In the end, the drama of this year’s College Football Playoff bracket reveal boiled down to three teams fighting for two spots. Would Alabama be left out for laying an egg against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game? Would Miami (Fla.) finally leapfrog Notre Dame after beating the Fighting Irish head-to-head earlier this season? Those are the questions everyone wanted answered.
The selection committee valued Alabama’s season-long body of work by keeping the Crimson Tide at No. 9, and the committee also agreed that Miami’s win over Notre Dame couldn’t be ignored any longer. The Fighting Irish found themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.
[MORE: College Football Playoff Odds: No. 1 Indiana isn’t the favorite]
With that debate lastly settled — albeit unsatisfactorily to supporters of Notre Dame — it is again to soccer as a substitute of résumés. What a scrumptious CFP this needs to be in a season when no person, maybe apart from Indiana, can contemplate itself infallible.
With that in thoughts, here is how every of the 12 groups can win this yr’s nationwide championship.
File: 12-1 general, 8-0 Solar Belt
Greatest win: 31-14 victory over Troy on Dec. 5
Worst loss: 28-14 defeat to Louisville on Sept. 5
Playoff path: A brutal run for the 12-seed begins with a street recreation at No. 5 Oregon. If the Dukes survive, they will face one of many hottest groups within the nation in No. 4 Texas Tech.
Outlook: The final group on this yr’s CFP area was James Madison, who cheered heartily when Duke secured an additional time interception towards then-No. 19 Virginia within the ACC title recreation that bumped the Cavaliers out of the image.
Take into consideration the run James Madison has had in recent times, starting with the transition from FCS to FBS in 2022 below former coach Curt Cignetti, now the pinnacle coach at Indiana. The Dukes received eight video games throughout their first season within the Solar Belt and 11 of their second, at which level Cignetti left to take over the Hoosiers.
In got here Bob Chesney, previously the pinnacle coach at Holy Cross from 2018-23, and the JMU hardly missed a beat with 21 wins over the previous two seasons and now a spot within the CFP. The management and on-field product have been so robust that Chesney was already named the subsequent coach at UCLA, a publish he’ll formally take as soon as JMU’s postseason run concludes. The varsity is now seen as such a powerful launching pad that it instantly employed former Florida coach Billy Napier, who was solely unemployed for roughly six weeks.
How have the present Dukes carried out it? With an offense that’s tied with Ole Miss for tenth nationally in scoring at 37.3 factors per recreation. With a dual-threat quarterback in Alonza Barnett III, who has thrown for two,533 yards, run for 544 yards and accounted for 35 whole touchdowns. With a protection that’s tied for tenth in scoring at 15.8 factors per recreation and ranks second general at 247.6 yards per recreation. This can be a full soccer group.
File: 11-2 general, 7-1 American
Greatest win: 34-21 victory over then-No. 24 North Texas on Dec. 5
Worst loss: 48-26 defeat to UTSA on Oct. 30
Playoff path: The Inexperienced Wave had been pummeled by Ole Miss earlier this season, 45-10. Maybe issues shall be completely different now that Rebels’ head coach Lane Kiffin is at LSU. The winner faces No. 3 Georgia with one of many hottest defenses round.
Outlook: It’s jarring to consider how a lot the trajectory of Tulane’s season might need modified as soon as BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff withdrew from faculty in early July when going through a prolonged suspension for violating the varsity’s honor code. Retzlaff, whose profession additionally included two earlier seasons at two completely different California junior schools, determined to enter the switch portal for a 3rd time and joined Tulane in early August for coaching camp.
Quick-forward to the current, and Retzlaff has thrown for two,862 yards and 14 touchdowns, whereas additionally dashing for 610 yards and a career-high 16 further scores. The Inexperienced Wave notched spectacular non-conference victories over Northwestern (23-3) and Duke (34-27) that aged fairly properly because the season progressed and received 5 further video games by double digits. That was sufficient for head coach Jon Sumrall, a rising star after successful 43 of his first 54 video games at Tulane and Troy, to interchange Napier at Florida. Sumrall will stay with the Inexperienced Wave via the CFP.
