The second edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff is set to build on the excitement of last year’s debut, which gave fans a taste of how much drama and intrigue an expanded bracket can deliver. The format tweak that awards first-round byes to the four highest-ranked teams overall, rather than only conference champions, makes this year’s race even more compelling. Last season’s field featured four teams from the Big Ten, three from the SEC, two from the ACC, one from the Big 12, and even a Mountain West representative, a breakdown that showed both the power of the top conferences and the new pathway for the Group of Five. This year’s semifinal rotation heads to the Peach and Fiesta Bowls, with the National Championship taking place in Miami, giving fans another set of marquee stages for the sport’s biggest games. At the top, programs like Texas, Penn State, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia, and Notre Dame headline the conversation as title contenders, but the beauty of the expanded format is the chance for surprise runs. Teams like Illinois, Kansas State, or Texas Tech have the depth and grit to make noise, while Group of Five hopefuls such as James Madison, Liberty, Memphis, Navy, or Tulane could emerge as this season’s dark horse. With all of that in mind, let’s dive right into which teams I believe are set to make appearances into the second edition of the 12-team bracket:

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12/19 – CFP First Round Game

Sanford Stadium, Athens, GA

8 pm, ABC

11 Miami vs. 6 Georgia

We start out with a banger as a first-round matchup in Athens with Georgia hosting Miami would bring no shortage of storylines to the table. The biggest of them all would center around quarterback Carson Beck, who spent five years in Athens before transferring to Miami, now getting the chance to face his former teammates on the biggest stage, and on the flip side, Georgia features two former starting Hurricanes in wideout Colbie Young and safety Jaden Harris, two guys who are looking for big jumps in production following Young’s transfer before last season and Harris’s transfer prior to this year. Beyond the personal ties, this game would also pit a hungry Miami squad who missed out on the CFP in heartbreaking fashion and eager to prove it belongs in the Playoff against a Georgia program with championship expectations every year, setting up one of the more dramatic early-round showdowns. In the end, it’s Georgia who’s just a lot more talented, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and Carson Beck’s long collegiate career ends where it all started, but in a different uniform.

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12/20 – CFP First Round Game

Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS

Noon, TNT

12 Boise State vs. 5 Kansas State

A first-round clash between Kansas State and Group of Five representative Boise State in Manhattan would highlight two very different but equally impressive journeys. Despite all the possibilities for a Group of Five representative, including James Madison, Liberty, Memphis, Navy, and Tulane, it is once again Boise State, led by head coach Spencer Danielson and quarterback Maddux Madsen, carrying the banner after winning the Mountain West over UNLV for the second year in a row and doing so without former superstar and 2024 Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty. On the other side, Chris Klieman has re-established Kansas State as a Big XII power, knocking off Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State to secure his second conference title in four years and putting the Wildcats right back in the national spotlight. The Broncos’ grit and ability to overcome adversity make them a dangerous opponent, but in the end, Kansas State is much deeper and more complete roster proves to be too much, sending the Wildcats forward to the quarterfinals while another Boise State dream season comes to a close.

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12/20 – CFP First Round Game

Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL

4 pm, TNT

10 Illinois vs. 7 Alabama

Two teams that weren’t in last year’s Playoff were Alabama and Illinois, but this year, I see them potentially meeting up in Tuscaloosa for a matchup that would put two very different narratives on full display. Bret Bielema’s Fighting Illini are fresh off a breakout ten-win campaign in 2024, and they have every intention of proving it was no fluke as they take the next step into national contention. To me, I see them in a similar light to how Indiana was last year as a team out of the B1G that no one would expect to make that jump into the national spotlight and snag a spot in the 12-team field. Meanwhile, Kalen DeBoer enters year two with the Crimson Tide following his successful stint with Washington in desperate need of a bounce-back after a frustrating and underwhelming first season without Nick Saban at the helm. However, with Ryan Grubb back with DeBoer and a different-looking lineup that he and Kane Wommack have to work with, a playoff run this year will be critical for Alabama’s standard of excellence in a long-term sense. This team will simply be way too much at home for Illinois in this game, and Alabama returns to their winning ways in the CFP for the first time since 2021.

