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Brant's bold predictions for the 2025 college football season, including picks for Clemson, Georgia, Indiana, Utah, Nebraska, and more. Read the college football outlook.
Believe it or not, the new college football season is here. The season kicks off on August 23rd with Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin.
Making bold predictions is a given at this point in the summer. Anybody who predicted Indiana or Arizona State to the playoffs at this time last summer would have been scoffed at or called unserious. Underdogs carry the sport of college football, and while they very rarely bring home the national title, they make it a lot of fun along the way.
Heading into 2025, here are ten bold but realistic predictions for the college football season that lies ahead of us.
No. 10: Clemson Goes Undefeated
This may not be super bold given the current state of the ACC, but Dabo Swinney’s Clemson Tigers have fallen from the top of the sport. They have lost three or more games every season since 2021, and while they did make the playoffs last year, it took a lot to fall their way to sneak in as the final automatic qualifier.
This bold prediction can go wrong real quick, as Clemson opens the season against a talented LSU team. They also face tough games at Georgia Tech on September 13th, at Bill Belichick’s North Carolina team on October 4th, hosting both SMU and a rejuvenated Florida State team, and they play on the road at both Louisville and South Carolina.
Clemson has by far the most challenging schedule that an ACC team plays this season, yet I believe that this iteration of Swinney’s Tigers can come out of it unscathed. They have the most returning starters in the nation, led by quarterback Cade Klubnik. On defense, they have a boatload of projected first-round talent. This should be Swinney’s most talented team in a long time, and the fact that they all have played together over the past few seasons only helps the case.
No. 9: Auburn Defeats Georgia for First Time Since 2017
Now is the time to get real bold. Auburn has been a bottom-dweller in the SEC for the past couple of seasons and has not achieved more than six wins since 2019. Georgia, on the other hand, has recorded double-digit wins every year except 2020 since 2017. Kirby Smart is the embodiment of consistency, while Hugh Freeze is chaos.
Smart has called last season one of his best coaching jobs, and the Bulldogs finished 11-3 while getting run over in the Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame. Fast forward to this season, and they have even less talent than they had a season ago with many key contributors on both sides of the ball off to the NFL. Gunner Stockton, the presumed starting quarterback, has not demonstrated the ability to effectively manage an SEC offense.
33 days until Auburn Football
Kerryon Johnson takes it 55 yards to the house. Auburn beats Georgia 40-17 in 2017. pic.twitter.com/RJusESLf0K
— Top Tier Auburn (@TopTierAuburn) July 30, 2024
As for Auburn, this program has nowhere to go but up, and they have the most talent they have had in the door in years. The fans are ready to win again, Freeze is firmly on the hot seat, transfer quarterback Jackson Arnold has a lot to prove and is surrounded by weapons, and it all might be lining up at the right time for the Tigers.
If they can pull off two of three against Baylor, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M, the crowd will be absolutely buzzing when Georgia comes to town on October 11th. This game can serve as a “we’re back” moment, and I believe that it will when comparing the talent on each roster.
No. 8: Georgia Misses the Playoffs
While we’re on the topic of Georgia, I think this team is due for a setback that could miss the playoffs. Last season, it was Alabama; this season, it is Georgia, and next season, we expand to sixteen teams because of it.
I said we were going to get bold, and this feels like one of the boldest statements that can be made. The Bulldogs seem like a yearly lock in a 12-team format. Outside of 2020, when there were just 10 games, Smart has won less than 11 games just one time, and it was in his first season at the helm.
This is not a knock on Smart - he is currently the king of this era of college football. As mentioned above, I’m not sold on Stockton, who struggled to get the offense moving in his limited game action in 2024. Defensively, they lost a majority of their production. Mykel Williams, Jalon Walker, Malaki Starks, Dan Jackson, and Smael Mondon Jr. are off to the NFL.
Georgia has always been able to reload in the past, but I’m less sold on the inexperienced players backfilling the departed stars to keep this defense elite enough to compensate for what I anticipate could be a lackluster offense.
Throw in the fact that the schedule includes games at Tennessee, against Alabama, at Auburn, against Ole Miss, at Florida, against Texas, and at Georgia Tech, and I am having a hard time making the case to put them in the field. This looks like at least a three-loss team to me.
No. 7: Indiana Pulls Off Upset of the Year Over Oregon
In 2024, Big Ten teams went 1-8 when traveling at least two time zones. East Coast teams playing on the West Coast and vice versa proved to be tough in the first year of the expanded conference. The only team that got a win? Indiana, as they trounced UCLA 42-13 early in the season.