For Tulane to make a run towards the nationwide title — which might start with avenging a lopsided loss to Ole Miss earlier this yr — it might want to keep the identical spectacular turnover margin that stored it afloat all season. The Inexperienced Wave are tied for eighth nationally in takeaways with 24 (15 interceptions, 9 fumble recoveries) and enter the CFP eleventh in turnover margin at plus-10, which is third among the many area behind Texas Tech and Indiana (each plus-17).
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal alerts to his gamers vs. South Florida at Exhausting Rock Stadium on Saturday, September 13, 2025. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Photos)
File: 10-2 general, 6-2 ACC
Greatest win: 27-24 victory over then-No. 6 Notre Dame on Aug. 31
Worst loss: 26-20 OT defeat to SMU on Nov. 1
Playoff path: An ironic opening-round recreation pits No. 10 Miami towards No. 7 Texas A&M in a matchup of the one two groups to beat Notre Dame this season. Ready within the wings is a visit to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 2 Ohio State, which is an attractive proposition for the in-state Aggies.
Outlook: What a protracted and sleepless weekend this will need to have been for Miami head coach Mario Cristobal, who fielded the ACC’s most proficient group in back-to-back seasons and got here inside a whisker of failing to succeed in the CFP each instances. Had the choice committee opted to incorporate Notre Dame over Miami on Sunday afternoon, Cristobal and his employees would have lamented their beautiful loss to SMU for fairly a while.
As a substitute, the Hurricanes punched their ticket on the energy of a season-opening win over then-No. 6 Notre Dame and lopsided victories towards then-No. 18 South Florida and then-No. 22 Pitt on an in any other case barren schedule. There have been moments this season — particularly early — when Miami seemed like among the finest groups within the nation, if not a respectable nationwide title favourite. Offense was by no means an issue for the Hurricanes in 2024, when eventual first general NFL choose Cam Ward guided them to 10 victories; it was the protection that grew to become Miami’s undoing, because it completed tied for 68th nationally in scoring at 25.3 factors per recreation.
Cristobal and his employees made a number of splashy additions within the switch portal on that aspect of the ball, discovering 5 plug-and-play starters. They’ve match fantastically round Miami’s edge-rushing mixture of Reuben Bain Jr. (58 pressures, 4.5 sacks) and Akheem Mesidor (44 pressures, 7.0 sacks) that’s among the many finest within the nation. The addition of former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck provides the Hurricanes an skilled chief who’s unafraid of massive moments.
File: 10-3 general, 7-1 SEC
Greatest win: 24-21 victory over then-No. 5 Georgia on Sept. 27
Worst loss: 31-17 defeat to Florida State on Aug. 30
Playoff path: Alabama was upended by Oklahoma earlier this season and may have an opportunity to avenge that loss within the first spherical. Whichever group wins is heading to the Rose Bowl to face No. 1 Indiana in a matchup of blue blood vs. new blood.
Outlook: Maybe essentially the most controversial entrant on this yr’s area, Alabama has lots to repair after getting walloped by Georgia in Saturday’s SEC title recreation. The Crimson Tide protection couldn’t cease the run, because the Bulldogs rumbled for 141 yards and a landing whereas controlling the clock for almost 37 minutes. Alabama’s offense completed with minus-3 dashing yards and solely transformed 3 times on 14 third-down makes an attempt. The efficiency was shoddy sufficient to the place many throughout school soccer had been calling for the Crimson Tide to be overlooked of the CFP totally.
Nevertheless, Alabama is in as a result of the remainder of its résumé is essentially distinctive, headlined by a string of 4 consecutive wins over then-No. 5 Georgia, then-No. 16 Vanderbilt, then-No. 14 Missouri and then-No. 18 Tennessee. These wins flashed this group’s potential below second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer.
