Five college football predictions, plus how playoffs will play out

Here are five college football predictions and round-by-round picks for the college football playoffs:

CFP five predictions

Clemson claims its fourth title

There are stars everywhere you look on Clemson’s roster. At quarterback. At wide receiver and linebacker. On both the offensive and defensive lines.

These Tigers have the kind of balance and next-level talent their 2016 and 2018 championship teams possessed.

Entering his third year under center, Cade Klubnik is ready for his superstar turn, and he has a similar star supporting class that helped Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence lead Clemson to the mountaintop.

It will be clear Clemson is back among the country’s elite in a Week 1 win over contending LSU, and even more obvious as it cruises through the pedestrian ACC prior to a late-season slip-up at in-state rival South Carolina.

That loss turns out to be the Tigers’ lone hiccup.

This year’s Playoff surprise

Last season, Arizona State and SMU were surprising Playoff entrants.

This fall, it is Utah, which wins the Big 12.

It gets conference contenders Texas Tech, Kansas State and Arizona State at home, and features a much improved offense under new dual-threat quarterback Devon Dampier, a New Mexico transfer.

The typically stingy defense won’t have to win games on its own this fall.

Jeremiah joins select company

As much as the Heisman Trophy has become a quarterbacks’ award, non-quarterbacks have won it twice in the past five seasons — Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Colorado’s Travis Hunter in 2024.

Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State’s game-breaking sophomore receiver, continues that recent trend as the fourth wideout to win college football’s most prestigious honor.

New Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin is a pocket passer, and the Buckeyes lost standout running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson to the NFL, creating even more opportunities for Smith to dazzle us.

A breakthrough in The Bayou

After an underwhelming start to the Brian Kelly era at LSU, the Tigers make their mark this fall as the best team in the SEC — finishing above Texas, Alabama and Georgia.

Kelly’s strong transfer portal class delivers, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier has a big year as a Heisman Trophy finalist, and Aaron Anderson becomes the latest standout LSU receiver.

LSU drops the opener at Clemson in heartbreaking fashion, but the Tigers lose just once more, at Alabama, en route to the semifinals of the Playoff.

Trouble in Tuscaloosa

There isn’t a coach in the country dealing with more pressure than Kalen DeBoer.

After four losses in his first season, he has to deliver — or else.

Championships are expected at Alabama, and the Crimson Tide won’t get close to the final Monday of the season.

Unproven junior Ty Simpson starts the year at quarterback, but doesn’t last.

A Sept. 27 loss at home to Georgia creates questions about this team, and back-to-back losses to South Carolina and LSU amplify them.

Alabama finishes fourth in the SEC and is one-and-done in the Playoff. DeBoer doesn’t lose his job, but he enters his third year on a scalding-hot seat.

CFP Playoff Predictions

First Round

8 Penn State def. 9 Alabama

5 Ohio State def. 12 Boise State

7 Notre Dame def. 10 Illinois

6 Georgia def. 11 Utah

Quarterfinals

1 Oregon def. 8 Penn State

2 LSU def. 7 Notre Dame

3 Clemson def. 6 Georgia

4 Texas def. 5 Ohio State

Semifinals

4 Texas def. 8 Oregon

3 Clemson def. 2 LSU

Final

3 Clemson def. 4 Texas