Last season was the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Now, with a better understanding of how the committee thinks and how the seeding works, here is my prediction for the 2025-2026 College Football Playoff field.
Projecting the 2025 College Football Playoff Field
As a quick reminder, here is how the College Football Playoff works. The top four ranked conference champions get the first four seeds.
The rest of the teams follow the committee’s rankings, with the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion getting the 12 seed—although if the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion is ranked higher than 12, they’ll be seeded in accordance with their ranking.
Predicting the 12 Playoff Teams For 2025
12) Tulane Green Wave
The Group of Five champion is honestly a crapshoot, as no one has any real idea which conference champion will be the highest-rated. However, to me, Tulane has the best roster in the Group of Five and should be ranked highly by the end of the season. For that reason, they get the twelfth seed.
11) Michigan Wolverines
The 2024 national champions had quite the hangover in the 2024 season, only winning eight games. However, it would appear that the Wolverines have fixed their issue at quarterback, and their offensive line is coming back with more experience under coach Sheron Moore.
Michigan’s offense should be great, and as always, their defense will be solid. I think they will return to the CFP in 2025.
10) SMU Mustangs
I’m very high on SMU and expect them to be back in the CFP in 2025. Head coach Rhett Lashlee has been a proven winner at SMU, holding a career record of 29-12 with the Mustangs. In addition, they are bringing back star quarterback Kevin Jennings with another year of development.
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While I don’t think they’ll win the ACC, I expect them to find themselves in a similar spot as last year in 2025.
9) Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee made its first-ever playoff appearance in 2024 and will be looking to roll that success over into next season. The Vols have a great roster and a great coach in Josh Heupel. With another year of development for QB Nico Iamaleava, I expect the Vols to finish with only one or two losses next season.
8) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame proved many people wrong in the first-ever 12-team playoff, making it to the College Football Playoff National Championship before losing to the eventual champion Ohio State Buckeyes.
In 2025, the Fighting Irish have a pretty tough schedule playing Miami (FL), Texas A&M, Boise State, and Syracuse, who all finished 2024 ranked. I imagine there is a loss or two in there, but Notre Dame should still find their way back into the CFP field.
7) Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks finished the 2024 regular season as the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP. With the Ducks’ NIL money, they are always going to be competitive. The losses of QB Dillon Gabriel, among other key starters, will hold Oregon back from being as good as last year, but they’re still a playoff team, in my opinion.
6) Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia leaves me with a question mark about how good they’ll be, but it’s impossible not to put them in the CFP. Georgia recruits very well and should be able to replace most of the talent it is losing.
In addition, I am pretty high on tight end Gunner Helm and expect him to have a very good season. Kirby Smart is the best active coach in college football, and I see him pushing the Bulldogs to their ceiling once again next season.
5) Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State is returning some very good young talent but is dealing with the losses of many key players from its national championship roster. However, I do expect the Buckeyes to be a very good team and rank in the top four by the time the season is over. That’s why they’ll get the five seed.
4) Iowa State Cyclones
The Big 12 beat each other up last year, but Arizona State came out on top. This year, I think Iowa State finally gets its first conference championship and makes the CFP.
The Cyclones are returning a lot of talent in 2025 and missed the College Football Playoff by one game in 2025. I love Iowa State to win the Big 12 next year and finally make the postseason.
3) Clemson Tigers
Clemson reached the CFP in a comeback miracle win over SMU last season. This year, I think QB Cade Klubnik is going to be a Heisman-caliber quarterback, and Clemson is going to easily have the top team in the ACC. I like Clemson to run the table in the ACC and make it back to the CFP as a top-four seed, receiving a bye in the first round.
2) Texas Longhorns
In their second season ever in the SEC, I’m picking the Longhorns to win the conference and make the CFP as the No. 2 seed. Texas made it to the quarterfinals in 2024 but has a lot of their great young talent returning.
On top of that, QB Arch Manning is finally taking over in Austin, and if he can live up to the hype, I think they’re serious contenders
1) Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State is returning the highest-caliber talent in 2025. The Nittany Lions will have their star quarterback, Drew Allar, back after another season of development, as well as their two-headed monster backfield with running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
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They also brought in Jim Knowles as their defensive coordinator, which ensures that the Penn State defense will continue to play at a high level. I like them to win the Big 10 and be the No. 1 overall team in 2025.
Projecting the 2024-2025 Playoff Bracket
First Round
No. 12 Tulane vs. No. 5 Ohio State
This one should be a nice and easy warm-up win for Ohio State. The reigning national champions should walk out with a big win.
Prediction: Ohio State 42, Tulane 14
No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 6 Georgia
While the Wolverines might make it back to the CFP, they still aren’t quite ready to compete with the top-tier teams in the sport. Georgia wins at home and advances to the next round.
Prediction: Georgia 24, Michigan 10
No. 10 SMU vs. No. 7 Oregon
If this matchup were to happen, SMU would be able to make it pretty competitive. But in the end, Oregon’s talent would just be enough for them to win. Ducks get the win at home in Eugene.
Prediction: Oregon 35, SMU 31
No. 9 Tennessee vs. No. 8 Notre Dame
While I love head coach Marcus Freeman, I think Tennessee will get out of the first round this year with a big win on the road against the Fighting Irish. I’m predicting that quarterback Nico Iamaleava will have the game of his career, and the Vols will win big.
Prediction: Tennessee 45, Notre Dame 21
Quarterfinals
No. 9 Tennessee vs. No. 1 Penn State
Tennessee’s playoff run comes to an end in this matchup, with the Nittany Lion’s defense being too much for them to overcome. Penn State advances to the semifinals in a dominating win over the Vols.
Prediction: Penn State 31, Tennessee 17
No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 2 Texas
Texas and QB Arch Manning come out swinging against the Ducks in this huge matchup. I think the Longhorns will build a large lead, but Oregon will do its best to overcome it. In the end, the Longhorns win a close one.
Prediction: Texas 35, Oregon 32
No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 3 Clemson
Georgia will come out hot after their first-round win over Michigan. Clemson will do their best to take down the Bulldogs, but the overall athletic difference between the two rosters will result in a tight Georgia victory.
Prediction: Georgia 24, Clemson 21
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Iowa State
Iowa State’s Big-12 Championship will be the only postseason game they win in 2025. Ohio State should run through the Cyclones in an easy win to advance to the semifinal.
Prediction: Ohio State 34, Iowa State 16
Semifinals
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Penn State
In this scenario, Ohio State and Penn State will face off for a third time this season in a rematch of the Big 10 Championship Game.
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Ohio State will try its best to get its revenge, but instead, Penn State will keep on trucking to advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Prediction: Penn State 20, Ohio State 17
No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 2 Texas
Like the Big 10, this is an SEC Championship Game rematch in the playoffs. While Georgia has had the upper hand on Texas since joining the SEC, Texas will get it done and beat Georgia, with Manning leading the Longhorns to the national championship game.
Prediction: Texas 31, Georgia 21
National Championship
No. 2 Texas vs. No. 1 Penn State
This year, the national championship game is between the one and two seeds, with both the top seeds proving to be the best teams in the country. Steve Sarkisian and James Franklin will be highlighted in a high-powered coaching matchup.
It’ll also feature a huge QB battle between Manning and Allar. This game goes down to the wire, but in the end, it’s the Penn State Nittany Lions who come out on top with a game-winning field goal to win it all.
Prediction: Penn State 31, Texas 28
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