At its finest, Alabama’s vertical passing assault is among the many most dynamic in school soccer, as quarterback Ty Simpson (3,268 yards, 26 touchdowns) unfold the ball to 5 completely different playmakers with not less than 340 receiving yards this season. The extensive receiver trio of Germie Bernard (762 yards, seven touchdowns), Ryan Williams (631 yards, 4 touchdowns) and Isaiah Horton (430 yards, eight touchdowns) is among the many deepest and most proficient within the nation. The passing recreation might want to carry an offense that has been unbalanced all season and ranks 117th nationally in dashing.
File: 10-2 general, 6-2 SEC
Greatest win: 23-21 victory over then-No. 4 Alabama on Nov. 15
Worst loss: 23-6 defeat to Texas on Oct. 11
Playoff path: Can OU beat Alabama for a second time? That is the problem going through head coach Brent Venables within the opening spherical. The Sooners may fancy their protection in a possible quarterfinal matchup with No. 1 Indiana.
Outlook: Provided that Oklahoma was No. 8 within the penultimate CFP rankings final week, the Sooners might kick their ft up throughout convention championship weekend understanding they’d already carried out sufficient to make the sector. Nothing that occurred within the SEC title recreation or elsewhere might forestall Venables & Co. from reaching the CFP for the primary time since 2019 below former coach Lincoln Riley. However that didn’t imply Oklahoma’s uncommon résumé was immune from dissection by followers and pundits alike, with former Alabama head coach Nick Saban questioning the Sooners moments earlier than the bracket was revealed Sunday afternoon.
On one hand, Oklahoma has extra spectacular victories than virtually anybody else within the 12-team area after beating then-No. 15 Michigan, then-No. 14 Tennessee, then-No. 4 Alabama and then-No. 22 Missouri. Its solely losses amid a brutal schedule got here towards Texas, which completed No. 13 within the last rankings, and fellow CFP participant Ole Miss. That mentioned, the Sooners are doubtlessly essentially the most one-sided group within the area given the schism between their elite protection and ugly offense. Oklahoma will enter the CFP ranked ninth nationally in whole protection (273.6 yards per recreation) and seventh in scoring protection (13.9 factors per recreation) — a feather in Venables’ cap after he reclaimed play-calling duties this season. However the Sooners solely sit 78th in scoring offense (26.4 factors per recreation) and ninetieth in whole offense (359.1 yards per recreation).
Oklahoma will want extra stability to win all of it.
Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed throws a cross towards Texas at Texas Memorial Stadium on November 28, 2025. (Picture by Alex Slitz/Getty Photos)
File: 11-1 general, 7-1 SEC
Greatest win: 41-40 victory over then-No. 8 Notre Dame on Sept. 13
Worst loss: 27-17 defeat to then-No. 16 Texas on Nov. 28
Playoff path: The Aggies can definitely make an argument that they need to have been ranked at No. 6 forward of Ole Miss, which might have given them a extra favorable matchup with No. 11 Tulane. As a substitute, the Aggies might want to beat two of essentially the most proficient groups within the nation (Miami and Ohio State) in the event that they wish to attain the semifinals.
Outlook: The Aggies entered their regular-season finale towards Texas unbeaten and on the cusp of reaching the SEC title recreation solely to fall flat within the second half by permitting 24 factors in an eventual double-digit loss. Was that merely a blip on the radar towards an in-state rival combating for its CFP life? Or was it extra consistent with the near-disaster skilled by Texas A&M in its penultimate convention tilt towards unranked South Carolina, which constructed a 30-3 halftime lead earlier than the Aggies ultimately roared to life?
These are a number of the questions head coach Mike Elko and his employees should reply within the coming weeks as Texas A&M chases this system’s first nationwide title since 1939.
