College Football National Championship Pick 2026 (Monday 19th January)

It may not have been the game many would have predicted to round out the College Football season, but both the Miami Hurricanes and Indiana Hoosiers have proven their worth through the post-season.

The Big Ten Champions are the favourites, but the Hurricanes have played really well over the last several weeks and being the 'host' can certainly help.

Just like that, the College Football season is coming to a close on Monday as the National Championship Game determines who takes over from the Ohio State Buckeyes as the best team in College Football.

Indiana Hoosiers vs Miami Hurricanes Pick: This game is being played at the Hard Rock Stadium, which is the Miami Hurricanes (13-2) home, but you do have to feel that there is a significant gap for them to bridge against the Indiana Hoosiers (15-0). Has that fact that this is a 'home game' for the Hurricanes factored into the line set for the game? Possibly, but the Hoosiers have won everywhere this season and they are rightly down as strong favourites to win the National Championship.

There will be a lot of focus on the Miami Defense and whether they can do enough to keep the Hurricanes in this game and that is where a potential blowout will be determined in my opinion.

All eyes will be on the Miami pass rush, which has been critical in helping the team drive through the Playoff and into the National Championship Game- they will know they need to rattle Fernando Mendoza, who is set to be the first overall Pick in the next NFL Draft, and try and stall drives with the pressure that can be generated by a powerful Defensive Line.

It begins at the Line of Scrimmage where the Indiana Hoosiers have been decent at getting a push up front, but not expected to have a huge game running the ball. The Miami Defensive Line have continue to clamp down on the run and so the pressure is going to be on Fernando Mendoza to make plays with his arm.

However, for all of the successes the Hurricanes have had in bringing down the opposition Quarter Back, it shoudl be noted that Indiana have an Offensive Line capable of giving Mendoza the one or two extra seconds he will need to attack this Secondary.

And despite all that pressure generated at the Line of Scrimmage, it should be noted that there are gaps in the Miami Secondary that can be exposed by this efficient Indiana Offense.

All of this means that the Hoosers are going to be expected to get some points on the board and it will be up to Carson Beck and the Miami Offensive unit to try and make enough plays to keep up on the scoreboard.

Much like Indiana, the Miami Offensive Line is not expected to rip open consistent running lanes against a Hoosiers Defensive Line that have been stout up front all season. They will want to make sure they are forcing Carson Beck to beat them with his arm and like Indiana on the other side of the ball, Miami are expected to need to the Quarter Back to have a big game throwing in order to keep the chains moving.

He has shown he can do that, but Carson Beck is not going to have a clean pocket- the Miami pass rush has grabbed the headlines, but these Indiana pass rushers are no slouches and they have made multiple hits on the opposition Quarter Back during the last several games. Adding up is the number of Sacks they have also produced and Miami's Offensive Line may not offer the same sort of time as Indiana potentillay give to Fernando Mendoza.

Carson Beck has also not been nearly as confident as Mendoza, despite his own College experience being substantial, and that is where the spread may end up getting away from the Hurricanes. The Quarter Back has been avoiding critical turnovers, but Beck is likely going to be asked to make plenty of throws under pressure and the Miami passing game has not been as consistent as the one Indiana will be bringing onto the field.

The Hurricanes are plenty talented and so will have some successes, but the consistency could be lacking and even being at home may not be enough against a powerful Indiana team looking to win a first Football National Championship.

Miami have beaten Ohio State during this Playoff run, which has to be respected by the Hoosiers who play in the same Conference as the Buckeyes and know how good they are. On that day it was the Miami Defensive unit that made some big plays, but Head Coach Curt Cignetti should have prepared his Indiana team to avoid his team shooting themselves in the foot as Ohio State did.

Covering will not be easy, but the feeling is that the Indiana Hoosiers will pull into a double digit lead at the top of the Fourth Quarter and then make a couple of big Defensive plays to move into a position to win and cover.

MY PICK: Indiana Hoosiers - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Semi Final: 1-1, - 0.09 Units (2 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Quarter Final: 2-2, - 0.26 Units (4 Units Staked, - 6.50% Yield)

First Round Playoff: 3-1, + 1.67 Units (4 Units Staked, + 41.75% Yield)

Week 15: 2-2, - 0.29 Units (4 Units Staked, - 7.25% Yield)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

College Football Playoff Picks 2026- Semi Final Games (Thursday 8th January-Friday 9th January)

Those who have liked the consistency and tradition of some of the biggest schools in College Football may feel the final four of the 2025 season is one that should be treated with disdain, but welcome to the world of the NIL.

They may be considered upstarts rather than 'Blue Bloods', but there is no taking away from the successes these four teams have had and they all deserve their shot to win a National Championship.

