College Football Playoff Semifinal Expert Picks and Predictions

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How good are these College Football Playoff Semifinal games?

What’s even more amazing is that these are still terrific, even with Ohio State and Georgia getting knocked out – and Alabama, and Big 12 Champion Texas Tech, too.

What are the CFN Expert picks for each of the CFP Semifinals – Miami vs Ole Miss in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, and Indiana vs Oregon in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday?

Expert Picks for the CFP Semifinals, and an Early Call on the National Championship

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, during the 112th annual Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. Indiana Hoosiers defeated Alabama Crimson Tide, 38-3.© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We don’t stop at just the two CFP Semifinals – we keep it all going with a look at the possible College Football Playoff National Championship matchup. Scroll down for everyone’s call on who will win it all.

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Dec 20, 2025; Oxford, MS, USA; Mississippi Rebels head coach Pete Golding during warm-ups prior to the game against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Miami vs Ole Miss

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Consensus Line: Miami -3.5
– CFN Prediction, Preview

Miami was the last at-large team in getting the spot at the 10, and it’s making the most of it with a 10-3 win over Texas A&M in College Station, followed up by a 24-14 thriller over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

Ole Miss didn’t have any problem with Tulane in the first round of the CFP, and then it cranked it all up in a wild 39-34 win over Georgia in the CFP Quarterfinals.

Big Game Ben: Miami
E: Miami
Pete Fiutak: Miami
John Kennedy: Miami
Jackson Langendorf: Miami
Andrew Margolick: Miami
Jake Margolick: Miami
Doug Millen: Miami
Johnny Rosenstein: Miami
Joshua Schulman: Ole Miss
Nick Shepkowski: Miami
Clucko the Chicken: Ole Miss*
CONSENSUS PICK: Miami
*The Clucko picks are a coin flip

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Jan 1, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson (26) and quarterback Dante Moore (5) celebrate following the 2025 Orange Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium.© Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Indiana vs Oregon

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Consensus Line: Indiana -4

Big Ten Champion Indiana had a week off before dealing with Alabama in a 38-3 blowout in the Rose Bowl. This is a rematch against Oregon from mid-October, when the Hoosiers won 30-20 in Eugene.

The Ducks didn’t lose before the date with IU, or after, ripping through James Madison in the CFP first round before dumping Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

Big Game Ben: Indiana
E: Oregon
Pete Fiutak: Oregon
John Kennedy: Indiana
Jackson Langendorf: Indiana
Andrew Margolick: Indiana
Jake Margolick: Oregon
Doug Millen: Oregon
Johnny Rosenstein: Indiana
Joshua Schulman: Indiana
Nick Shepkowski: Indiana
Clucko the Chicken: Indiana
CONSENSUS PICK: Indiana

College Football Playoff National Championship

Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
TV: ESPN
Consensus Line: COMING

This story was originally published by College Football News on Jan 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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