Urban Meyer predicts College Football Playoff teams, National Champion
As Week 1 gets underway, it’s time for College Football Playoff predictions. During halftime of Michigan State vs. Central Michigan Friday night, Urban Meyer and the FOX Big Noon Kickoff crew made their picks.
This year will be the last of the four-team CFP format as it moves to 12 teams starting after the 2024 season. All eyes are on Georgia, though, as the Bulldogs look to pull off something that hasn’t been done since the 1930s: a three-peat.
Meyer thinks the Bulldogs will have a chance to do so. But he had some other interesting predictions that could raise some eyebrows.
Georgia
Meyer picked Georgia to return to the CFP as Kirby Smart and Co. try to pull off a third consecutive championship. The Bulldogs have their starting quarterback in Carson Beck, who will try to make some noise in new offensive coordinator Mike Bobo’s system with Todd Monken off to the NFL.
“Until you beat the man, they’re the man,” Meyer said. “Right now, they’re the man.”
LSU
LSU was one of the surprise stories of 2022 as Brian Kelly took the Tigers to an SEC West title. They bring back plenty of production, headlined by quarterback Jayden Daniels and linebacker Harold Perkins, but will have to get through a tough schedule if they want to break through the CFP ceiling.
“If they can survive a tough schedule, they’re talented,” Meyer said. “Quarterback’s back, year two.”
Texas
Texas is generating plenty of buzz this season, and Meyer admitted he’s “drinking the Kool-Aid” when it comes to the Longhorns. With Quinn Ewers running an offense with plenty of talented weapons all over the field, this could be the year for Steve Sarkisian’s group to wreak havoc in their last season in the Big 12 and possibly make the CFP field.
“Five-star athletes at every position,” Meyer said. “I think this is the year that Texas comes off the bed there.”
The winner of Ohio State vs. Michigan
Meyer took an interesting path with his final CFP prediction, saying it’d be the winner of “The Game” between Michigan and Ohio State. Regardless of who wins that game — he didn’t want to make that pick — Meyer took it a step further by saying that team would be the last one standing at the end of the year in Houston.
“It’s America, I don’t have to pick the winner yet,” Meyer said. “The winner of The Game that’s going to take place in Ann Arbor I think will not only make the playoffs, but they’ll hoist the trophy.”
It’ll be interesting to see if Urban Meyer’s predictions come true, even if he didn’t want to make a pick for Michigan vs. Ohio State. That’s all part of the intrigue of Week 1, though, and he’ll join the new-look Big Noon Kickoff panel for Saturday’s marquee matchup between Colorado and TCU.