Joel Klatt predicts 2025 College Football Playoff field, national champion

Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt predicted the entire College Football Playoff field, results and national champion by season’s end. It promises to be a fascinating season and postseason.

The College Football Playoff adjusted its seeing process for the 12-team bracket this year. The five-highest ranked conference champions still make the field, but the top four don’t automatically get the top four seeds. It’ll be strictly by ranking at that point.

Without further ado, let’s dive into Klatt’s College Football Playoff predictions. We start with the four teams getting a first round bye.

First round byes

1. Penn State (Big Ten champion)
2. Texas (SEC champion)
3. Clemson (ACC champion)
4. Ohio State

Klatt went with three conference champs as the top seeds and an at-large bid for the defending national champions. Based on these seeds, Penn State gets one over Ohio State in the championship game.

Klatt also has Texas and Clemson winning their respective conferences to get a bye in the College Football Playoff. A lot different than playing in the first round last season.

12. Boise State (5th highest ranked conf. champion) at 5. Georgia – Winner faces Ohio State

Klatt has Boise State back in the College Football Playoff this coming season, but grabbing the final seed. To be fair, they’ll have a quality season to be the fifth highest ranked conference champion.

Now, here’s the hard part. They have to go to Athens to play the Bulldogs in the first round. Georgia goes into the 2025 season as one of the contenders for the national title. This will be a monumental task.

11. Michigan at 6. Oregon – Winner faces Clemson

Michigan will return to the College Football Playoff under Sherrone Moore, despite financial penalties and suspensions from the sign stealing scandal. The Wolverines set up to be better in Year 2, especially at quarterback.

It’ll be a Big Ten matchup against the Ducks, who just won the league last year and were the top seed. Oregon plays host so they’ll certainly have the advantage in this first round game.

10. LSU at 7. Notre Dame – Winner faces Texas

Notre Dame gets a home game for the second straight College Football Playoff. But instead of Indiana making a Cinderella run, it’s LSU finally making the dance.

Brian Kelly is certainly under the gun to get the Tigers into the 12-team playoff. He has the team to do so, especially at QB with Garrett Nussmeier. But going to South Bend won’t be easy, especially for Kelly’s return. 

9. Alabama at 8. Kansas State (Big 12 champion) – Winner faces Penn State

Kansas State is the final conference champion on Klatt’s list and they’ll get a home game by virtue of their seeding at No. 8. In Manhattan, Avery Johnson and crew will welcome the Crimson Tide.

You want Bama? Well, you’ll get them in the College Football Playoff. Kalen DeBoer plugged some holes through the transfer portal, the coaching staff and pure development. While they won’t win the SEC, they might even be road favorites in this game.

Quarterfinals: 5. Georgia vs. 4. Ohio State

Georgia and Ohio State, remember that field goal attempt? Sorry Ohio State fans, but your Buckeyes did just win it all last year!

This would be a fascinating matchup on a neutral site. It’s tough to tell this far out, but this game could be a true tossup in the College Football Playoff.

9. Alabama vs. 1. Penn State

Alabama gets the win over Kansas State on the road and advances to play the top seed. If this isn’t the year James Franklin gets it done for the Nittany Lions, when will it be?

On paper, Penn State should have the advantage over Alabama at most of the key positions. This is a College Football Playoff quarterfinal you won’t want to miss.

6. Oregon vs. 3. Clemson

The Ducks beat Michigan in the first round to advance to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. It’ll be Dan Lanning’s first CFP victory, but it’ll be his last, at least this season.

Clemson looks loaded this year with a veteran roster. Led by QB Cade Klubnik, this Tigers’ team looks like one that could win it all for the first time in seven years.

7. Notre Dame vs. 2. Texas

The matchup we nearly had in last year’s College Football Playoff national championship. This time, we get it in the quarterfinals. Marcus Freeman is one heck of a coach and he’ll have the Irish in position to make another run.

Texas is too good though. Arch Manning and crew will get to the semifinals for the third straight year, per Klatt. Now, can they actually finish the deal?

Semifinals: 4. Ohio State vs. 1. Penn State

How about a third matchup between these teams? Klatt has it happening in this year’s College Football Playoff.

We can assume, if Ohio State is the fourth seed, the two teams split the regular season and Big Ten title games. The rubber match? It goes to the Buckeyes as they advance to their second straight national championship.

3. Clemson vs. 2. Texas

Clemson and Texas get their College Football Playoff rematch from last year’s first round. Will Steve Sarkisian get over the hump? Or will Dabo Swinney return to the top of the mountain?

It’s the latter as Klatt predicted Clemson to give Texas their straight CFP semifinal loss. It appears experience rules in this situation.

National Championship: 4. Ohio State vs. 3. Clemson

So now we get to the big game. Not, not “the Big Game.” The College Football Playoff national championship features familiar programs in Ohio State and Clemson.

Ohio State will fall short of the repeat, per Klatt. Clemson will finally get it done for the first time since pre-COVID. Cade Klubnik, Peter Woods and TJ Parker will end their Tiger careers as champions.