College Football Season and Playoff Predictions for 2025
August 7, 2025
The NCAA rolled out the College Football Playoff back in 2014. For the first decade of its existence, the College Football Playoff was relatively small in scope: just four teams qualified, so the whole thing was all said and done after two semifinal games and a national championship. But in 2023, the College Football Board of Managers greenlit an expansion of the playoff format, and the 2024-25 playoff included 12 teams (Continue for our College Football Season and Playoff Predictions for 2025).
The 2025-26 college football season will be the second to follow the expanded playoff format. This year鈥檚 qualification system is basically the same, with one minor wrinkle. As was the case last year, the five highest-ranked conference champions will receive an automatic spot in the bracket. The seven next highest-ranked teams remaining will fill out the rest of the bracket. Last year, the four highest-ranked conference champs received a first-round bye, regardless of where they sat in the overall rankings. This year, though, the top four teams in the rankings will get an automatic bye, even if they鈥檙e not conference champions.
The preseason Coaches Poll at a glance
The days are starting to get shorter, which means that college football is almost upon us. The first games of the 2025-26 season鈥攐ne of which is a matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin, Ireland, of all places鈥攁re set to kick off on August 23. And earlier this week, the dropped.
Major takeaways from the preseason top 25? Fifteen of the top 25 teams represent either the Big Ten or SEC. And for the first time in school history, the Texas Longhorns open the season as the highest ranked team in college football. Part of the poll鈥檚 bullishness on Texas is attributable to the preseason favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, sophomore quarterback Arch Manning. Defending national champion Ohio State came in second on the preseason Coaches Poll, followed by Penn State, Georgia, and Notre Dame. Clemson starts the year at No. 6, and Oregon, Alabama, LSU, and Miami round out the top 10.
So with the stage set, here are the 12 teams most likely to make the College Football Playoffs this season.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025
12) Navy
Six weeks into the 2024 season, the Midshipmen had a shot at qualifying for the expanded College Football Playoff. They were 6-0, having recorded decisive wins over Bucknell, Temple, Memphis, UAB, Air Force, and Charlotte. But when they dropped two games in a row, to Notre Dame and Rice, they fell out of playoff contention. The Midshipmen still went on to a 10-3 overall record, which culminated in a win over Oklahoma in the last game of the season.
The Midshipmen鈥檚 strength last year was their offense: they were sixth in the nation in rushing and third in yards per completion, and quarterback Blake Horvath recorded more than 1200 rushing yards and 13 touchdown passes against just four interceptions.
Horvath is returning for the 2025-26 season, as are many of the receivers and backs that made the Midshipmen鈥檚 offense so dynamic last year. In other words: Navy has a chance to win the American Conference and sneak into the playoffs as the 12 seed.
11) Kansas State
Kansas State could very well end up winning the Big 12, a conference that at the moment is up for grabs. Avery Johnson is returning as quarterback after an impressive sophomore season in which he threw for 2,712 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 605 years and 7 touchdowns. What else do the Wildcats have going for them in 2025? A coach, in Chris Klieman, who hasn鈥檛 won less than eight games in a season since 2020, an elite defense, and a relatively easy schedule.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025 (Continued)
10) Miami
Last year, the Hurricanes鈥� offense was the best in college football. One of the main drivers of their offensive prowess was quarterback Cam Ward, who threw 39 touchdowns to just 7 interceptions and put up a completion percentage of 67.2%. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, Ward isn鈥檛 returning to Miami. He declared for the NFL draft after leading Miami to a 10-3 record in 2024, and the Tennessee Titans selected him as the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The good news for Miami is that they鈥檙e getting an above-average replacement in Carson Beck, who joined the Hurricanes after starting for Georgia the first two years of his college career.
9) LSU
Garrett Nussmeier has a chance this year to be the best quarterback in college football. And LSU has a favorable schedule this season; SEC rivals Florida, South Carolina, and Texas A&M will all have to face off against the Tigers in Death Valley, which is widely considered to be one of the most hostile environments for opposing teams in all of college football.
So if everything goes right for the Tigers this year, they鈥檇 be the fourth team from the SEC to make the playoff.
