The 2025 college football season and the race for the College Football Playoff come down to Championship Weekend. Almost every single game that takes place this weekend will have a knock-on impact on the 12-team postseason tournament.
We’ve already seen two impactful games take place on Friday, so how is the College Football Playoff bracket shaping up following the opening bout of a Saturday slate that features the Power Four title games?
Want to see how a win or a loss will impact your team’s standings? Make sure to check out PFSN’s College Football Playoff Predictor to see what the final bracket could look like.
College Football Playoff Bracket Predictions | First Round
- No. 12 Tulane Green Wave vs. No. 5 Oregon Ducks
- No. 11 Virginia Cavaliers vs. No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels
- No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. No. 7 Texas A&M AggiesÂ
- No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners
Friday night saw two conference title games that had a profound impact on the College Football Playoff bracket. The James Madison Dukes took care of business in the Sun Belt Championship Game, going 12-1 and positioning themselves to land a spot in the College Football Playoff if results go their way today.
The 25th-ranked team in most recent College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings should land the 12th seed if Duke wins the ACC Championship Game. However, with the Blue Devils entering that game as an underdog, and already having lost to the Virginia Cavaliers, it seems more likely that a Virginia victory will result in them taking the 11th seed.
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The other game on Friday night saw the Tulane Green Wave emerge victorious against the North Texas Mean Green, guaranteeing Jon Sumrall’s team a spot in the 12-team tournament. They were one of the highest-ranked potential champions entering Week 15, and there is nothing that suggests that standing won’t hold in the final playoff rankings.
If Virginia wins the ACC Championship Game, Tulane will secure the 12th-seed. If Duke wins, the Green Wave will be the 11th-seed, barring the selection committee re-evaluating the Blue Devils and positioning them higher than Tulane somehow. We’ve definitely seen stranger things happen from the 13-strong committee.
The rest of the current College Football Playoff bracket holds lockstep with the rankings released on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Following BYU’s loss to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Big 12 Championship Game, they have fallen out of contention, potentially opening the door for the Miami Hurricanes and alleviating some pressure on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
MORE: ACC Facing a $116 Million Problem as Duke Could Throw Playoff Into Chaos
The SEC Championship Game will also have a substantial impact on the College Football Playoff bracket. The Alabama Crimson Tide is currently the ninth-ranked team in the country, and a win could propel them up the rankings. However, a substantial loss may cause the committee to reassess Kalen DeBoer’s team. That could open the door for Miami to potentially sneak in.
College Football Playoff Bracket Predictions | Quarterfinal
- Cotton Bowl: No. 4 Texas Tech
- Orange Bowl: Â No. 2 Indiana
- Sugar Bowl: No. 3 GeorgiaÂ
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Ohio State
At present, the four highest-ranked teams are the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Indiana Hoosiers. The Big Ten Championship Game pits two of those against each other. However, a close game could result in no movement whatsoever when the final College Football Playoff bracket plays out tomorrow.
Ohio State is the projected Big Ten champion, so they would slide into the conference’s berth in the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, the SEC champion will play in the Sugar Bowl, with Georgia projected to win that game. It makes geographical sense for  Big 12 champion Texas Tech to play in the Cotton Bowl, leaving Indiana to play in the Orange Bowl.
There is plenty that could change in the next few hours. However, the Big 12 Championship Game helped offer some clarity for multiple teams, especially for BYU.
