Since the start of the College Football Playoff with the 2014 season, 76 teams have been ranked at least once in the CFP Top 25 poll.
But a few have hoarded rankings spots more than others going into the 2021 college football season. Some have been ranked in every CFP poll (Alabama, Clemson and Ohio State), but others have been ranked only once — and a bunch more have yet to be ranked.
Through the 2020 season, there have been 42 College Football Playoff polls. Eight schools have been ranked at least 30 times.
Here are the teams that have been ranked in the CFP polls the most, per official CFP poll data.
| Team | Times ranked in CFP |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=small} Alabama |
42 |
.svg){kind=small} Clemson |
42 |
.svg){kind=small} Ohio State |
42 |
.svg){kind=small} Oklahoma |
40 |
.svg) LSU |
33 |
.svg){kind=small} Notre Dame |
32 |
.svg){kind=small} Georgia |
30 |
.svg){kind=small} Utah |
30 |
CFP: Teams with the most Playoff wins and appearances
The top spot is, not surprisingly, more exclusive. Only six teams have been ranked No. 1 — with Mississippi State the first.
Alabama has been ranked No. 1 the most, owning the top spot for more than half of the 42 CFP polls through 2020 — 23 times. Of the six schools to reach No. 1 at any point, four have won a CFP national title: Alabama, Clemson, LSU and Ohio State. But those No. 1 ranks during the season don't mean success by season's end. The Buckeyes' three trips at the top spot all happened in 2019 — yet OSU won its CFP crown in 2014, when it never got higher than fourth.
Here's a rundown of all the teams to take the top spot.
| Team | Times ranked No. 1 |
|---|---|
Alabama |
23 |
Clemson |
8 |
LSU |
3 |
.svg){kind=small} Mississippi State |
3 |
Ohio State |
3 |
Georgia |
2 |
Also, though some teams have been ranked a bunch of weeks, it's difficult to end up in the four-team CFP. In fact, some teams haven't found a spot in the top 4 at all during the season.
Utah has been in 30 CFP polls but has yet to be in the top 4. The Utes, one of only eight teams to appear in at least 30 CFP polls, were close in 2019, however. Utah was No. 5 as it played in the Pac-12 title game, losing to Oregon, 37-15.
In an odd twist, two of Utah's Pac-12 rivals have reached the CFP semifinals despite getting CFP rankings at not nearly as often. Oregon and Washington have combined for 38 appearances, with one semifinal appearance each.
But with only seven seasons of the College Football Playoff, these numbers will surely change — and perhaps quickly.
