Athlon Sports releases 2025 college football bowl game predictions for every bowl, College Football Playoff

Athlon Sports released the 2025 college football bowl game predictions for every single one throughout the postseason. That included the 12-team College Football Playoff.

It could be the final 12-team iteration of the playoff, if expansion comes through. Still, this is setting up to be quite the season in 2025-26.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the projections. We’ll start with the College Football Playoff.

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College Football Playoff First Round

No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Boise State
No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Miami
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Oregon
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Alabama

The first round is going to feature a lot of last year’s teams, with LSU, Miami and Alabama making the field this year. Boise State will fall short of an upset this year while Georgia, Notre Dame and LSU are all pegged to win.

Basically, if you’re the higher seed and home team in this first round, you’re going to win. Alabama and LSU playing a second time this year would be fascinating.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Ohio State (Cotton Bowl)
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 Georgia (Orange Bowl)
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (Rose Bowl)
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 LSU (Sugar Bowl)

Kansas State, as the Big 12 champion, ended up getting a bye and will take on the Buckeyes. However, Ohio State gets the nod as the winner here. Clemson will also fall victim to a first round bye, losing to Georgia down in Miami, per Athlon.

The top two seed will triumph though, as Penn State exacts its revenge against Notre Dame in Pasadena How about that scene? Top seeded Texas will beat SEC foe LSU in New Orleans to advance.

College Football Playoff Semifinals

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Ohio State (Fiesta Bowl)
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 6 Georgia (Peach Bowl)

These are some great Big Ten-SEC matchups in the CFP semifinals. First up, Texas is going to get over the hump and beat the defending champions to get to the national championship.

Athlon also predicted James Franklin and the Nittany Lions to do the same, beating a regular contender in Georgia. Now, we’ll get a new champion in 2025-26 with one coach winning their first national title.

College Football Playoff National Championship

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 2 Penn State

That brings us to the national title game. Texas and Penn State for all the marbles. If this is indeed the game, you’ll have to wait as this is as far as Athlon predicted.

Texas, led by Arch Manning and some NFL-ready players, looks like the team to beat this year. Penn State brought virtually everyone back from last season and wants to do what Ohio State just did. This will be a clash of what preseason polls suggest are the two best teams in college football. 

College Football Projections per Athlon

IS4S Salute to Veterans
Arkansas State vs. Central Michigan

Frisco Bowl
North Texas vs. Old Dominion

Boca Raton
James Madison vs. Memphis

LA Bowl
UNLV vs. Colorado

New Orleans
Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana

Cure Bowl
Tulane vs. Toledo

Gasparilla
Missouri vs. Virginia Tech

Myrtle Beach Bowl
UConn vs. Georgia Southern

Famous Idaho Potato
Ohio vs. Colorado State

Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii vs. Liberty

Gameabove Sports
Buffalo vs. Rutgers

Rate Bowl
Baylor vs. Minnesota

68 Ventures
East Carolina vs. South Alabama

Birmingham Bowl
Arkansas vs. USF

Armed Forces
Air Force vs. UTSA

Liberty Bowl
Auburn vs. Kansas

Holiday
Washington vs. Florida State

Las Vegas Bowl
Arizona State vs. Nebraska

Fenway
NC State vs. Army

Pinstripe Bowl
Indiana vs. Pitt

New Mexico
Fresno State vs. Texas State

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Louisville vs. BYU

Arizona
Northern Illinois vs. San Jose State

Military Bowl 
North Carolina vs. Navy

Alamo
Texas Tech vs. USC

Independence Bowl
TCU vs. Vanderbilt

Music City
Illinois vs. Tennessee

Reliaquest Bowl
Iowa vs. South Carolina

Sun
Duke vs. Utah

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Michigan vs. Florida

Texas
Iowa State vs. Oklahoma

Gator Bowl
Texas A&M vs. SMU

First Responder
Houston vs. Oregon State

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Georgia Tech vs. Ole Miss

Bahamas
Jacksonville State vs. Miami (Ohio)