In a week when LSU lost to Ole Miss, and Miami looked mortal in a meh win over Wake Forest, and considering USC had to work way too hard to get by a miserable Rutgers team, you’d think we’d be making wild changes to our College Football Playoff predictions.
Yeah, we did – we’re making the call that James Madison will once again be a Group of Six representative. Why? After getting by San Diego State in Snapdragon late Saturday night, that might be it. There’s a solid shot it goes 13-0.
If anything, our stance on LSU being terrific and USC and Miami being on their way to CFP spots has only solidified.
Quick Hits
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Here’s how we see this playing out. LSU gets by Texas, and both end up 10-2, so LSU gets the higher seed. Alabama loses once in the regular season, and then loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship
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Indiana loses once in the regular season, and loses the Big Ten Championship to Ohio State. Flip a coin on who gets the higher seed, Bama or the Hoosiers.
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Utah drops a game along the way, and then beats Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship. The league will once again be a one-team CFP conference.
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College Football Playoff Predictions
Predicted College Football Playoff Final Top 12 Ranking
1. Notre Dame 12-0
2. Ohio State 12-1*
3. Georgia 12-1*
4. Utah 12-1*
5. Miami 11-2*
6. Alabama 11-2
7. Indiana 11-2
8. LSU 10-2
9. Texas 10-2
10. USC 10-2
11. Louisville 11-2
12. James Madison 13-0*
*Projected conference champion
– CFN Latest Bowl Projections
CFN Projected First-Round College Football Playoff Matchups
All first round games will be at , and then the bowl games take over starting in the quarterfinal round.
James Madison (12) at Miami (5)
Friday, December 18, 2026
Game Time: 8:00, ESPN
Location: To Be Determined
James Madison, the Western Michigan vs Boise State winner, or North Dakota State. Those are our four main choices to be the Group of Five representative in the College Football Playoff. ACC champion Miami will be ranked behind the other three Power Four champions and Notre Dame.
Louisville (11) at Alabama (6)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 12:00, ABC/ESPN
Location: To Be Determined
It’s a bit of a bold call to assume Louisville will roll through the rest of the regular season schedule unscathed, but it’s playing just that well. However, the date at Kentucky before the projected trip to the ACC Championship is now a problem. Alabama will be here after losing to Georgia in the SEC Championship.
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USC (10) at Indiana (7)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 3:30, TNT/truTV
Location: To Be Determined
It’ll be a rematch of a mid-November game – a predicted Indiana win. If you thought the Trojans would have problems in the cold of Bloomington on November 14th, just wait until December 19th.
Texas (9) at LSU (8)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: To Be Determined
It’s unfortunately a rematch of a mid-November game at LSU, and because we’re projecting a Tiger win, it gets the higher seed and home-field advantage. By this point, Lane Kiffin’s Tigers will be humming.
CFN Projected Quarterfinal Matchups
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
LSU (8) vs Notre Dame (1)
Wednesday, December 30, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
After getting by Texas for a second time, the Tigers will battle an unbeaten and rested Notre Dame team on a mission. The Irish will get their choice of which bowl it wants as the No. 1 overall seed, and while the Rose Bowl will be tempting, the Fiesta will be just fine – no chance it’ll want the Peach (Atlanta) or Cotton (Arlington) against an SEC team.
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Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Alabama (6) vs Georgia (3)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
The rematch of the SEC Championship will be another whopper. Georgia will get a bit of a home crowd advantage, but after winning the first time around, this fight will be much different. Alabama will learn from what it did wrong the first time around.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Miami (5) vs Utah (4)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
It won’t be that long of a trip for Miami to deal with a Utah team that few will believe can make any sort of a run. The Ute fans will pack AT&T Stadium, the defense will be swarming from the start, and this will make a case for being the best, despite being one of the least anticipated games in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals.
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Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential
Indiana (7) vs Ohio State (2)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
There’s no guarantee that the Big Ten teams will play in Pasadena, but it’ll be strongly suggested. Ohio State will win the first two meetings – first in Bloomington, and then in the Big Ten Championship – but it’ll be asking the world to take down Curt Cignetti’s bunch a third time.
CFN Projected College Football Playoff Semifinals
Capital One Orange Bowl
Utah (4) vs Notre Dame (1)
Thursday, January 14, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Utah powers over Miami in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Notre Dame survives LSU, and the two will play a tough game that will be all about the line play. The Irish defense will be a little bit more effective.
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Allstate Sugar Bowl
Alabama (6) vs Ohio State (2)
Friday, January 15, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, ABC/ESPN
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Alabama will be fully jelled offensively as it takes on an Ohio State team that had to use everything in the bag to beat Indiana in a whopper of a Rose Bowl. The Crimson Tide will make the Buckeyes open it up in a wild firefight.
CFN National Championship Prediction
Ohio State (2) vs Notre Dame (1)
Monday, January 25, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, ABC
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
We’re going there with this national title matchup for the second time in three seasons. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Las Vegas – it will be worth the hype.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