To get there, the Aggies will lean on a high-scoring offense (36.3 factors per recreation) that revolves round dual-threat quarterback Marcel Reed, a second-year starter. Reed has thrown for two,932 yards, rushed for 466 yards and accounted for 31 whole touchdowns whereas blossoming below offensive coordinator Collin Klein, one other of the various coaches juggling a number of jobs this postseason after being named head coach at Kansas State, his alma mater. The Aggies have one of many higher receiving tandems within the nation with wideouts Mario Craver and KC Concepcion — transfers from Mississippi State and NC State, respectively — each topping 50 catches and 800 receiving yards, burning defenses with yards after the catch.
Texas A&M’s loss to Texas in late November was simply the second time it had failed to attain 30 factors in a recreation this season.
File: 11-1 general, 7-1 SEC
Greatest win: 34-26 victory over then-No. 13 Oklahoma on Oct. 25
Worst loss: 43-35 loss to then-No. 9 Georgia on Oct. 18
Playoff path: With all the things that is swirled round Ole Miss in current weeks, the Rebels probably really feel fairly good about an opening-round matchup with a group they already crushed in September. It is arrange for a juicy rematch between Ole Miss and No. 3 Georgia within the quarterfinals.
Outlook: Now that the bracket has been revealed, probably the most fascinating storylines on this yr’s CFP is what Ole Miss will appear to be with out ex-head coach Lane Kiffin, who left for a similar job at LSU in a messy, high-profile divorce that precluded him from teaching the Rebels this postseason. Although Kiffin wasn’t the group’s major playcaller — that accountability belongs to offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr., who will ultimately migrate to LSU after the CFP — he had important affect on the system given his pedigree as probably the most revered offensive minds within the sport.
And what an offense the Rebels had this season behind dual-threat quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, a former Division II standout-turned-superhero at Ole Miss with 3,016 passing yards, 470 dashing yards and 24 whole touchdowns — all regardless of starting the yr No. 2 on the Rebels’ depth chart. He and tailback Kewan Lacy (1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns) spearhead a unit that’s tied for tenth nationally in scoring at 37.3 factors per recreation and ranks third in whole offense at 498.1 yards per recreation. Then-No. 4 LSU and Washington State had been the one groups to carry the Rebels beneath 30 factors this season.
As soon as Kiffin determined to go away, Ole Miss moved shortly to raise defensive coordinator Pete Golding into the full-time function for stability’s stake. Time will inform if this system’s dream season will get disrupted by a lot change.
File: 11-1 general, 8-1 Large Ten
Greatest win: 42-27 victory over then-No. 15 USC on Nov. 22
Worst loss: 30-20 defeat to then-No. 7 Indiana on Oct. 11
Playoff path: The Geese will love their probabilities towards 12-seed JMU at residence, which requires the Dukes to make a cross-country flight. After that, it is a potential battle of NIL may between Oregon and 4-seed Texas Tech within the quarterfinals.
Outlook: What a difficult group to guage. Very like Ohio State, which was largely untested between its season-opening win towards Texas and the Large Ten title recreation towards Indiana, the Geese navigated a reasonably pedestrian slate by league requirements. They by no means performed Ohio State, by no means performed Michigan, by no means performed Illinois — three groups that spent most, or all, of this season within the AP High 25 ballot. They didn’t qualify for the convention title recreation, which might have assured Oregon both a rematch with the Hoosiers or one other marquee opponent within the Buckeyes.
However, as with Ohio State, few individuals have doubted the Geese’ general high quality, given how relentless head coach Dan Lanning is in the case of participant acquisition — each via the highschool ranks and the switch portal alike. There’s a cause why Oregon completed fifth in 247Sports’ composite rankings for 2025. This yr’s squad is anchored by a protection that ranks fourth general (251.6 yards per recreation) and eighth in scoring (14.8 factors per recreation) below coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who was lately named head coach at Cal however will proceed with the Geese via the CFP.
The identical holds true for Lupoi’s counterpart, offensive coordinator Will Stein, whom Kentucky plucked to be its subsequent head coach. Stein’s group thrives on the three-headed dashing assault of Noah Whittington, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. — all of whom have rushed for not less than 480 yards and 4 touchdowns — in help of environment friendly quarterback Dante Moore, who ranks third nationally in completion fee at 72.5%.
