Kirk Herbstreit predicts 12-team College Football Playoff field on ESPN College GameDay

College football season gets underway on Saturday with Florida State and Georgia Tech facing off at Noon. ESPN College GameDay is in town for the matchup, and the panel, including Kirk Herbstreit, released its College Football Playoff picks during the show.

Herbstreit has Georgia as the No. 1 overall seed and the SEC champion, with Ohio State winning the Big Ten and the No. 2 seed. He also has Clemson winning the ACC as the No. 3 seed and Big 12 champion Utah as the No. 4 seed in its first year in the league.

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Here’s the full 12-team playoff prediction from Kirk Herbstreit:

5. Oregon vs. 12. Boise State

Kirk Herbstreit doesn’t have Oregon winning the Big Ten the way a lot of pundits do, but he does have the Ducks in the playoff. Herbstreit expects Oregon to earn an at-large berth and face Boise State in its first year in the Big Ten.

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As for the Broncos, they are coming off of an 8-2 season. Herbstreit expects them to be the Group of 5 representative in the CFP in 2024.

8. Penn State vs. 9. Notre Dame

Herbstreit has a Notre Dame vs. Penn State first-round matchup, which would be a ton of fun. There are high expectations for both teams this season, and he expects them to live up to them.

Penn State needs strong play from quarterback Drew Allar this fall, while the Irish will count on Duke transfer Riley Leonard. This would be a battle between two of the top brands in college football.

6. Texas vs. 11. Michigan

Speaking of two of the top brands in college football, Kirk Herbstreit has Michigan and Texas facing off in a first-round game in Austin. Texas is expected to have a big season in its first in the SEC, according to Herbstreit.

Meanwhile Michigan is a somewhat surprising pick from Herbstreit. The Wolverines lost a ton off of last year’s roster, in addition to head coach Jim Harbaugh. But Herbstreit expects them to be just fine this season and get back to the CFP.

7. Missouri vs. 10. Florida State

Missouri was one of the surprise teams in the nation last season as the Tigers had a great year, including winning the Cotton Bowl. Herbstreit expects Missouri to be even better this year and earn a No. 7 seed in the College Football Playoff.

As for Florida State, the Seminoles came up just short of reaching the CFP last season. Herbstreit expects FSU to reach the playoff this year, although he doesn’t have them winning the ACC for a second straight season.

1. Georgia vs. 8. Penn State/9. Notre Dame

Georgia is the preseason No. 1 team in the college football rankings and is expected to enter the playoff at No. 1, too, according to Kirk Herbstreit. He believes that Kirby Smart and Georgia will continue to roll after losing only two games total over the past three years.

Georgia does have some question marks on both sides of the ball after losing a ton of talented players to the NFL. But with Carson Beck and some additions from the transfer portal, the Bulldogs should be one of the best teams in college football this season.

2. Ohio State vs. 7. Missouri/10. Florida State

Ohio State has arguably the most talented roster in college football but is also under some pressure after falling to Michigan each of the past three years. Kirk Herbstreit expects the Buckeyes to get over the hump this season and win the Big Ten.

A lot will depend on the play of transfer quarterback Will Howard. Herbstreit believes Howard will have a big year and the Buckeyes will be a top-2 seed in the CFP.

3. Clemson vs. 6. Texas/11. Michigan

Kirk Herbstreit said earlier on ESPN College GameDay that Clemson is a very dangerous team heading into the 2024 season. In fact, he expects the Tigers to win the ACC and has Dabo Swinney’s squad as the No. 3 team in the CFP.

Clemson is in need of its quarterback stepping up, too. The Tigers have a talented roster, but Cade Klubnik has been inconsistent thus far in his college career.

4. Utah vs. 5. Oregon/12. Boise State

Utah is entering its first season in the Big 12 and is expected to win the league by the majority of pundits. The Utes get Cam Rising back and if he can stay healthy, should have a really good year.

Kyle Whittingham always seems to have a really good defense. Herbstreit expects them to have a really good all-around team this year, too.

Kirk Herbstreit has some interesting selections for his College Football Playoff picks this fall. It will be interesting to see how accurate they are and how the season plays out.