Florian Media Top 25
Current season or competition: 2026 NCAF football season | |
| Sport | College football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| No. of teams | 25 |
| Nation(s) | Floria |
| Related competitions | National Collegiate Athletic Federation |
The Florian Media Top 25 is a weekly ranking of the top 25 college football teams competing in the National Collegiate Athletic Federation (NCAF). The poll is compiled from ballots submitted by sports journalists, broadcasters and college football analysts from media organisations across Floria.
Published throughout the NCAF season, the Media Top 25 is one of the principal measures of national opinion in Florian college football. Rankings are released following each week of competition and reflect team records, strength of schedule, quality of victories and the overall assessment of voting members.
The poll is independent of the NCAF and has no direct role in determining the official national champion or qualification for the NCAF College Football Playoff. Nevertheless, it is widely used by broadcasters and publications when referring to nationally ranked teams.
History
The Florian Media Top 25 was established in 2018 alongside the expansion of national coverage of NCAF football. It was intended to provide a single national ranking representing the collective judgement of the Florian sports media.
The poll initially became particularly prominent through television coverage, where ranked matchups increasingly became a central feature of the NCAF schedule. The number preceding a team's name in television graphics, schedules and contemporary reporting normally refers to its position in the latest Media Top 25 unless otherwise stated.
Voting
A panel of selected sportswriters, broadcasters and college football reporters submits a ballot ranking its top 25 teams. Points are awarded according to position on each ballot, with a first-place selection receiving the greatest number of points. The points from all ballots are combined to establish the weekly national ranking.
Voters are expected to consider:
- Win–loss record
- Strength of schedule
- Results against ranked opponents
- Quality of victories
- Performance in conference play
- Road and neutral-site results
- Overall season performance
The poll is based on contemporary assessment rather than a mathematical ranking system.
Publication
The preseason poll is released shortly before the opening week of the NCAF season.
During the regular season, an updated poll is published following the completion of each week's games. Teams may therefore move considerably between rankings following major victories, defeats or results elsewhere in the national field.
A final Media Top 25 is published following the NCAF National Championship Game.
2026 season
Key: Moved up · Moved down · Newly ranked
Relationship with the College Football Playoff
The Florian Media Top 25 does not determine qualification or seeding for the NCAF College Football Playoff. The playoff uses its own selection process. Consequently, the Media Top 25 and official playoff rankings may differ, particularly later in the season. The Media Top 25 nevertheless remains influential in public discussion of the national championship race and is commonly displayed during NCAF television broadcasts.