In some unspecified time in the future, although, the Geese must beat an elite opponent. And which may come towards Texas Tech in what may very well be a mouthwatering quarterfinal.
File: 12-1 general, 8-1 Large 12
Greatest win: 34-7 victory over then-No. 11 BYU on Dec. 6
Worst loss: 26-22 defeat to Arizona State on Oct. 18
Playoff path: Whereas the Crimson Raiders definitely would have cherished a house recreation, there’s nothing incorrect with an additional few weeks to relaxation. Texas Tech will probably face No. 5 Oregon within the second spherical in what may very well be a blockbuster recreation between two groups that excel within the trendy world of participant acquisition.
Outlook: As a result of that is Texas Tech, a faculty that reveled in its first outright convention championship since 1955 on Saturday, there are nonetheless loads of skeptics who query whether or not the Crimson Raiders are actually pretty much as good as their report and statistics would point out. In any case, how might a program that slogged via a long time of modest-to-middling success in a league just like the Large 12 — which has by no means possessed the identical gravitas or monetary backing as conferences just like the Large Ten and the SEC — remodel into such a dominant power seemingly in a single day? This weekend’s dismantling of BYU was the Crimson Raiders’ twelfth victory by not less than 20 factors this season.
Regardless of what outsiders may assume, Texas Tech is emblematic of a contemporary success story in school soccer, a sport more and more skewed by big-money donors, shrewd expertise identification and relentless player-acquisition efforts. Fueled by billionaire booster Cody Campbell and tireless normal supervisor James Blanchard, the Crimson Raiders retooled their roster by signing the No. 2 switch portal class within the nation, in accordance with 247Sports, and spending large at premium positions alongside the offensive and defensive traces.
Now, anybody who competes towards Texas Tech should take care of a protection that ranks fourth within the nation in tackles for loss (96) and is tied for fourth nationally in sacks (39.0). The offense, in the meantime, ranks third in scoring at 42.5 factors per recreation and sits fifth in yards per recreation at 480.3 — forward of each fellow CFP participant exterior Ole Miss. This can be a full group.
File: 12-1 general, 7-1 SEC
Greatest win: 43-35 victory over then-No. 5 Ole Miss on Oct. 18
Worst loss: 24-21 defeat to then-No. 17 Alabama on Sept. 27
Playoff path: The Bulldogs are prone to face No. 6-seed Ole Miss within the quarterfinals, a rematch of the sport they received at residence earlier this yr, however looming on the horizon is what may very well be a conflict of the titans with No. 2 Ohio State within the semifinals. That recreation would come with arguably the 2 most proficient rosters within the nation.
Outlook: Other than Indiana, which stays unbeaten and simply secured the single-best victory in school soccer this season, the Bulldogs will enter the CFP with extra momentum than anybody. They’ve received 9 straight video games since dropping at residence to Alabama in late September — a loss Georgia emphatically avenged within the SEC Championship Sport on Saturday night, bettering head coach Kirby Good’s report to 2-7 towards the Crimson Tide — and have blossomed right into a well-balanced outfit that blends ball-control offense (third nationally in time of possession) with smothering protection (eleventh nationally in scoring).
It’s the latter that makes Georgia a serious menace on this yr’s CFP. Ever since an unpleasant mid-season stretch through which the Bulldogs surrendered 10 touchdowns in three video games, Good’s group has calcified like his dominant defenses of previous. Georgia solely surrendered two whole touchdowns to Texas, Charlotte, Georgia Tech and Alabama over the previous month for a minuscule opponent scoring common of simply 7.25 factors per recreation. The Bulldogs are proving significantly stingy towards the run and held those self same 4 opponents to 128 dashing yards mixed, together with a shocking minus-3 for Alabama within the SEC title recreation.
