After the College Football Playoff debuted its 12-team bracket last year, changes are coming. The field will now move to a straight-seeding model, and On3’s Zak Herbstreit logged his predictions for the full bracket, as well as the national championship.
The 12-team CFP will still have the five highest-ranked conference champions in the field, along with seven-at large teams. However, byes will now go to the four highest-ranked teams, rather than to the four highest-ranked conference champions.
The road to the College Football Playoff officially starts this month. Here are Zak Herbstreit’s full CFP predictions for the 2025 season.
First-round byes
1. Georgia
Georgia is sure to be a team to watch once again in the SEC. The Bulldogs were picked second in the preseason poll behind Texas, but Zak Herbstreit predicted Kirby Smart’s group to win the league and become the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
UGA will have a new look at quarterback this year as Gunner Stockton takes over as the starter following Carson Beck’s departure, though he got experience in last year’s CFP against Notre Dame. The Bulldogs also added some speed to the offense by landing former USC receiver and returner Zachariah Branch in the portal.
2. Penn State
With its quarterback and both running backs returning, Penn State is generating plenty of buzz as a potential national title contender. Zak Herbstreit predicts the Nittany Lions to win the Big Ten and become the No. 2 team in the College Football Playoff bracket.
Drew Allar will look to take another leap forward in Year 2 of Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, and he’ll have the two-headed monster of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen coming back, as well. Dani Dennis-Sutton is also set to anchor a potent pass rush, giving Penn State some important talent as it looks to make a run in a crowded Big Ten.
3. Miami
After just missing out on the ACC championship in 2024, Miami looked to reload this offseason. The biggest addition came at quarterback as Carson Beck comes in as the heir apparent to Cam Ward after he went No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.
Beck headlines a transfer class which ranked No. 5 in the country this offseason. Miami was also hot on the high school recruiting trail, giving the Hurricanes a blend of experienced and up-and-coming talent to round out the roster ahead of a pivotal 2025 season for Mario Cristobal.
4. Texas
Despite being picked first in the SEC preseason poll, Texas falls to Georgia in the SEC Championship in Zak Herbstreit’s predictions. However, due to the new College Football Playoff seeding process, the Longhorns would still get a first-round bye as the No. 4-ranked team.
All eyes are on Arch Manning this year as he officially takes over as the full-time starter. The hype is building, though the Longhorns have talent at other key positions – such as running back and safety – to remain a contender after back-to-back CFP semifinal berths.
First-round matchups (at campus sites)
12. Boise State at 5. Ohio State
The defending national champions fall to Penn State in the Big Ten Championship, according to Zak Herbstreit. Ohio State still comes in as the No. 5 seed, though, as it looks to repeat – while still looking for a starting quarterback, as well.
As the No. 12 seed, Boise State would be the fifth highest-ranked conference champion and, therefore, round out the field. The Broncos notably lose Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty this year, but still have quarterback Maddux Madsen back to lead the offense in 2025.
11. Utah at 6. Clemson
Clemson put together quite the run to the College Football Playoff a year ago, led by Cade Klubnik amid his breakout season. The Tigers will look to continue building that success in 2025 with the most returning production in the country, according to ESPN, including Klubnik.
Utah, meanwhile, is looking to rebound from a rocky debut season in the Big 12 with Devon Dampier opening eyes through the offseason program. The Utes are Zak Herbstreit’s projected conference champion, clinching the No. 11 seed and a trip to Clemson in the bracket.
10. Oregon at 7. Alabama
After winning the Big Ten last year, Oregon still has some question marks entering 2025. The Ducks have a slew of new faces, including under center as Dillon Gabriel headed to the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, but still come in as the No. 10 team in Zak Herbstreit’s predictions.
Oregon would take a trip to Tuscaloosa in this bracket as Alabama comes in as the No. 7 seed. The Crimson Tide just missed out on the CFP last year, but have Ryan Williams returning at wide receiver with a staunch offensive line to protect a new quarterback – which is shaping up to be Ty Simpson as camp rolls along.
9. LSU at 8. Notre Dame
An intriguing matchup awaits in Zak Herbstreit’s 8-9 game with Notre Dame taking on LSU. It would mark Brian Kelly’s first game back in South Bend after leaving the Fighting Irish as his Tigers would take on a program fresh off a national title run – though still deciding on a quarterback.
Notre Dame has a star running back returning in Jeremiyah Love, who’s expected to play a central role in the offense. On the other side, LSU has Garrett Nussmeier back for another year after he opted not to declare for the NFL Draft, and the Tigers are receiving plenty of attention as a possible contender this year after some transfer portal splashes.
Quarterfinals
Ohio State vs. Texas
A rematch of last year’s Cotton Bowl would be in the cards for this bracket as Ohio State and Texas square off in the quarterfinals. It would also mark their third showdown in a calendar year.
The Buckeyes and Longhorns are set to square off in Columbus to open the 2025 season. That also marks Arch Manning’s first game as the full-time starter, as well as Lee Corso’s final appearance on College GameDay before his retirement – making it one of the most anticipated games of the year.
LSU vs. Georgia
An SEC vs. SEC matchup awaits in the quarterfinals of Zak Herbstreit’s College Football Playoff bracket. LSU and Georgia would await at a bowl game site, which would mark another intriguing matchup for a spot in the semifinals.
The Tigers and Bulldogs last played in the 2022 SEC Championship during Brian Kelly’s first year as head coach – a 50-22 UGA victory. This matchup would be on an even bigger scale, with the winner advancing to the semifinals.
Clemson vs. Miami
Another intra-conference matchup would highlight the third College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in Zak Herbstreit’s bracket. Clemson and Miami would be vying for one of the semifinal spots.
The Tigers and Hurricanes were not on each other’s schedule last year and will not play in the regular season this year, either. However, they were predicted to square off in the ACC Championship this year, meaning there’s the potential for multiple postseason matchups.
Alabama vs. Penn State
Zak Herbstreit’s final College Football Playoff quarterfinal would see Alabama take on Penn State for a spot in the semis. That would present quite the matchup considering the amount of big names on both sides.
Penn State and Alabama present a battle of two intriguing offenses, as well as defenses that could also play key roles in CFP runs. As a result, Herbstreit called it “probably the best game to watch” in his predicted bracket.
Semifinals
Ohio State vs. Georgia
The last time Ohio State and Georgia squared off in a national semifinal, it came down to a field goal. A rematch could be in the cards on the big stage once again, according to Zak Herbstreit.
UGA took down the Buckeyes in that 2022 matchup as part of the program’s back-to-back national championships. Ohio State is in a much different spot this time around, though, as it comes off a title of its own – presenting quite the matchup against the Bulldogs
Clemson vs. Penn State
Clemson advances all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals in Zak Herbstreit’s bracket, setting up a showdown against Penn State. The two teams are talked about as title contenders, but are also some of the most experienced.
Both teams have senior quarterbacks in Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik, leading offenses which also have upperclassmen at wide receiver and running back. That would make for a thrilling matchup with a spot in the national championship on the line.
National championship: Georgia vs. Penn State
In his national championship, Zak Herbstreit has a Big Ten vs. SEC showdown. He has Penn State taking on Georgia.
Herbstreit predicted the Nittany Lions would finally get over the hump, taking down the Bulldogs to bring home a title. Between the offense’s returning talent and the defense’s strength – not to mention a new coordinator in Jim Knowles – he thinks James Franklin will finally win the big one.
Just two Saturdays remain until Week 0 when college football starts to make its return. From there, the race to the College Football Playoff will begin for what’s shaping up to be an interesting season.