The NCAAF is the very elite of college football, and it continues to draw significant crowds and millions of viewers on several networks such as ESPN.
The popularity of college football, especially at the endgame of its newly formed playoffs, is down to several key areas that strike a real connection. College football produces the stars of tomorrow in the NFL, and to see that close up in a student setting hits home. It’s big business, with huge broadcasting contracts and a whole string of betting options.
Many fans will have a deep-rooted bond with their college, where football is prevalent. Moreover, many cities and towns are not represented in the NFL, so college football fills in the gaps with its diverse ability to cut across many communities.
The big kick-off has several weeks on the board already, and there’s a picture emerging of strong contenders who were singled out in advance. The big hitters are already lining up for the 12-team playoffs in December.
Current national champions, the Ohio State Buckeyes, are a hot favorite right now. After claiming their ninth title in 2024, the Buckeyes have one of the most talented rosters out there, bristling with Jeremiah Smith, who managed four touchdowns during the playoff campaign last year. Overall, Smith caught 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns in a 14-2 season for his side.
Ohio also has momentum, beating big challengers, such as the Texas Longhorns, at the end of August.
Texas enters a new era, with Archie Manning taking up quarterback duties from the start of that game. Although it wasn’t his most fantastic day, Manning comes from a famous family and will have to deal with never-ending hype. To ease the burden, Anthony Hill Jr is expected to have another fine season as one of the top five college players in the country. He started all 16 games last term, making over a century of tackles.
Behind the big two lie Penn State and Georgia regarding rankings and current form. Penn had an excellent campaign in 2024, only falling short of a place in the CFP National Championship through a narrow defeat to Notre Dame. Coach James Franklin has now been at the helm for over a decade. The time is ripe to start winning big titles.
With the best running back combination of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and one of the best offensive lines, this team should finally be ready to beat a top 10 team and end the curse.
Georgia is the next cab off the rank in terms of playoff probability and going further. After all, the Bulldogs have won the national prize in two of the last four seasons. However, some worries or blockers may get in the way of another title.
The slow starts of last year – where they averaged only 12 points in the first half – will have to improve, especially regarding the business end. The acquisition of wide receivers Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch should fix a hole there, with the latter being known for explosive plays.
Clemson Tigers might not be built for the endgame, but the ACC unit will undoubtedly be in the running, as their schedule is not one of the hardest. They beat LSU, one of the toughest fixtures, on the opening day in August and should have an easier path to the playoff schedule than most.
The media also had its say on those coveted twelve spots, only introduced last year. The tweak here is that the straight seeding format has returned, and there’s a general feel that Penn and Ohio from the Big Ten and Texas and Georgia from the SEC will fancy their chances.
The rest of the pack will fight it out. The Alabama Crimson Tide is potentially a worthy contender. They had a four-loss campaign in 2024, but five of their players, including wide receiver Ryan Williams, were on the ESPN top 100 list.
Other teams in the playoff loop include LSU and Oregon. The Ducks enjoyed a fantastic regular season, which saw a 12-0 undefeated streak, a Big Ten Championship, and the No. 1 seed ranking. Their misfortune was to run into Ohio in the new knockout format. The offseason brought significant roster turnover as Oregon sent a program record 10 players into the 2025 NFL draft.
While the NFL has only 32 teams, the same number has at least a shot at reaching the NCAAF playoffs, according to the Allstate predictor. That is some reach as the heat rises on the pitch.
