SOUTH BEND, IN — With the inaugural 12-team CFP Playoffs first round games set to kickoff, there are some exciting first round matchups, college football fans are excited to see for the first time ever.
Below are my first round predictions for each one.
(10) Indiana vs. (7) Notre Dame: In what could be a defining moment for Hoosier football, in what would be their first meeting since 1991, Indiana travels 200 miles up into South Bend to face the Fighting Irish in a frosty and snowy Notre Dame Stadium.
2024 AP Coach of the Year, Curt Cignetti leads a hungry and motivated Hoosier football team into a waiting and game Irish team desperate to exorcise its own CFP playoff demons of its own past.
This isn’t your daddy’s Hoosier football team, but with a massive chip on its shoulder going against arguably the most storied college football program in history, look for the Hoosiers to skate by the Irish in a classic. Indiana 24 Notre Dame 21
(11) SMU vs. (6) Penn State: In what could either be the Drew Allar coming out party on national television at home vs the visiting Mustangs, or the rebirth of the ol’ Eric Dickerson Pony Express era, the visiting Mustangs will get a taste of winter and nature’s own version of the White Out.
Allar, considered by some to be QB1 or QB2 in the 2026 NFL Draft, is both mobile and athletic at 6’5 and 238 pounds, passed for 2,894 yards, 21 touchdowns and only seven interceptions will face a dynamic dual-threat QB in sophomore Kevin Jennings, who passed for 3,050 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions in the air and 93 carries for 379 yards and five touchdowns.
This has the makings of either a high-scoring back and forth game, or a tough, rugged and defensive minded affair. I lean towards the latter due to the potential conditions, and Allar at home in a nail biter. Penn State 24 SMU 10
(9) Tennessee vs. (8) Ohio State: In what could either save embattled Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day or potentially be his last game in Columbus, the still-reeling and desperate Buckeyes will face both a tough visiting Vols team on their home field, and the prospect of angry Ohio State fans cheering for Day’s ouster.
Vols head coach Josh Heupel brings his up-tempo high-octane offense led by 6’6 215-pound freshman QB Nico Iamaleava who has recent begun to find his stride.
For the season, Iamaleava has thrown for 2,512 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions, will likely lean heavily on 5’11 junior running back Dylan Sampson, who has rushed for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns on 256 carries.
If the Vols hope to steal this game in Columbus, they have to dictate the game on the ground, before letting Iamaleava take shots deep.
For Ohio State, who is still trying to move forward from their shocking 13-10 upset loss at home vs. Michigan, they need to establish themselves on the ground as well with their own tailback in former Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins, who led the Buckeyes in rushing in running for 805 yards and eight touchdowns on 147 carries.
To counter Tennessee’s frosh sensation in Nico, the Buckeyes have their own in WR Jeremiah Smith, who has caught 57 passes for 934 yards and ten touchdowns.
This game appears to favor Ohio State with it being at home, but don’t sleep on Tennessee making this a close one, before the Buckeyes pull away. Ohio State 27 Tennessee 21
(12) Clemson vs. (5) Texas: Could this be Quinn Ewer’s last stand or the beginning of the Arch Manning era, the host Texas Longhorns have a lot of drama down in Austin to deal with before facing the visiting Clemson Tigers at DKR.
In what may be a high-scoring shootout down in Texas, the Longhorns have arguably the most talent of any team in the country, led by Ewers who is by some, one of the top QB’s in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, has thrown for 2,665 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions, could either use this game as a springboard for the draft, or have a bad game and tank his own stock.
Ewers needs to play well for Texas or risk being yanked for Mannjng and becoming a potential draft after thought. With weapons like RB Quintrevion Wisner, who leads the Longhorns with 863 yards rushing and three touchdowns, and WR Matthew Golden who has caught 47 passes for 738 yards and eight touchdowns, Texas has the firepower to rival a visiting Clemson Tigers team that is beginning to peak at the right time.
In what is a homecoming for Austin native and Clemson starting quarterback Cade Klubnik, the former standout at Westlake High School—the same school that produced Super Bowl champion QB’s Nick Foles and Drew Brees—look for the 6’2 210-pound star to put on a show in front of friends and family.
Klubnik will have running back Phil Mafah, who rushed for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns on 214 carries and wideout Antonio Williams, who led the Tigers with 838 yards receiving, 71 catches and ten touchdowns.
This game has all the makings of a high-scoring affair, with whichever team having the ball last with a shot to win. That being said, I think Ewers will have the last word. Texas 42 Clemson 39