran for 53 yards against Arizona State and still put up 39 points thanks in large part to quarterback Quinn Ewers. The redshirt junior completed 20 of 32 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns. Despite their impressive offense, the defensive struggles are a concern for the Longhorns, especially heading into the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State.

Texas gave up over 400 yards in both wins and were gradually worn down by Cam Skattebo and the Sun Devils' relentless rushing attack on New Year's Day. That combined with Quinn Ewers having limited mobility due to an ankle injury is why the Longhorns are No. 4.

No. 3 Penn State (current ranking No. 4, current seed No. 6)

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) tries to break past Boise State Broncos safety Ty Benefield (0) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium on Dec. 31, 2024.
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Penn State has silenced the doubters so far with its first two performances this College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions dominated from the jump against No. 10 SMU in Happy Valley. The 31-14 win over Boise State was a little more complicated, but Penn State still looked like a clearcut national title contender in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl.

In both games, the Nittany Lions defense held in check two elite offenses. Head coach James Franklin's team additionally dominated the line of scrimmage while also showcasing an underrated secondary that has recorded six interceptions over these two games. In addition, Drew Allar looked the part of an elite quarterback, particularly in the win over the No. 9 Broncos.

While the level of competition will be questioned, Penn State is a deep, versatile team that can definitely win the national championship should it continue this form.

No. 2 Notre Dame (current ranking No. 5, current seed No. 7)

Marcus Freeman ended the drought. The Fighting Irish won a high-level postseason game for the first time since 1994. That victory came in an impressive 23-10 win over No. 2 Georgia. The Fighting Irish capitalized on one of the Bulldogs main weaknesses heading into the contest; containing running quarterbacks.

While Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard only threw for 90 yards, he tallied 80 yards on the ground. That included a ton of clutch first downs throughout the affair. Notre Dame has rushed for over 150 in both wins with a defense that has looked dominant.

The Fighting Irish contained one of the best passing attacks in the country against No. 8 Indiana and then shut down a physical Georgia rushing attack to only 66 yards. There are concerns in the passing game going forward, but Marcus Freeman still has put together possibly the best Notre Dame team this century.

No. 1 Ohio State (current ranking No. 6, current seed No. 8)

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a first down catch during the second half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.
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It's not a debate right now. Ohio State has to be No. 1. Does that mean the Buckeyes will win the national championship? No. But Ryan Day's team has blown out two legit title contenders since its tough loss to Michigan. That those straight victories included some much-needed revenge against No. 1 Oregon. Freshman wideout Jeremiah Smith has been the best player in the College Football Playoff so far.

The Second-team All-American has caught 13 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns. The Buckeyes' defense has looked just as dominant as the offense, continuing its stellar form from the regular season. This is the team that looks like the most talented top-to-bottom roster in the country. If the Buckeyes play like they have the last two contests, there's very little the other teams can do to stop them.