ESPN Releases 2025 Preseason College Football Playoff, Bowl Projections

ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach released College Football Playoff and bowl projections last week, and both predict LSU to make the 12-team playoff.

Schlabach has LSU as a 10-seed, beating No. 7 Notre Dame in South Bend to advance to the quarterfinals, where they would face No. 2 Clemson in the Orange Bowl. Schlabach predicts Clemson to win that game and eventually advancing to the National Championship.

Bonagura has LSU as a 9-seed, losing to No. 8 Oregon in Eugene in the first round.

College Football Playoff - First-round games (at campus sites)

Friday, Dec. 19 & Saturday, Dec. 20

Bonagura: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Georgia
Schlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State

Bonagura: No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Notre Dame
Schlabach: No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Alabama

Bonagura: No. 10 Arizona State at No. 7 Alabama
Schlabach: No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Notre Dame

Bonagura: No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Oregon

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Schlabach: I had Ohio State, Alabama, LSU and Oregon advancing out of the first-round games. I'm not quite as sold on the Ducks as the other three programs with unproven Dante Moore taking over at quarterback and star receiver Evan Stewart sidelined with a knee injury. Oregon's defense needs to take another step after allowing 109 points in three games against Ohio State and Penn State (although the Ducks did win two of those games). The Ducks play the Nittany Lions on the road Sept. 27 and they don't play Ohio State, Illinois or Michigan during the regular season.

If LSU's defense is markedly better this season, the Tigers could be an SEC title contender. They should have one of the most explosive offenses in the FBS with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and receiver Aaron Anderson returning, plus a handful of playmakers from the transfer portal.

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CFP Quarterfinals - Thursday, Jan. 1:
Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 4 Clemson
Schlabach: No. 10 LSU vs. No. 2 Clemson

CFP National Championship - Monday, Jan. 19
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
7:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 1 Texas
Schlabach: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 1 Texas