“Thank you for coming”
A teary-eyed Scott Dolson looks at Indiana fans after IU’s convincing 42-13 victory over UCLA. #iufb pic.twitter.com/uxmcLVnRmT
— Josh Pos (@pos_josh) September 15, 2024
Everybody is high on Oregon this season, coming off of an impressive Big Ten debut that saw them go undefeated and coast to the conference title. The schedule appears to be manageable, with no Ohio State or Michigan games, but there is one game that is flying under the radar.
October 11th, when Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers travel to Eugene. Circle it now. Both teams will be coming off of a bye, but Oregon will have played at Penn State the week before. That game will likely be a loss, which could spiral out of control if quarterback Dante Moore is not ready to handle the pressure. Moore has limited experience, having last started in 2023 for UCLA and performed poorly.
The way that Oregon quarterbacks have played the last few seasons in Dan Lanning’s system has everybody high on Moore, but I’m here to tell you to take a step back. The Ducks were relentlessly trying to recruit Quinn Ewers to return to school, indicating that they were not ready to roll with Moore under center.
All of the quarterbacks who have succeeded in Lanning’s system have been veterans with loads of experience. Moore is the opposite.
As for Indiana, they return a lot more than people think from last year’s overachieving team. They plugged holes with strong transfer portal additions, and should have upgraded quarterback play with former Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza set to start. This game is certainly already scheduled on the team’s calendar. If they win this game, they have a solid chance to return to the playoffs.
Winning while traveling two time zones is not easy in Big Ten play, but this looks to be the perfect storm for an upset of the year in Eugene on October 11th.
No. 6: Utah Bounces Back, is in Playoff Hunt
The Utah Utes went 5-7 last season, suffering their first losing season since 2013. History shows that longtime coach Kyle Whittingham will not let this program remain down, and in a wide-open Big 12, they could certainly surprise and land near the top of the conference.
Longtime quarterback Cam Rising is finally gone after playing just three games in the past two seasons, and the Utes turn to New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier to lead the offense. Between Dampier, Washington State transfer running back Wayshawn Parker, and one of the best offensive lines in the nation anchored by future first-round pick Spencer Fano, the Utes’ rush offense has the potential to be one of the nation’s best.
pic.twitter.com/bynj0iO6cj So excited for Devon Dampier 😮💨
— WhittsBurner (@WhittsBurner) July 21, 2025
Whittingham’s teams typically are known for their defense, and Morgan Scalley’s defensive unit returns a good amount of their starters from the strength of last year’s team. With a revamped offense and a stout defense, the Utes should be the strongest Big 12 team in the trenches.
They’ll be tested right out of the gates as they play UCLA in Week 1. The rest of the non-conference schedule is not daunting, and they will host both Arizona State and Kansas State. With a proven coach, a much-improved offense, and continuity on defense, the Utes will be contending for the playoffs at the end of the season.
No. 5: Dylan Raiola, Matt Rhule Propel Nebraska into Playoff Picture
The Matt Rhule rule is that his teams steadily improve each season that he is at the helm. It happened at Temple, then at Baylor, and now at Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers went to their first bowl game last year since 2016 - with a freshman quarterback calling the shots.
Dylan Raiola showcased talent, but at the end of the day, he was a true freshman in 2024. With another year of experience, Raiola should be much improved and can help propel the Cornhuskers’ offense to the next level. Adding a reliable target in Kentucky transfer Dane Key and enhancing the offensive line with Notre Dame transfer Rocco Spindler will only help Raiola take the next step.
After making and winning a bowl game, the next step for Rhule at Nebraska is to make the playoffs. This year’s schedule should allow them a shot to do so. The most challenging game before November 22nd is either Michigan or USC, and Nebraska plays both at home. They then close the season out with a road game at Penn State and a home game against Iowa.
There is a legitimate chance that the Black Friday matchup with Iowa could be for a playoff spot as long as things go as planned for Rhule this season.
No. 4: ACC Lands Two Playoff Teams Again
These days, the ACC is often discussed as a Group of 5 conference. Alas, they were able to sneak two teams into the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff with 3-loss Clemson taking down SMU in the conference title game in 2024.
While landing two teams will be difficult for them, Clemson should take one spot. As mentioned earlier, I believe this year’s Tigers have what it takes to go undefeated. That being said, they do have a tougher schedule than any other ACC team and could drop a few along the way. Even if they lose two regular season games, I see them winning the ACC title game.
The other team I’m considering for a CFP push? Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets were a feisty team a season ago, and return a lot of their production. Their two toughest games, Clemson and Georgia, are both at home. The Week 1 game at Colorado may determine their playoff fate, as it is a must-win if they want to secure a spot in the playoffs.
