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 full of drama from start to finish. There was endless politicking by coaches, athletic directors and fans, but the College Football Playoff selection committee ultimately settled on a field of twelve teams and now it’s time to make some choices.
Here are our predictions on how the first 12-team playoff will unfold.
Ross Dellenger
I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t I see 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 good reason. Michigan is just on their minds.
They went toe-to-toe at Eugene earlier this year. I think they win the rematch against Oregon in a Rose Bowl quarterfinal featuring arguably the two best teams in the country.
That would clear the way for them to eliminate a Texas team that has zero top-25 wins in the regular season to reach 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 choice was Ohio State and I really want to stay here with the Buckeyes. But I can’t trust them right now. The offense has stalled too often compared to 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 every week and its run game should be able to take down a Georgia team that will likely be without Carson Beck.
My biggest pet peeve of the tournament is Boise State versus Penn State. I liked what I saw from PSU in the Big Ten title game, but I don’t think Boise State gets enough credit.
Dan Wetzel
Oregon is the most complete team in the country and Dillon Gabriel is arguably the best quarterback in the College Football Playoff.
That will be evident throughout the game, and the Ducks should beat a very talented Georgia team in the national championship game.
Caroline Fenton
If the craziness and unpredictability of this season have taught us anything, it’s that there will undoubtedly be more chaos in a first round with four touchdown-plus spreads.
That chaos will come in Columbus, which may seem far-fetched considering Tennessee’s rather inexperienced quarterback Nico Iamaleava. But the last time we saw them, the Buckeyes were struggling to stop Michigan’s rushing attack. Now they face a Tennessee rushing attack led by SEC Player of the Year Dylan Sampson, who has run UT’s offense this year.
Additionally, Ohio State only managed 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 sustain at home.
Jay Busbee
Oregon has been the best team in the country all season, sometimes by a wide margin and sometimes just enough to win.
Assuming they can get past Ohio State (or Tennessee) in the second round — talk about a killer seeded bracket — the Ducks have the inside track here.
On the other side of the line, Penn State used all its luck and karma to lure SMU, Boise State and a stumbling Georgia to the title game. Yes, it will be an all-out Big Ten Championship…and it will be an absolute cage match to get there. I can’t wait.
Jason Fitz
Look, we’ve got 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’m pitting the team with the highest ceiling against a team that’s making an uninspired effort against its biggest rival.
Tennessee has consistently beaten themselves this year, especially on penalties, so I like the idea of their cleanest game of the year upsetting the Vols. Other than that, it’s all Oregon.