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12/20 – CFP First Round Game

Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH

8 pm, ABC

9 LSU vs. 8 Ohio State

I was down to several teams for the final spot in the CFP field, including Oregon, Texas Tech, Arizona State, SMU, and even Michigan all had a strong case, but in the end, LSU’s brutal strength of schedule, a handful of marquee wins, and a roster stacked with talent gave them the nod, earning a nine-seed as the Playoff Committee will try and avoid same-conference clashes early on. That sets up a blockbuster in Columbus against Ohio State in what will easily be the best must-watch game of them all. Ryan Day’s Buckeyes, who hopes to follow up off of a fresh national title run that many consider one of the greatest championship runs of the modern era, will continue their run towards back-to-back titles behind the elite talents of wideout Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs. LSU squad that Brian Kelly has retooled with one of the nation’s best transfer hauls to complement star quarterback and preseason Heisman contender Garrett Nussmeier, all in pursuit of the Tigers’ first national title since 2019. The question becomes whether LSU can handle the challenges of Ohio Stadium, including the rowdy atmosphere, which might be nothing new to the Bayou Bengals this year, but the freezing Midwest weather could force them out of rhythm. That’s where Ohio State’s home-field edge kicks in, as the stars rise to the occasion here and deliver big plays late to lift the Buckeyes to another statement playoff win.

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12/31 – Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – CFP Quarterfinal

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

7:30 pm, ESPN

6 Georgia vs. 3 Notre Dame

After taking down their former quarterback Carson Beck at home in the first round, they move on to their quarterfinal showdown at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic to face Notre Dame in a rematch from last year’s Allstate Sugar Bowl, where the Fighting Irish took down the Bulldogs in a physical 23-10 victory. Georgia, led by Kirby Smart, should once again be among the nation’s best on defense, but an up-and-down offense could present problems against Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame squad, coming off a phenomenal run last season that carried them all the way to the National Championship before falling to Ohio State. Georgia should have Gunnar Stockton at quarterback against the Irish again, and with how much the offense struggled last year in their previous matchup, that still gives me concerns about whether this Georgia offense can consistently find answers here. Notre Dame is a little more balanced and experienced, especially with the return of guys on offense like Jeremiyah Love and wideouts Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, who were all key pieces in their run last year, so because of that and the momentum of 11 consecutive victories following a Week 1 loss to Miami, I give them the edge to outplay Georgia again to punch their ticket to the semifinals for the second straight year.

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1/1 – Capital One Orange Bowl – CFP Quarterfinal

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL

Noon, ESPN

5 Kansas State vs. 4 Clemson

Probably one of the most under-the-radar intriguing matchups in my eyes is between Clemson and Kansas State in an Orange Bowl between two conference champions that both had clear arguments for first round byes alongside Notre Dame. Chris Klieman has guided his Wildcat team to a phenomenal season behind the steady rise of quarterback Avery Johnson, who has become the face of a Wildcats team that stormed its way to a Big XII crown, a first-round CFP win over Boise State at home, and national relevance as the sole representative for the Big XII for the first time in years. Then, there’s Clemson and Dabo Swinney, who enter the 12-team field for the second year in a row after capturing their tenth ACC title in 15 years to reach their eighth CFP in the past 11 seasons, powered by the stellar play of Cade Klubnik, my projected Heisman winner. With Nick Saban retired after 2023, Swinney, who is currently one of two active head coaches with two national titles alongside Georgia’s Kirby Smart, has a chance to cement his legacy as the only active coach with a third national title. That’s where I see Kansas State’s magical season ending as I see it being one of the season’s best stories, and the Wildcats ultimately runs into a Clemson team that looks like a true buzzsaw with how stacked they are with NFL-caliber talent and how laser-focused they are on returning to the mountaintop for the first time since 2018-19.

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1/1 – Rose Bowl presented by Prudential – CFP Quarterfinal

Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA

4 pm, ESPN

7 Alabama vs. 2 Penn State

For this year’s Rose Bowl Game, like many past games at the Granddaddy of Them All, I have two storied programs clashing between Alabama and Penn State in Pasadena, each with plenty to prove. For Penn State, there’s a clear formula as the poise and dynamic of their ultra talented backfield and infusion of transfer talent at wide receiver give James Franklin’s offense its most balance in years, and on defense, even without Abdul Carter, the Nittany Lions look loaded once again thanks to new coordinator Jim Knowles, who steps in fresh off a national title with Ohio State to elevate a unit that was already among the country’s best. Alabama, meanwhile, arrives with renewed confidence after knocking off Illinois in the first round, setting up their second Rose Bowl appearance in three years, and they do so this time with the motivation to avenge their semifinal loss to Michigan in Nick Saban’s final game. While Kalen DeBoer has steadied the Tide in year two, the experience edge in this matchup heavily tilts toward Penn State, and ultimately that proves decisive with veteran stars leading the way on both sides of the ball as Penn State overwhelms Alabama and storms into the semifinals for the second straight year to continue their pursuit of their first national championship since the ’80s.

