Even though October hasn’t arrived yet, it’s a good time to start trying to predict what the College Football Playoff field will look like. Every week until the rest of the season, we preview what we think the 12-team bracket will look like.
Just like in 2024, the field will be comprised of five conference champions and seven at-large teams. Unlike 2024, the top four seeds do not have to be conference champions. Were certain the Big Ten or SEC will get multiple first-round byes in 2025.
Here’s our second set of playoff predictions for the 2025 season after a Week 5 that saw four top-10 teams lose. These could change a lot from week to week, especially if there are a lot of upsets.
The Buckeyes had a sluggish start at Washington but easily pulled away in the second half for a 24-6 win on Saturday. Ohio State outscored the Huskies 17-3 in the second half as QB Julian Sayin was 22-of-28 passing for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Oh, freshman RB Bo Jackson looks like the real deal too. He had 17 carries for 80 yards and has gotten at least 11 carries in each of the Buckeyes last three games.
The Ducks and Buckeyes arent scheduled to meet in the regular season but its hard not to think of a third meeting in two seasons between the two teams in the Big Ten title game. Oregon escaped a bit against Penn State after leading 17-3 early in the fourth quarter, but the poise that QB Dante Moore showed in his first road start was undeniable. Moore was 29-of-39 passing for 248 yards and threw three touchdowns while Oregon held Penn State to just 137 passing yards.
Is the ACC a one-bid league? A Miami win against Florida State in Week 6 would solidify that thought less than halfway through the season. Right now, Miami, Georgia Tech and Louisville are the only three undefeated teams in the conference and there are just four ACC teams ranked in the top 25. Miami is the only one of those teams in the top 15. The Hurricanes were off in Week 5.
Dare to dream, Rebels fans. Ole Miss hasnt won an SEC title since the 1963 season and is now the highest-ranked team from the conference in the AP Top 25. Ole Miss doesnt have the schedule gauntlet that other teams in the conference do, either. The Rebels have road games at No. 12 Georgia and No. 5 Oklahoma remaining, but otherwise have no other ranked teams on the schedule. If the SEC is as even as we think it could be at the top, Ole Miss could make the title game even with losses to the Bulldogs and Sooners.
There are no non-power conference teams in the AP Top 25 after Week 5 and Memphis is second among the teams in the American Conference in the others receiving votes category. Were still more confident in the Tigers winning the American than South Florida or any other team and they easily took care of business in Week 5 with a 55-26 win at Florida Atlantic.
Penn State, meanwhile, is still facing the same questions it has for years. The program failed to win another big game under coach James Franklin against Oregon and Drew Allar again had a pedestrian stat line against a top-tier opponent. Reputations get harder and harder to shake the more evidence there is to support them.
The Longhorns were off in Week 5 and get Florida in Week 6 as we wait to see if Arch Mannings performance against Sam Houston was a sign of things to come for the rest of the season. Texas could also draw Oklahoma in two weeks without Sooners QB John Mateer on the field following his right hand surgery. The uncertainty surrounding Mateer is why we have Oklahoma out of this projection. If hes back by the Red River Rivalry, the SEC impact could be seismic.
Georgia still has Alabama demons to shake under Kirby Smart. But theres no reason to count the Bulldogs out of anything at the moment. Ole Miss visits Athens in two weeks after Georgia hosts Kentucky in Week 6 and heads to an Auburn team that cant get much of anything going on offense.
It was not pretty for the Hoosiers in Iowa City before Elijah Sarratt gave Indiana the win on a game-breaking TD reception late in the fourth quarter. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza apologized to bettors for potentially hurting their point-spread bets after he took a safety as time expired in the 20-15 win, but Indiana was a 9.5-point favorite anyway.
Texas Tech was off after its win over Utah in Week 4. The Red Raiders visit Houston in Week 6 after the Cougars needed overtime to beat winless Oregon State on Friday night.
The Cyclones made easy work of Arizona in a 39-14 home win on Saturday night. QB Rocco Becht was 14-of-20 passing for 243 yards while rushing for three short touchdowns. Kansas State is the only team to score more than 16 points against Iowa State all season. The Wildcats had 21 in ISUs 24-21 Week Zero win.
The Aggies are benefitting greatly from a fully healthy LeVeon Moss. The star running back rushed 21 times for 139 yards and a TD against Auburn after scoring three touchdowns against Notre Dame the week before. NC State transfer KC Concepcion is also making an immediate impact. He has 20 catches for 340 yards and three TDs already.