The time for the first College Football Playoff rankings is drawing near, with excitement and anticipation over how the committee will view the teams vying for a place in the 12-team format. From the extended number of teams to first-round matchups on campus and meaningful matchups in late December, everyone wants to know who will challenge for national title glory.
In our latest College Football Playoff Predictions, we use the CFN 1-134 Power Rankings to guide a projection of how the 2024-2024 College Football Playoff 12-team bracket could look.
College Football Playoff Predictions | First Round
- No.5 Penn State Nittany Lions vs. No. 12 Boise State Broncos
- No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers
- No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 10 Texas Longhorns
- No. 8 Clemson Tigers vs. No. 9 Texas A&M Aggies
At least one Group of Five team is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team postseason tournament this season, and while it looks unlikely that a second team will join the fray, an obvious frontrunner has emerged. Boise State is currently the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the AP Poll, leads the way in our power rankings, and has the best chance of making the playoff, according to the CFN College Football Playoff Meter (FPM).
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
They’re not ranked high enough right now to clinch a quarterfinal bid, however, meaning a likely road trip to the highest-ranked non-conference champion — Penn State here. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes compete in Week 10 in a matchup that could drastically change the shape of these College Football Playoff predictions. Meanwhile, give me all the Notre Dame vs. Texas action in South Bend, with the Longhorns currently reeling.
College Football Playoff Predictions | Quarterfinal
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Miami (FL) vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
- Peach Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 9 Texas A&M
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 11 Indiana
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Iowa State vs. No. 5 Penn State
Our College Football Playoff predictions point toward the Oregon Ducks winning the Big Ten, the Georgia Bulldogs being crowned SEC champions, the Miami Hurricanes blowing away the rest of the competition in the ACC, and the Iowa State Cyclones outlasting the BYU Cougars in a battle for the Big 12 title. Those four conference winners should receive first-round byes.
Indiana might be considered a surprise quarterfinal team here. However, based on current form, would the Hoosiers brutalizing the Buckeyes in the first round be a real shock? The same could be said for Texas A&M beating Clemson to secure a quarterfinal spot. The Aggies have a legitimate defense, and QB Marcel Reed is as dynamic as any in college football.
College Football Playoff Predictions | Semifinal
- Orange Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 3 Miami (FL)
- Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Penn State
In these latest College Football Playoff predictions, Miami (FL) takes down Notre Dame — Cam Ward vs. Riley Leonard isn’t a particularly fair QB showdown — to set up a semifinal date with a Georgia team that might be tested by Texas A&M in the Peach Bowl. However, a fired-up Kirby Smart team that feels slighted once again is a dangerous foe to face in any matchup.
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Oregon just keeps getting better every week, and after avoiding them in the regular season, first Indiana and then Penn State have to take on Dan Lanning’s team in our College Football Playoff predictions. By this point of the season, Dillon Gabriel may be in touching distance (if not already past) the all-time records for career passing yards and touchdowns.
College Football Playoff Predictions | National Championship Game
- No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Georgia
For all the conversation about how an expanded 12-team format might cheapen the postseason tournament and even the regular season, through nine weeks of the 2024 campaign, we’ve been treated to a spectacular showing and a season unlike any other we’ve seen.
Our College Football Playoff predictions also show that it’s entirely possible that the two best teams will make it to the National Championship Game regardless of anything that came before. Oregon vs. Georgia would be an epic clash of destructive defensive, rampant running games, and two efficient quarterbacks who can conjure up a game-winning drive.
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