The latest College Football Playoff projections are here from USA Today as they broke down the entire playoff and bowl projections. It should be noted they only ranked the top four seeds in the playoffs but noted the matchups in the first round from the other eight CFP teams, although we can note the seeds based on the second round matchups.
Remember, the 12-team College Football Playoff has a slight variation this year. The five highest ranked conference champs are guaranteed a spot, but the top four seeds (the first round byes) are strictly by ranking.
Without further ado, let’s dive into USA Today’s College Football Playoff projections and bowl game slate. We’ll start in the first round of the CFP!
No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Ohio State
Memphis is the Group of Five representative from USA Today and will hit the road against the defending champions. Ohio State welcoming a team to the Horseshoe is a good spot to be in for the postseason.
Certainly, the Buckeyes will be the heavy favorites here. It’ll take quite the effort from the Tigers to pull off this upset.
No. 11 Illinois at No. 6 Texas
Texas has massive expectations this year, like winning a national championship. They’ll return to the College Football Playoff but have a first round game, rather than a bye.
In comes Illinois, who makes the playoff for the first time in program history. Everything’s setting up for this to be a special season in Champaign.
No. 10 Utah at No. 7 Notre Dame
Utah finally makes it to the College Football Playoff in a bounce back season for Kyle Whittingham and crew. With the way USA Today projects the bracket, the Utes will win the Big 12 but be ranked low enough where they have a road game to start out the playoff.
Notre Dame returns to the CFP after finishing as the runner ups in 2024-25. The Fighting Irish expect to be back in contention this year and will have a home game to open the postseason.
LSU gets their breakthrough season under Brian Kelly and gets to the College Football Playoff. However, they’ll have to hit the road and play the Ducks.
Oregon wants to have a better CFP than last season, when they went one-and-done. Can Dan Lanning get them a win or two at least?
CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl
No. 4 Georgia vs. Memphis/Ohio State
Georgia, spoiler alert, is actually not the SEC champion here! But, they played well enough to earn a first round bye and they’ll take on Memphis or Ohio State.
USA Today didn’t predict the first round winners, so it’s tough to judge the matchup. However, the Bulldogs will be favored here.
CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl
Alabama either gets an SEC foe or a hot Oregon team in the second round. USA Today has the Crimson Tide as the top seed in the College Football Playoff after winning the SEC.
This would be a massive step up for Kalen DeBoer and crew compared to missing the dance last season. But this Sugar Bowl game would be circled if it’s one of these two matchups.
CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
No. 3 Penn State vs. Illinois/Texas
Penn State is the Big Ten champion in these College Football Playoff projections. They’ll have a Big Ten matchup against Illinois or a massive game against Texas.
Could this be the year of James Franklin finally getting it done? With the talent they have back this year, they’ll certainly have a chance.
CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl
No. 2 Clemson vs. Utah/Notre Dame
Is this the year of Clemson? It could be as USA Today projected the Tigers to be the ACC champ and the No. 2 team in the College Football Playoff.
It could be a clash of styles in either scenario. Utah or Notre Dame won’t, in all likelihood, be able to out pace Clemson in the passing game. But this could be a hard hitting, gritty affair.
CFP Semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Penn State
The projections will now give us Clemson and Penn State in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Does Dabo Swinney get another crack at a title or can James Franklin finally break through to the biggest game?
Well, the predictions give us the latter with the Nittany Lions getting the win out west. The QB matchup between Cade Klubnik and Drew Allar will certainly be one to watch.
CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Georgia
An all-SEC matchup in the semifinals. These two have seen each other plenty, including Alabama getting the win in the SEC Championship per the projections.
But, the College Football Playoff matchup goes to the Bulldogs here. Kirby Smart will have a chance to win a third national title in the end.
CFP National Championship
No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 4 Georgia
USA Today didn’t predict the winner of the College Football Playoff, but here’s your matchup! On paper, the Nittany Lions should be favored.
But, you have to throw everything out the window when you get to this point. Does Kirby Smart get the better of James Franklin in this spot? Considering the championship experience?
USA Today Preseason Bowl predictions
Saturday, Dec. 13
LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
UCLA vs. Boise State
Tuesday, Dec. 16
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas State
Wednesday, Dec. 17
StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
Georgia Southern vs. Eastern Michigan
68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
Friday, Dec. 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Tulane vs. North Carolina
Monday, Dec. 22
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
Ohio vs. Colorado State
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
Texas State vs. Western Michigan
New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Liberty vs. James Madison
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
Fresno State vs. North Texas
Wednesday, Dec. 24
Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
South Florida vs. Air Force
Friday, Dec. 26
GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Michigan State vs. Toledo
Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Baylor vs. Wisconsin
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
UTSA vs. Texas Tech
Saturday, Dec. 27
Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
Syracuse vs. Navy
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
NC State vs. Minnesota
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Georgia Tech vs. BYU
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Bowling Green vs. UNLV
Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
San Jose State vs. South Alabama
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Oklahoma vs. Miami
Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Kansas State vs. Texas A&M
Monday, Dec. 29
Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Virginia Tech vs. Auburn
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
West Virginia vs. Western Kentucky
Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Tennessee vs. Indiana
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
Iowa State vs. USC
Wednesday, Dec. 31
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Nebraska vs. Florida
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Florida State vs. Washington
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Michigan vs. Ole Miss
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Iowa vs. Washington State
Friday, Jan. 2
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Army vs. Kansas
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
TCU vs. Missouri
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Duke vs. South Carolina
TBD
Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
Time TBD, Fox
SMU vs. Arizona State
TBA (Conference USA vs. MAC)
Louisiana Tech vs. Buffalo
Source link
