College Football Playoff Predictions: Can Trinidad Chambliss Lead Ole Miss To A National Title?
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
It felt like we had as many weather delays as we did touchdowns in Week 3, but a slate of games that started with hype of the Lane Kiffin Bowl was anything but a washout. Which teams strengthened their resume as a legitimate contender?
Our College Football Playoff predictions provide a pathway to the postseason and the ultimate glory for 12 programs.
College Football Playoff Predictions | First Round
- No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 Texas
- No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Ohio State
- No. 11 LSU vs. No. 6 BYU
- No. 10 USC vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
The race to the College Football Playoff begins with the highest-ranked Group of Six team. Although they had some struggles early on against South Dakota, the Boise State Broncos continue to be the pacesetter, with their performance against the Oregon Ducks evidence of their ability to compete at the highest level.
PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter gives Spencer Danielson’s team a 35.0% chance of making the final 12-team tournament, with the USF Bulls given a 15.9% chanced and the James Madison Dukes sitting at 11.7%. Don’t rule out the new kids on the block, the North Dakota State Bison, of making a run too, with a 46.7% chance of winning the Mountain West this year.
In our latest College Football Playoff predictions, the Broncos take on the fifth-ranked Texas Longhorns. Steve Sarkisian’s team might have taken down the Ohio State Buckeyes in Week 2, but they’ve still got a tough challenge to run the SEC table. Texas currently has the third-best chance to reach the playoff (84.3%) but only a 40.0% chance of being a top-four seed.
DIVE IN:PFN’s Free CFB HQ — Team and Player Stats, Info, and More
The USC Trojans and Notre Dame Fighting Irish couldn’t agree to keep their rivalry game on the 2026 schedule, but our College Football Playoff predictions bring it right back where it belongs. Lincoln Riley’s team has plenty of defensive holes to fill, but their offense is powering a 57.4% chance of making the playoff, backed by a 33.7% chance of reaching the Big Ten title game.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, has the best chance of making the College Football Playoff of any team in the country, according to PFN’s metrics. An 88.4% chance factors in that they have to face the Miami Hurricanes and BYU Cougars, but with both teams projected to be conference champions this season, even one loss shouldn’t exclude Marcus Freeman’s team from the final 12.
Speaking of the Cougars, while they have a narrow edge over the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the race for the Big 12 title (28.3% vs. 26.7%), a potential loss to Notre Dame could stop them from earning a first-round bye. Our College Football Playoff predictions pit them against the LSU Tigers, who still have a 59.8% chance to make the playoff despite the Ole Miss defeat.
The final first-round matchup of our College Football Playoff predictions sees the Alabama Crimson Tide and Ohio State Buckeyes collide. Keelon Russell was PFN’s highest-graded quarterback of Week 3, but the Crimson Tide needs to be more consistent on defense if they’re to be anything more than an at-large bid. If the Buckeyes don’t win the Big Ten, then the Texas loss could prohibit them from being a higher seed than 8th.
College Football Playoff Predictions | Quarterfinal
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Miami (FL) vs. No. 11 LSU
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 8 Ohio State
- Cotton Bowl: No. 4 Ole Miss vs. No. 5 Texas
- Rose Bowl: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
According to the PFN College Football Playoff Meter, no team has a higher probability of winning their conference than the Miami Hurricanes, with a 72.8% chance after Week 3. While the ‘Canes are set to run the ACC, the likelihood of them unseating an SEC or Big Ten champion as the one or two seed is not high, especially with the Georgia Bulldogs looking imperious so far.
Kirby Smart’s team is the favorite to land the number-one seed, per PFN’s metrics, with a 21.1% chance, compared to Miami’s 0.2%. The Bulldogs are considered the SEC frontrunner, with a 28.5% probability of a conference title and a 50.1% shot to make the SEC Championship Game. Our College Football Playoff predictions pit them against Ohio State in the Peach Bowl.
The Ole Miss Rebels’ chances of making the College Football Playoff as a highly-ranked team took a significant boost with their win over LSU in Week 3. Pete Golding’s team arguably has the best resume of anyone in the sport right now and has an 88.3% chance of reaching the 12-team tournament. Even falling short of the SEC title might not stop them from being a top-four seed if they continue their current pace.
The Indiana Hoosiers got off to a sluggish start in Week 3 against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, but only a fool would rule Curt Cignetti’s team out of the conversation as one of the best teams in the country. PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter makes them a 37.4% favorite to win the Big Ten title this fall, which should be good enough for the second seed, at least.
College Football Playoff Predictions | Semifinal
- Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Miami (FL)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Ole Miss
Having just praised Indiana and their ability to repeat as Big Ten champions, Notre Dame has the defense, particularly with Leonard Moore, to surface some of the turnover issues that plagued Josh Hoover’s tenure at TCU in a head-to-head, one-off clash. The Irish currently have a 34.3% chance to reach the semifinals, where a potential rematch with Miami could await.
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON:PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
Georgia and Ole Miss face each other on November 7, could play in the SEC Championship Game, and even then, a College Football Playoff semi-final clash isn’t out of the question. While a lot can change between now and that first meeting, the Bulldogs have a 55.5% chance of winning that initial class, setting the tone for this matchup in our College Football Playoff predictions.
College Football Playoff National Championship Game
- No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Georgia
While the ranking of these two teams may fluctuate through the iterations of our College Football Playoff predictions, their rosters and resumes put them on a collision course with the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. The Bulldogs have an 11.2% chance of achieving the ultimate glory, while the Fighting Irish currently have a 10.2% chance of bringing a trophy back to South Bend.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos