College Football Playoff Bracket & CFP Predictions: Who Will Reach The National Championship?

For the first time, the College Football Playoff has 12 teams instead of four. This gives more FBS teams an opportunity to compete for a national championship in the postseason.

But almost every game in the CFP has been won decisively. Will the semifinals be lopsided as well? A lot of Boise State fans, and Group of Five fans for that matter, will likely be rooting for Penn State at this point after the Broncos lost to the Nittany Lions in the Fiesta Bowl.

Here’s my predictions for the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl which are being played this week.

CFP Bracket Prediction

I predict Penn State and Texas will be the two teams in the College Football Playoff national championship.

Orange Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Penn State Prediction

I predict Penn State will and cover the spread at +1. I also project the game will go Under 45.5 total points.

Both of these programs have been dominant defensively in the postseason thus far, as neither team has allowed anyone to score more than 17 points in any of their combined four CFP games. Notre Dame limited Georgia and Indiana to a total of 27 points. Penn State, meanwhile, is fresh off a win over Boise State where the Nittany Lions gave up just 14 points and limited Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty to 104 rushing yards on 30 carries. Penn State also thwarted SMU’s offensive game plan and gave up 10 points in the opening round of the CFP.

That’s why I think this game will be low-scoring, although the health of Penn State star defensive end and potential first-round draft pick Abdul Carter is worth monitoring. Either way, I expect Penn State quarterback Drew Allar will make enough precise throws, just like he did early against Boise State, to put his team in position to win.

Cotton Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas Prediction

I predict Texas will win and cover the six-point spread. I also project the game will go Over 53.5 total points.

There’s no doubt this Texas team looked vulnerable during the CFP quarterfinals. But Arizona State is much better than people are willing to give the team credit for, in my opinion. Texas also beat Clemson 38-24 in the first round of the CFP, which may give some reason for concern. But again, I also think Clemson isn’t a bad team.

I believe battling through close games will better prepare Texas for this moment and that quarterback Quinn Ewers, who has plenty of CFP experience, will thrive in this matchup. I also think Ohio State has been desperate to win more than any other team after falling against rival Michigan, and I expect the Buckeyes’ momentum to run out soon.

Ohio State has put up over 40 points in its last two contests against Oregon and Tennessee, and Texas has also scored at a high clip with 39 points against Arizona State and 38 against Clemson. So I anticipate this will be a high-scoring tilt. And if it is, I like Texas to find a way to prevail.

2025 CFP National Championship Prediction

I predict Texas will win the College Football Playoff national championship.

Right now, I think the Longhorns, no matter who’s at quarterback, is the best squad in college football. From my perspective, Texas is the most complete team and is the most prepared to make it through a daunting CFP bracket.

New 12 Team College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff featured 12 teams for the first time this season.

The five highest-ranked conference champions in the FBS – decided by the CFP Selection Committee – made up the field, as well as the seven highest-ranked teams that didn’t win a conference title.

The four conference title winners ranked the highest earned a bye, while the remaining squads competed in the first round. 

Re-seeding will not occur, nor were alterations made to avoid rematches from the regular season or contests between teams in the same conference.

2024-2025 College Football Playoff Schedule

The first round of the CFP was played on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The CFP quarterfinals took place on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. The CFP semifinals will occur on Thursday, Jan. 9, and Friday, Jan. 10. 

The winner of the Ohio State-Texas game and the winner of the Penn State-Notre Dame contest will see each other in the national championship. That will be played on Monday, Jan. 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.