8) Oregon
The Ducks lost a number of their key offensive and defensive contributors from last year, but they鈥檙e led by Dan Lanning, who is widely considered to be one of the best young coaches in college football. This year, Dante Moore鈥攁 former five-star prospect鈥攚ill replace Dillon Gabriel at the quarterback position. If Moore can put together a consistent season, and running back Makhi Hughes has another prolific offensive year, then the Ducks are poised for another run at the conference title and a playoff berth.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025 (Continued)
7) Alabama
Quarterback Jalen Milroe–who last year amassed 2,844 passing yards, 16 passing touchdowns, 726 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns for the Crimson Tide鈥攊s currently suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks after going third in the 2025 NFL draft. The loss of Milroe is a major blow for Alabama, but oddsmakers still predict Alabama鈥檚 offense as constructed in 2025 will be amongst the best in the sport. That鈥檚 because Alabama still boasts one of the best wide receivers in college football, Ryan Williams. Last year, Williams made his college football debut at the age of 17. His freshman season, he totaled 48 receptions for 865 yards and 8 touchdowns.
6) Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish are coming off a 2024 season in which they went 14-2, finished the year as the second highest ranked team in college, and made it to their first National Championship game since 2012. As the national runners-up鈥攖hey fell to Ohio State 34-23 in last year鈥檚 championship鈥擭otre Dame is certainly one of the favorites to nab a playoff berth (ESPN puts their at 45.6%).
This season, freshman CJ Carr will likely take over the quarterback position from Riley Leonard, who was drafted sixth by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2025 NFL Draft. Carr is a freshman, but he won鈥檛 have to light up every offensive statistical category for the Fighting Irish to thrive; Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, two of the best running backs in college football, are returning for Notre Dame鈥檚 2025 campaign.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025 (Continued)
5) Clemson
The Tigers are a safe bet to make the 2025 College Football Playoff (technically, ESPN put their odds to make it at just over 47%). Last year, the Tigers were one of the highest-scoring offenses in the league as quarterback Cade Klubnik racked up a total of 43 touchdowns (36 of which were passing, 7 rushing). Klubnik will be back for the 2025-26 season, along with many components of last year鈥檚 high-octane offense. Last year, Clemson snuck into the playoff at the 12 seed, and they were knocked out by Texas in the first round. It was their first playoff berth in four years.
4) Penn State
The Nittany Lions made a deep run in last year鈥檚 College Football Playoff. In fact, they advanced all the way to the semifinal round before being knocked out by Notre Dame. They鈥檒l be entering the 2025 season with much of the same offensive core. Quarterback Drew Allar, who threw for 3327 yards at a 66.5% completion rate last year, is returning, as are running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, both of whom ran for more than 1000 yards in 2024.
Notre Dame鈥檚 defense is also getting a revamp: former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles will take over the Nittany Lion鈥檚 defense in 2025.
Those are all pretty compelling arguments for Penn State making another run in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff; the oddsmakers at ESPN gave the Nittany Lions a 63.8% likelihood of securing a spot in this year鈥檚 postseason.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025 (Continued)
3) Ohio State
The team Ohio State fields this year will look a lot different than last year鈥檚 national championship team. Will Howard, the QB that led the Buckeyes to the promised land last year, is gone, along with prolific wide receiver Emeke Egbuka and a number of elite edge rushers and blockers.
But arguably the best wide receiver in the country, Jeremiah Smith, returns for the 2025 season, and the Buckeyes still boast an elite defense. ESPN gave Ohio State a 70.6% chance of making the College Football Playoff.
2) Georgia
Even though they will have to make several key replacements this year, the Bulldogs remain one of the most talented teams in college football. Last year, their run game was a major liability; it ranked 15th in the SEC, a conference of 16 teams. The Bulldogs鈥� success this year will hinge on the development of quarterback Gunner Stockton and his ability to revamp the team鈥檚 run game.
Last year, the Bulldogs went 11-3. Two of their three losses鈥攖o Alabama and Ole Miss鈥攃ame on the road. This year though, the Bulldogs will face the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs at home.
According to ESPN, Georgia has a 78.6% chance of making the playoff.
1) Texas
A number of key players left the Longhorns after the 2024-25 season, but the incoming recruitment class, the transfers, and the remaining core all give Texas an extremely competitive team. Add to the mix prot茅g茅 QB Arch Manning, and Texas is all but a lock to make the College Football Playoff. ESPN put the Longhorns鈥� likelihood of making the playoff at 83.9%.
College Football Playoff Predictions – 2025 – Additional Resources
- 35 Best College Football Uniforms
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- Winningest College Football Coaches of All-Time
- 20 Highest Scoring College Football Games
- Undefeated College Football Teams Since 1990
- 25 Best College Football Teams of All Time