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1/1 – Allstate Sugar Bowl – CFP Quarterfinal

Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA

8 pm, ESPN

8 Ohio State vs. 1 Texas

My Allstate Sugar Bowl quarterfinal prediction features a rematch between Ohio State and Texas, two of college football’s premier blue blood brands that previously met last year in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and will meet again in Week 1 of this season in Columbus. Texas enters as the nation’s top seed after taking down teams like Ohio State, Florida, Oklahoma, and Georgia away from home in the process, marking a continuation of the revival under Steve Sarkisian that has turned Austin into a national championship hub once again. With Arch Manning now taking the reins at quarterback following Quinn Ewers’s departure, surrounded by elite playmakers at the skill positions and a defense guided by Pete Kwiatkowski’s sharp playcalling, the Longhorns are loaded and fully deserving of their preseason top ranking in the AP Poll. On the other side, Ohio State’s quest for back-to-back titles under Ryan Day runs into a familiar foe, as the Buckeyes face a Texas team they knocked out of the CFP last year but also I have falling to at home in the first week of this season. The Sugar Bowl itself brings layers of intrigue, given Ohio State’s decorated history in the game with iconic CFP wins over Alabama and Clemson, but this rematch proves different. Ultimately, the experience and sheer depth of talent on this Texas roster prove too much, and the Longhorns exorcise past heartbreak from two years ago by winning their first Sugar Bowl since joining the SEC, punching their ticket back to the semifinals in pursuit of their first national championship since 2005 when Mack Brown and Vince Young made headlines in Austin.

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1/8 – Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

7:30, ESPN

3 Notre Dame vs. 2 Penn State

Another electric rematch that I have set is between Notre Dame and Penn State, two programs with plenty of unfinished business from last season after both falling just short of their national title hopes. The Fighting Irish return under Marcus Freeman with a defense that remains among the nation’s elite, paired with an offense led by a loaded skill group of Jeremiyah Love, Jaden Greathouse, and Jordan Faison, looking to replicate last year’s magical run to the National Championship, which included a clutch interception and game-winning field goal over Penn State in the semifinal. The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, come back with nearly all of their star power back for this type of moment, featuring a dynamic backfield of Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, and Kaytron Allen and bolstering veteran transfers at wide receiver and the defensive brilliance of Jim Knowles, who continues to elevate a unit already among the country’s best in his first year with the program. With last year’s heartbreak still fresh in their minds, Penn State enters this matchup with a chip on their shoulder and a mission to erase the memory of that narrow loss, and in the end, it’ll be Singleton and Allen that come up big to lift the Nittany Lions past Notre Dame, sending them to their first National Championship game since 1986 and completing the ultimate revenge.

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1/9 – Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

7:30 pm, ESPN

4 Clemson vs. 1 Texas

The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl semifinal pits another marquee rematch as Texas faces Clemson, two teams who met for the first time ever last year and plan to put up another strong fight advance further on the national stage. After a big performance against Ohio State, Arch Manning has fully settled into his role alongside a loaded roster at both skill positions and defense, giving Texas the determination to make a run at their first national title in two decades, and they get another crack at Clemson, a team they, while they did beat by two touchdowns last year behind the fantastic ground-game performances from Jaydon Blue and Quintrevion Wisner, were surprisingly challenged by. The Tigers return with a wealth of experience back from that game last year, where many expected the Tigers to be overmatched, but Cade Klubnik, TJ Moore, and company delivered a performance that kept the game competitive in the second half until a late goal-line stand and a long Jaydon Blue touchdown run stamped their fate. This year, the Tigers boast improved coaching, a deeper roster, and the confidence of having pushed one of the nation’s best teams to the brink, making them a legitimate threat. In the end, while Clemson will make it an ever closer battle that could be decided by a few plays towards the end, Texas’ unparalleled talent and mission-driven mentality ultimately carry the day once more, sending the Longhorns to their first national championship game since the 2009-10 season and keeping their title hopes alive in Miami.

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1/19 – CFP National Championship

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL

7:45 pm, ESPN

2 Penn State vs. 1 Texas

The CFP National Championship sets the stage for another historic showdown, this time between Penn State and Texas, which marks just the sixth all-time meeting between the programs and their first since 1996. The Nittany Lions, with their returning starpower, high-level transfer talent, and exceptional coaching, are aiming to complete the B1G’s remarkable three-peat bid and make the conference the top dog until someone from another conference can take them down. Texas, on the other hand, brings a roster that will be extremely battle-tested and loaded with elite talent across every phase of the game, from Arch Manning and a dynamic skill group to a defense anchored by game wreckers Anthony Hill, Collin Simmons, and Michael Taaffe that should anchor top competition all season long. From the opening kickoff, the game is a high-octane affair, with Penn State leaning on precision, clock management, and situational awareness while Texas uses explosive plays and relentless athleticism to keep the Nittany Lions on their heels. In the end, while Penn State’s experience allows them to hang around and make a competitive fight of it, the sheer talent, depth, and balanced excellence of the Longhorns prove insurmountable, crowning Texas as national champions for the first time in 20 years and officially signaling that they are “back” on college football’s biggest stage.

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Make sure to check back here in December when the matchups are official and in January when the season comes to a close!