The College Football Playoffs enters the second year of an expanded field, with 12 teams again set to decide the national champion across the Football Bowl Subdivision.
There are a couple tweaks to the system in 2025. The four highest-ranked teams will earn the top four seeds — and byes — regardless if they won their conference championship. Also, the CFP selection committee also recently announced it will put greater emphasis on strength of schedule.
Here is a look at the Journal Star’s College Football Playoff predictions, including our picks for the entire field and who each of us think will win the national championship:
CFP predictions 2025: Wes Huett picks the field
The Big Ten and SEC will easily land three teams each in the CFP field, followed by Notre Dame and the champions of the ACC (Clemson), Mountain West (Boise State) and Big 12 (Arizona State). That leaves the final two spots up for grabs. In filling those, the committee will need to weigh the resumes of fourth-best in the SEC and Big Ten (LSU and Illinois) against second-best in the ACC and Big 12 (Miami and Iowa State).
CFP predictions 2025: Adam Duvall picks the field
The Big Ten and SEC champs will land the top two seeds, followed by ACC champion Clemson and Notre Dame. Arizona State (Big 12) and Navy (AAC) pick up the final automatic bid. As for other at-larges, the Big Ten will grab one more spot than the SEC, with USC getting into the field.
CFP predictions 2025: Dave Eminian picks the field
The field is top-heavy heading into the 2025 season, with probably a half-dozen teams as legit national title contenders. Power conferences Big Ten, SEC and ACC will rule the top half of the 12-team playoff field. More important it’s quarterback-driven, as Ohio State, Texas and Notre Dame all break in new QB1s. Penn State has the most experienced returner in Drew Allar. Don’t sleep on Michigan or Illinois as third Big Ten teams entering the field if someone in the bottom six slips.
Who wins College Football Playoff 2025? Our picks are in
Adam Duvall: Alabama over Ohio State
Alabama is back on top of the college football world. The Crimson Tide gets its first national title since 2020 and saves Kalen DeBoer’s job. Bama not only navigated its tough SEC slate but goes unblemished through the 12-team playoff.
Wes Huett: Ohio State over Texas
Ohio State survives a rigged Big Ten Conference season and again navigates a gauntlet in the CFP. This season, I think getting the top seed is a huge advantage given how top-heavy the field will be; it allows the Buckeyes to avoid the top-ranked at-large teams until the semifinals. Coach Ryan Day and OSU will again hoist the trophy and keep the title in the Big Ten for the third consecutive season.
Dave Eminian: Texas over Ohio State
I have no idea if these two teams, with new quarterbacks, will fill this title game card. I just know it’s the game I want to see at the end. Will Arch Manning live up to expectations? Can Ohio State beat Texas twice (once during the regular season)? The Buckeyes got Tennessee thrown at them in the first round last year, and then ended up with Oregon in the semifinals, a game that was really for the national championship. That draw should be lighter in the first two rounds for both Ohio State and Texas under the new seeding rules.
College Football Playoff rankings dates
The selection committee will unveil its first rankings on Nov. 4, ahead of Week 11. The full schedule of rankings releases will be, all times Central:
CFP playoff format: Schedule dates, TV, sites for 2025-26 College Football Playoff
First round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
CFP National Championship
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Who will win College Football Playoff? Predictions, picks for 2025 championship
Reporting by Wes Huett, Dave Eminian and Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