It’s tough to think about many groups toppling Georgia when its protection is taking part in at such a excessive degree. That’s how Good received back-to-back nationwide titles in 2021 and 2022.
Ohio State DE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. in the course of the first quarter towards Rutgers at Ohio Stadium on November 22, 2025. (Picture by Jason Mowry/Getty Photos)
File: 12-1 general, 9-0 Large Ten
Greatest win: 14-7 victory over then-No. 1 Texas on Aug. 30
Worst loss: 13-10 defeat to then-No. 2 Indiana on Dec. 6
Playoff path: The Buckeyes solely slipped one spot after dropping to Indiana within the Large Ten title recreation on Saturday night time. They will face the winner of No. 10 Miami towards No. 7 Texas A&M, which suggests OSU will tangle with an ultra-talented roster no matter who comes out on prime. May there be a possible rematch with No. 1 Indiana for the nationwide championship?
Outlook: The hole feeling surrounding Ohio State following Saturday’s loss to Indiana within the Large Ten championship is eerily much like what the Buckeyes skilled following the 2024 common season finale towards Michigan, a crushing defeat that invited loads of questions concerning the recreation plan, the play-calling and the group’s general toughness getting into the playoff. That group responded with an unimaginable postseason run that featured blowouts of No. 9 Tennessee (42-17) and No. 1 Oregon (41-21) within the opening rounds earlier than pulling away from No. 5 Texas (28-14) within the semifinals and holding off No. 7 Notre Dame (34-23) within the nationwide championship recreation.
Whether or not this yr’s group can do the identical stays to be seen, in fact, although it definitely felt like these Buckeyes had been much more infallible till Indiana toppled them at Lucas Oil Stadium. Ohio State nonetheless has a probable Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback in sophomore Julian Sayin. It nonetheless has the very best extensive receiver tandem within the sport with Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. It nonetheless has the very best protection within the nation — statistically talking, anyway — led by 4 potential first-round picks in security Caleb Downs, inside linebacker Sonny Types, linebacker/edge rusher Arvell Reese and defensive sort out Kayden McDonald.
The items are unquestionably there for Ohio State to win its second consecutive nationwide championship, however can the Buckeyes muster the psychological fortitude to get there after a gutting defeat to Indiana?
File: 13-0 general, 9-0 Large Ten
Greatest win: 13-10 victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State on Dec. 6
Worst loss: None
Playoff path: Beating Ohio State on Saturday night time meant the Hoosiers distanced themselves from each the Buckeyes and Georgia within the CFP bracket. The one approach they will face both of these groups is within the nationwide championship recreation. First, Indiana should take care of the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma.
Outlook: There needs to be no extra doubt, from anybody, about simply how good this Indiana group actually is after the Hoosiers out-toughed, out-coached and out-executed the Buckeyes within the Large Ten title recreation. Cignetti has now guided Indiana to a 24-2 report over the past two seasons with victories towards Michigan, Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State throughout that span, entrenching his group within the league’s higher echelon.
So why can’t the Hoosiers win the nationwide title?
They’ve this yr’s Heisman Trophy frontrunner at quarterback in former Cal switch Fernando Mendoza, whose surgical precision towards the Buckeyes pried open a secondary that also leads the nation in passing protection. They’ve a multi-headed dashing assault that churns out 221.2 yards per recreation, adequate for eleventh nationally and fourth amongst groups from the facility conferences. They’ve two NFL-caliber receivers in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., although the latter exited Saturday’s recreation with an ankle harm. They usually have a protection coordinated by Bryant Haines — who needs to be a shoo-in for the Broyles Award given to the game’s finest assistant coach — that was inventive sufficient, disciplined sufficient and proficient sufficient to stymie an Ohio State offense thought-about by many to be essentially the most proficient in school soccer.
All advised, that’s greater than sufficient for Indiana to make a respectable run on the first nationwide championship in class historical past.
Michael Cohen covers school soccer and school basketball for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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