RADIO
No. 16 Clemson at No. 1 Oregon - First Round (On Campus)
To kick things off, we have a playoff game Eugune. This contest would feature a hostile environment and a long road to travel for Clemson. The Tigers would keep things close in the first half, but Oregon would pull away late in the game and win its 13th consecutive game here to advance to Round 2.
Oregon 31, Clemson 17
No. 15 South Carolina at No. 2 Georgia - First Round (On Campus)
The 2024 college football season marked the first time since 1992 that Georgia and South Carolina did not face off. This would be a fun SEC matchup between the hedges, and the red-hot South Carolina Gamecocks would make it a tight contest. However, it’s tough to bet against Kirby Smart with extra time to prepare. Dawgs win.
Georgia 27, South Carolina 24
No. 14 Ole Miss at No. 3 Texas - First Round (On Campus)
Ole Miss choked away its playoff spot, but it would be firmly in the tournament if 16 teams received invites. That said, drawing a road trip to Austin to face the stud Texas Longhorns is far from ideal. While Quinn Ewers and Jaxson Dart are the big names for these two teams, both defenses would shine. Texas wins a close one.
Texas 17, Ole Miss 13
No. 13 Miami at No. 4 Penn State - First Round (On Campus)
Miami vs. Penn State would be a fun one in Happy Valley. Miami has arguably the best offense in the country, but Penn State proved it could compete in a shootout against Oregon in the Big Ten title game. Cam Ward vs. Drew Allar would be one of the best quarterback duels of the season. The home team wins here — again.
Penn State 48, Miami 38
No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Notre Dame - First Round (On Campus)
Notre Dame rebounded big time after its embarrassing loss to Northern Illinois in Week 2. The Irish lead the country in average scoring margin, so although its strength of schedule raises questions, Marcus Freeman’s squad took care of business. Meanwhile, the Sun Devils are arguably the worst team in this hypothetical 16-team field.
Notre Dame 34, Arizona State 20
No. 11 Alabama at No. 6 Ohio State - First Round (On Campus)
Now here’s a battle of blue blood programs. At times, both teams have looked like one of the best teams in the country. In other spots, neither looked like they belonged anywhere near the CFP. There is a wide range of outcomes in this matchup, and it depends on which version of Jalen Milroe shows up. If the Milroe that dominated Georgia shows up, Alabama wins. If not, Ohio State wins. Will Howard hasn’t proven he can carry a team in a big game.
Alabama 24, Ohio State 21
No. 10 SMU at No. 7 Tennessee - First Round (On Campus)
Despite losing to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, SMU is ranked firmly ahead of the Tigers. Its reward? A road trip to one of the most hostile environments in college football. The Vols have won 22 of their last 23 games in Neyland Stadium. SMU would not be prepared to handle the noise. Vols win big.
Tennessee 34, SMU 13
No. 9 Boise State at No. 8 Indiana - First Round (On Campus)
We can call this one the Cinderella matchup. Both Boise State and Indiana have been adopted as “America’s Teams” this season due to unexpected runs to the CFP. Both squads didn’t face great competition, but the Broncos hung with Oregon while Indiana was blown out by Ohio State. Running back Ashton Jeanty is the X-factor here.
Boise State 34, Indiana 30
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 9 Boise State - Quarterfinals (Neutral Site)
Back in early September, Oregon held on for a narrow victory over Boise State. The Broncos put up 34 points behind 200 total yards and three touchdowns from Ashton Jeanty. However, Oregon looks much better than they did early in the campaign, and Dillon Gabriel would slice and dice the Boise State defense in a potential rematch.
Oregon 48, Boise State 24
No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame - Quarterfinals (Neutral Site)
Here’s yet another matchup between big-name brands and X-factor quarterbacks. This is one of the toughest matchups to predict, and it would surely be a nail-biter. However, James Franklin has earned a reputation for shrinking in those moments, so give us Riley Leonard and the Irish to advance.
Notre Dame 20, Penn State 17
No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Tennessee - Quarterfinals (Neutral Site)
We saw this matchup play out during the regular season, but it was in Athens. Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel has finally gotten the Volunteers over the hump and defeated Florida and Alabama twice in the last three years, but a win over Georgia has been elusive. Expect that to continue here.
Georgia 23, Tennessee 17
No. 3 Texas vs. No. 11 Alabama - Quarterfinals (Neutral Site)
The Texas Longhorns established themselves as “SEC ready” when they defeated Nick Saban’s last Alabama squad in Tuscaloosa in 2023. This would be the first version of the Texas-Bama game involving Kalen DeBoer, and the Longhorns should be expected to have answers for Jalen Milroe in the run game.
Texas 27, Alabama 21
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Notre Dame - Semifinals (Neutral Site)
Notre Dame would be happy with two playoff wins just months after losing to Northern Illinois at home. However, the road ends here against the undefeated Ducks and Dan Lanning. Oregon’s offensive talent would be too much to handle.
Oregon 31, Notre Dame 20
No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 3 Texas - Semifinals (Neutral Site)
The third time’s a charm, right? With Carson Beck either absent or banged up from this contest, you’d have to think Texas will finally have answers in a third matchup with Georgia. Texas has been more consistent all season long, and the veteran Quinn Ewers will make the difference here.
Texas 24, Georgia 14
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Texas - National Championship (Neutral Site)
The stage is set – Oregon faces Texas in the hypothetical 16-team College Football Playoff to crown a National Champion. Picking Oregon might be boring, but that’s what we’re going with here. Dan Lanning wins his first title and puts himself in the elite coach conversation with the likes of Kirby Smart.
