Nearly seven years in the making, the expanded College Football Playoff will make its debut this season with Indiana at Notre Dame on Friday.
The 2024 college football season was rife with drama, from beginning to end. There was endless politicking by coaches, athletic directors and fans, but the College Football Playoff selection committee settled on a 12-team field in the end and now it’s time to make some picks.
Here are our predictions for how the inaugural 12-team playoff will unfold.
Ross Dellenger
I know what you’re thinking. Did I not watch the Ohio State-Michigan game?
The Buckeyes are the most talented team in the country, are well rested after not playing in the Big Ten title game and were the preseason favorites to win it all for a reason. Michigan is just in their head.
They went toe to toe at Eugene earlier this year. I think they win the rematch against Oregon in a Rose Bowl quarterfinal that might just feature the best two teams in the country.
That’d pave the path for them to knock off a Texas team that’s got zero top-25 wins in the regular season to get to the title game against, yes, Notre Dame. The Irish then upset Georgia without their starting QB Carson Beck in the Sugar Bowl!
Nick Bromberg
My preseason title pick was Ohio State and I really want to stick with the Buckeyes here. But I can’t trust them at the moment. The offense has gotten bogged down too often for how good it could be. I’m not really sure Ohio State can turn it on for the postseason, even though the Buckeyes should have enough to get past Tennessee at home.
Notre Dame has gotten better with each week and its run game should be able to knock off a Georgia team that looks likely to be without Carson Beck.
My biggest upset of the tournament is Boise State over Penn State. I liked what I saw from PSU in the Big Ten title game, but I think Boise State isn’t getting enough credit.
Dan Wetzel
Oregon is the nation’s most complete team and Dillon Gabriel may be the best quarterback in the College Football Playoff.
That will show throughout the bracket, and the Ducks should edge out a very talented Georgia team in the national championship game.
Caroline Fenton
If the craziness and unpredictability of this season has taught us anything, it’s that there is bound to be even more chaos in a first round that features four touchdown-plus spreads.
That chaos will come in Columbus, which may feel far-fetched given Tennessee’s rather inexperienced quarterback Nico Iamaleava. But the Buckeyes struggled to stop Michigan’s rushing attack last time we saw them. Now they’re facing a Tennessee rushing attack led by SEC Player of the Year Dylan Sampson, who has carried UT’s offense this year.
On top of that, Ohio State only put up 10 points against Michigan’s defense; now they’re going up against a top-five unit. The pressure on Ohio State and Ryan Day is immeasurable, and ultimately that combined with Tennessee’s defense and rushing attack will be too much for the Buckeyes to hold on at home.
Jay Busbee
Oregon’s been the best team in the country all season, sometimes by a wide margin and sometimes by juuuuust enough to win.
Assuming they can get past Ohio State (or Tennessee) in the second round — talk about a murderously seeded bracket — the Ducks have the inside track here.
On the other side of the bracket, Penn State used up all its luck and karma in drawing SMU, Boise State and a hobbled Georgia en route to the title game. Yes, it’ll be an all-Big Ten championship … and it’ll be an absolute cage match to get there. Can’t wait.
Jason Fitz
Look, we have to have SOME chaos in the first round, right?
The matchups all look like blowouts to me, and I want an upset somewhere so I’ll take the team with the highest ceiling against a team that is coming off an uninspired effort against its biggest rival.
Tennessee has beaten itself consistently this year, especially with penalties, so I love the idea of their cleanest game of the year giving the Vols an upset. Other than that, it’s all Oregon.