2025 College Football Playoff, Bowl Predictions: CBS Sports updates projections for entire slate

With just nine more Saturdays to go until the 2025 college football season, training camp is on the horizon. That means the predictions are still rolling in, and CBS Sports updated its projections for the College Football Playoff and its bowl game projections for the entire slate.

The CFP is undergoing another change after increasing to 12 teams a year ago. Last season, the four highest-ranked conference champions received first-round byes. Now, the College Football Playoff will go to a straight-seeding model, meaning the four highest-ranked teams will receive byes. The five highest-ranked conference champions will still make the field.

That means the CFP will look a bit different in 2025. Here’s how CBS Sports sees it shaking out, as well as the full slate of bowl games that will follow.

College Football Playoff First Round: Game 1

Projected Matchup: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 12 Navy

A storied rivalry highlights the first round of CBS Sports’ projected College Football Playoff first round. It features No. 5-seeded Notre Dame taking on No. 12 seed Navy in what would be a rematch of their Nov. 8 matchup.

The Fighting Irish and Midshipmen have squared off every year since 1927, outside of the COVID-impacted 2020 season. Notre Dame enters the year looking to build off last year’s run to the national championship game – though still deciding who will play quarterback – while Navy broke out for a 10-3 season and a win over Army in the annual matchup.

College Football Playoff First Round: Game 2

Projected Matchup: No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 Georgia

In another projected first-round matchup, Dan Lanning would go up against his old boss. CBS Sports projects Oregon to come in as the No. 7 seed in the College Football Playoff and welcome Georgia to Eugene for a matchup at Autzen Stadium.

Lanning worked for Kirby Smart before taking over at Oregon in 2022, and he helped lead the Ducks to a Big Ten title in their first season in the conference last year. UGA, though, is looking to stay atop the SEC after winning the league championship last year to also secure a bye in the CFP.

College Football Playoff First Round: Game 3

Projected Matchup: No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Miami

Two teams looking for bounce-backs amid high expectations, LSU and Miami both appear in CBS Sports’ College Football Playoff projections. The Tigers have their quarterback returning in Garrett Nussmeier while the Hurricanes made a splash by landing Carson Beck out of the transfer portal as Cam Ward’s successor.

Miami entered last season with high expectations, but missed out on the ACC Championship with late losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse before finishing 10-3. LSU also had to deal with the departure of Jayden Daniels and saw Nussmeier step in well, throwing for more than 4,000 yards, and he’ll run it back looking to improve his NFL Draft stock along the way.

College Football Playoff First Round: Game 4

Projected Matchup: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 11 Iowa State

After just missing out on last year’s College Football Playoff, CBS Sports projects Alabama to return to the bracket. The prediction has the Crimson Tide going up against an Iowa State team that surged down the stretch last season, but has its quarterback returning.

Rocco Becht is back in Ames after an impressive 2024 season and will look to help the Cyclones make another run in the Big 12. As for Alabama, the quarterback battle is ongoing, but offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb recently reiterated Ty Simpson is in the driver’s seat with training camp on the horizon.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl

Projection: Clemson

Under the new College Football Playoff seeding model, the four highest-ranked teams will receive the first-round byes. CBS Sports projects Clemson to get one ahead of a huge year for Dabo Swinney and the Tigers.

Cade Klubnik is back after a breakout year and has a national championship in his sights, he told On3’s Pete Nakos. He’ll look to take another leap forward in Garrett Riley’s offense, which leads the nation with 80% returning production from last year, according to ESPN.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

Projection: Texas

A new era is on the horizon at Texas as the Longhorns look to continue their quick rise in the SEC. Arch Manning is officially the starting quarterback and will get the keys to Steve Sarkisian’s offense.

Manning got some run while serving as Quinn Ewers’ backup, but it’s his show on a Texas team that made it to back to the College Football Playoff semifinals a year ago. CBS Sports projects the Longhorns to earn a bye in 2025, adding to the hype around a team that will have a slew of new faces on board.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

Projection: Ohio State

The reigning national champion, Ohio State set an NFL Draft record for players selected. The Buckeyes still have core pieces in place, though, led by safety Caleb Downs on defense and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith on offense.

Ohio State is also in the midst of a quarterback battle as Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz vie for the job. Still, there’s plenty of buzz around the Buckeyes ahead of their high-profile season opener against Texas as they begin their quest for a repeat.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl

Projection: Penn State

Penn State has one of the top returning cores in the Big Ten this year, and expectations are high once again. As a result, the Nittany Lions got a projected bye in CBS Sports’ College Football Playoff predictions.

The Nittany Lions have quarterback Drew Allar back, along with running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen – meaning the centerpieces of Andy Kotelnicki’s offense stuck around. While Abdul Carter is off to the NFL as the No. 3 overall pick, Penn State still has 65% of its returning production back, which adds to the excitement around the 2025 season.

Updated CBS bowl game projections

All dates and times TBA

Hawaii Bowl
Air Force vs. Liberty

Boca Raton Bowl
Georgia Southern vs. Western Michigan

Cure Bowl
James Madison vs. Boise State

Arizona Bowl
San Jose State vs. Northern Illinois

Birmingham Bowl
Arkansas vs. UCF

Bahamas Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Buffalo

Pinstripe Bowl
NC State vs. Wisconsin

Liberty Bowl
Kansas vs. Missouri

Los Angeles Bowl
Utah vs. UCLA

68 Ventures Bowl
Fresno State vs. Louisiana

New Mexico Bowl
UNLV vs. Texas State

Salute to Veterans Bowl
Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State

Military Bowl
North Carolina vs. Tulane

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Minnesota vs. Ohio

Independence Bowl
BYU vs. Oregon State

New Orleans Bowl
Jacksonville State vs. Marshall

Idaho Potato Bowl
Miami (OH) vs. Colorado State

Guaranteed Rate Bowl
TCU vs. Iowa

Fenway Bowl
Duke vs. ECU

Myrtle Beach Bowl
USF vs. Coastal Carolina

Armed Forces Bowl
Army vs. Toledo

Las Vegas Bowl
Nebraska vs. Arizona State

Frisco Bowl
UTSA vs. Sam Houston

First Responder Bowl
Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia

Gasparilla Bowl
Auburn vs. Memphis

Texas Bowl
Baylor vs. Texas A&M

Music City Bowl
Illinois vs. OIe Miss

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Florida State vs. Tennessee

Holiday Bowl
Pitt vs. Washington

Alamo Bowl
Kansas State vs. USC

Pop-Tarts Bowl
SMU vs. Texas Tech

ReliaQuest Bowl
Indiana vs. South Carolina

Gator Bowl
Louisville vs. Oklahoma

Citrus Bowl
Michigan vs. Florida

Sun Bowl
Syracuse vs. Washington State