I believe that if this team wins one of the Clemson or Georgia games, going 11-1 on the season, it will put them into the playoff picture.
You see where I’m going - 11-2 after an ACC title loss to Clemson, with a win over Georgia or Clemson, and a win at Colorado, seems to be a stronger resume than SMU’s 11-2 resume was a year ago. If Georgia Tech falters, other potential ACC playoff contenders include Louisville, SMU, and Miami. Regardless, I do think that two teams can sneak into the field again from this conference.
No. 3: Navy vs. Tulane for the American Title is a Playoff Play-In Game
The freshly rebranded American Conference will be the most exciting Group of 5 conference this season. Navy returns a lot of production from last year’s exciting team including dual-threat quarterback Blake Horvath, Tulane just added BYU transfer Jake Retzlaff to quarterback a talented team, Army went undefeated in conference play a season ago, Memphis is always a threat, USF has scared a number of Power 5 teams over the past few seasons, UTSA returns a lot of offensive production, and Florida Atlantic loaded up in the transfer portal.
There will be upsets along the way, and this conference will beat each other up, which could hurt their CFP hopes as Boise State plays in what should be an easier Mountain West. That being said, I believe that Navy and Tulane are a step above the rest of the conference.
Tulane’s non-conference schedule includes Northwestern, Duke, and Ole Miss. Navy will face Notre Dame, as does Boise State. If Navy can keep it closer with the Irish than Boise can, it bodes well for the American’s CFP hopes. As for Tulane, wins over Power 5 opponents, such as Northwestern and Duke, would set them up very well.
If both teams can navigate a tough conference schedule and emerge as the top two teams that I believe they are, the title game will be a playoff-like game.
No. 2: Wisconsin Struggles, Fires Luke Fickell Mid-Season
With expanded conferences, conference schedules are no longer all the same degree of difficulty. Wisconsin takes the brunt of it this year in the Big Ten.
While Luke Fickell has recruited decently over the course of his first two seasons with the Badgers, the on-field product has been lackluster. He went 7-6 in his first year, followed by an underwhelming 5-7 season. This year is make-or-break for the former Cincinnati coach, and the setup could not be more brutal.
The Badgers brought in Maryland transfer Billy Edwards Jr. to lead the way after suffering from lackluster quarterback play over Fickell’s first two seasons. Edwards’ first season starting was full of ups and downs, but ultimately, he was likely surrounded by more talent at Maryland than he will be at Wisconsin.
Fickell likely needs to make a bowl game to keep his job, as Badgers’ fans are used to being near the top of the Big Ten. With the talent he has on his roster paired with what we’ve seen from him so far in the Big Ten, I find it very hard to believe that this team comes close to sniffing a bowl game.
The first two games are cupcakes. After that, it is straight to business. The Badgers play at Alabama, host Maryland, at Michigan, host Iowa, host Ohio State, at Oregon, host Washington, at Indiana, host Illinois, and at Minnesota. The only top-end team they dodge is Penn State, and the only game they might be favored in during that stretch is Maryland.
With the schedule they face ahead, I would be shocked if Fickell is still on the sidelines by the time of the Minnesota game.
No. 1: Nicholas Singleton is Invited to New York
The last time a running back won the Heisman was in 2015 when Derrick Henry received the award. Ashton Jeanty nearly pulled off the feat last season, but fell short to Travis Hunter.
Penn State has not had a Heisman finalist since Saquon Barkley finished fourth in 2017. That historical season is the bar for Nicholas Singleton, who is splitting a backfield with Kaytron Allen, in order to be considered a Heisman finalist.
Barkley ran for 1,271 yards and 18 touchdowns, while catching 54 passes for 632 yards and three touchdowns in that 2017 season. Comparatively, Singleton ran for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns, catching 41 passes for 375 yards and five touchdowns in 2024.
Nothing beats a Nick Singleton house call 🦁 pic.twitter.com/0WAKk60I53
— The Basic Blues Podcast (@BasicBluesPod) June 10, 2025
Penn State’s offense played through star tight end Tyler Warren last year. With Warren off to the NFL, Singleton looks to be the next man up. The Nittany Lions underwent major upgrades this offseason to their receiver room with the additions of Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross, and Kyron Hudson. With talent at the receiver position, defenses will have to account for more than they did last season, freeing up space for Singleton.
Singleton will cede carries and touchdowns to Allen, but make no mistake - this is a run-first offense. Singleton will be on the field on passing downs and has proven to be a capable playmaker in the receiving game.
With Penn State projecting as one of the best teams in college football this year, a big season from Singleton as their offensive focal point could very well land him in New York at the end of the year.
