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Nine bold predictions for the 2024-25 College Football Playoff. Picks and analysis for the rest of the college football playoffs beginning with quarterfinal action.
Ashton Jeanty Fails To Reach 100 Yards Against Penn State
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty finished second in the Heisman Trophy race behind Colorado’s do-it-all superstar Travis Hunter. The junior rushed for at least 127 yards in all 13 games this season and posted at least 200 rushing yards on six occasions. If Boise State is going to upset Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, Jeanty will need another vintage performance. However, the Penn State defensive front is one of the best in the country, and the Nittany Lions have allowed the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (100.4) in 2024.
Everyone wants to see Jeanty run wild on the national stage on New Year’s Eve, but the elite Big Ten defense will shut him down as Penn State cruises to an easy win. Expect Penn State to force quarterback Maddux Madsen to try to beat them. That won’t end well.
Texas Beats Arizona State By Four Touchdowns
Arizona State has been a fun team to root for this season. The Sun Devils won its finals six games including the Big 12 title game against Iowa State to clinch a first-round bye in the first 12-team CFP. Running back Cam Skattebo is a former FCS player who finished in the top 10 for the Heisman this season, and he was especially electric the last time we saw Arizona State play.
That said, Texas is exponentially more talented and battle-tested. While Longhorns’ quarterback Quinn Ewers had his fair share of ups and downs, he now has two games of CFP experience. Meanwhile, Arizona State rolls in with redshirt freshman Sam Leavitt in a matchup with one of the few teams with a claim to have the best defense in the nation. Arizona State has had extra time to prepare and could keep this game close in the first quarter with trick plays and bizarre looks on defense, but Texas will pull away and be playing their backups in the fourth quarter.
Notre Dame Holds Georgia Under 14 Points
Notre Dame has earned a reputation for shrinking in big games over the last two decades, but this Irish squad is built differently. Meanwhile, Georgia looks vulnerable despite being the SEC Champion and No. 2 seed in the bracket. Carson Beck (elbow) is out for the season, so Gunner Stockton will make his first career start. Needless to say, this is not an ideal time to make a debut.
The Irish defense has allowed just 13.8 points per game this season. Make fun of Notre Dame for losing to Northern Illinois all you want, but its defense was not the reason that disastrous upset happened. Marcus Freeman’s stop unit allowed 20 or more points only twice this year in 13 outings. With Georgia weaker at quarterback, offensive line, and pass-catcher than in previous seasons, we’re calling for Notre Dame to hold Georgia under 14 points in an ugly win. If high-scoring contests are your thing, this might not be the game for you.
Oregon Sweeps Ohio State To Advance To Semifinals
This might not be the spiciest take on the list, but the Buckeyes are favored to beat the Ducks in the Rose Bowl rematch on New Year’s Day. Ohio State played its best game of the season in the 42-17 blowout win over the Tennessee Volunteers, but the talent gap was evident, and the game was played in Ohio Stadium.
In a neutral-site bout between two squads with elite talent, we’re trusting quarterback Dillon Gabriel over Will Howard and head coach Dan Lanning over Ryan Day. The Buckeyes are at their best when they are airing it out to their trio of fantastic wideouts. With Lanning having more than an extra week to prepare and likely expecting Ohio State to be the next opponent, we’re betting on Oregon’s No. 9 ranked pass defense in this matchup.
Texas Beats Oregon By Two Scores To Advance
After rolling Clemson and Arizona State, Texas heads into a matchup with Oregon in the Cotton Bowl. A matchup with the undefeated Ducks before even reaching the National Championship Game is daunting, but if they can overcome this challenge, you have to like their chances to take home the CFP trophy.
This would be a fascinating matchup between two of the top five most talented teams in the country. Dillon Gabriel vs. Quinn Ewers. Dan Lanning’s defense vs. Steve Sarkisian’s offense. This game has it all. However, expect Texas to be fresher following an easy win over ASU, while Oregon would still be reeling for a hard-fought victory over Ohio State. That will become a factor late in the game. Texas wins 34 to 24 to advance to the National Championship.
Notre Dame Beats Penn State In Another Defensive Battle
After beating Georgia, Notre Dame would roll into the Orange Bowl against Penn State with unmatched confidence. Penn State would be fresh after beating two subpar opponents, but the Irish defense would continue to flex its muscles in this spot.
Penn State QB Drew Allar has flashed at times this year, but his performance against Ohio State earlier this season brings cause for concern in a matchup with another elite secondary. Notre Dame’s defensive backs headlined by All-American safety Xavier Watts would make life miserable for Allar en route to another close, low-scoring victory for the Irish.
Quinn Ewers Throws Multiple Interceptions In National Title Game
Quinn Ewers has thrown 10 interceptions in 12 games this season, and Notre Dame ranks third nationally in interceptions per game (1.4). Ewers is not scared to put the football in harm’s way, and sometimes that results in big plays for the Horns. However, the Irish secondary is elite in terms of making plays on the ball, so that’s the call here.
Riley Leonard Runs Wild Against Texas
Texas is statistically one of the best rushing defenses in the country. However, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and Vanderbilt quarterback Deigo Pavia each eclipsed 60 rushing yards against the Longhorns. Meanwhile, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has rushed for 57.8 rushing yards per game this year, and that includes negative yardage for sacks.
The Texas defensive front would likely have some success in limiting Notre Dame’s running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, so Leonard would have to be the X-factor in the rushing attack. Leonard runs for over 100 yards and a score in this potential matchup.
Notre Dame Wins Its First National Championship Since 1988
We already predicted Quinn Ewers would have multiple turnovers and Riley Leonard would dominate on the ground, so naturally, that suggests Notre Dame would take down Texas in the CFP National Championship Game. After Brian Kelly failed to get over the hump for over a decade in South Bend, current head coach Marcus Freeman wins the Big One and establishes himself as one of the elites.
Final College Football Championship Picks
Quarterfinals
- Texas over Arizona State
- Oregon over Ohio State
- Penn State over Boise State
- Notre Dame over Georgia
Semifinals
- Texas over Oregon
- Notre Dame over Penn State
National Championship
- Notre Dame over Texas