It is the Semi Final between two Big Ten rivals meeting for a second time this season that will provide the favourite to win the Championship, but the Miami Hurricanes have shown they have deserved their spot in the Playoff Bracket, while the Mississippi Rebels are overcoming off-field drama and actually using that to fuel their own run.

With just three games left in the College Football season, it does feel that there is still some significant drama that has to be played out before the Championship can be raised.

Both Semi Final games look very intriguing and my thoughts can be read below.

Mississippi Rebels vs Miami Hurricanes Pick: There will be some serious questions asked about the current format of the College Football Playoff after the lower Seed won three of the four Quarter Final games played. That follows the opening season when all four Quarter Final games were won by First Round winners and there is a real feeling that those higher Seeded teams are being hindered by having a Bye and competing against teams who have not had a significant layoff between the end of the regular season and those Quarter Final games.

Expansion is surely going to be coming up again and that would mean all teams likely to be involved in First Round action, but for now we have a final four and all will feel they are capable of winning the National Championship later this month.

First up on Thursday is the Number 6 Seed Mississippi Rebels playing the Number 10 Miami Hurricanes, although it is the latter who have been set as favourites.

This could be down to the fact that the Hurricanes have had two impressive wins in their run to the Semi Final against the Texas A&M Aggies and Ohio State Buckeyes, but the Rebels will point to the win over SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs in the Quarter Final as a reason to believe.

Prior to that, the Rebels had blown out an overmatched Tulane Green Wave at home, while a few more Coaches have now headed off to join former Head Coach Lane Kiffin.

The decision made by Kiffin has not gone down very well with the Mississippi upper management and the fans, but it is telling that the players have used the departure as motivation. Some have voiced their irritation about the former Head Coach and antics they feel are trying to overshadow what the Rebels continue to achieve and that certainly has been fuelling the desire to keep this season going.

Mississippi showed there is so much to like about them in the upset over the Georgia Bulldogs and they will believe they have the Offensive unit to give the Miami Hurricanes plenty to think about. Of course there will be a huge amount of respect for the Hurricanes who have restricted the Aggies to 3 points and the Buckeyes to 14 points in earning back to back upset wins, although this time the Miami Hurricanes will be set as the favourites and that can change some of the mentality around a team.

So much is going to be decided by what happens when the Rebels have the ball.

For all of the impressiveness around the Miami victories, it is clear the Defensive unit have been dominant and the Offense has been doing just enough so the key here is whether the Mississippi Rebels can find enough time to give Quarter Back Trinidad Chambliss a chance to move the chains.

An 'easy' way would be to establish the run and the Rebels have had success doing that, but they have not yet tried to run on this Hurricanes Defensive Line. This has been a strength of the Miami team and they are big winners if they can force an opponent to throw the ball out of third and long spots.

Over the course of the season, the Miami pass rush has been impressive, but players have dialled it up several notches in the post-season and they are creating havoc up front.

Trinidad Chambliss has been given time by his Offensive Line when he has stepped back to throw the ball and that has allowed the Quarter Back to put together a couple of very strong showings. This battle at the Line of Scrimmage is going to be hugely decisive to the final outcome, especially as there have been some holes in the Miami Secondary that have been exposed when Quarter Backs had had just enough time to make their plays down the field.

It is certainly something Chambliss is going to believe he can do and this is also a Quarter Back capable of moving the pocket with his legs and escaping pressure. This is also very important for the underdog and the Rebels will be looking for Trinidad Chambliss to continue what has been a really impressive first season at this level of College Football.

Much like the other side of the ball, the Hurricanes have to know that running the ball is essential to any success they are going to have in this game.

However, the difference here is that the Miami Offensive Line has shown it can open up significant holes up front and the Mississippi Defensive Line has had a season-long struggle against the run. They have been a little better in the Playoffs, but the Rebels had one of those games against a Power 5 Conference Champion at home and the Hurricanes are going to pose significant challenges for them.

If they can put Carson Beck in third and manageable spots, Miami will be very confident that they can move the chains with some consistency and it is yet another key battle ground at the Line of Scrimmage.

However, there has been some inconsistency in the passing game for the Hurricanes and they are facing a Rebels team that have been able to get some pressure up front to rattle Quarter Backs. That has aided the Secondary and Carson Beck will need plenty of support to keep things going in this one, although the Hurricanes have rightly been set as favourites.

The expectation is that this is going to be a close and competitive game, but one where the Miami Hurricanes perhaps have the stronger success at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball. That should ultimately see Miami pass the Mississippi Rebels, but Trinidad Chambliss is unlikely to roll over without a fight and that makes having the hook over a key number most appealing.

If it is going to end in a big win, the Hurricanes perhaps have the power to do that, but Chambliss and the Rebels are playing with real motivation right now and they can make sure this competitive for the full sixty minutes and perhaps even pull yet another upset.

Indiana Hoosiers vs Oregon Ducks Pick: The Big Ten has taken over from the SEC as the Conference with the most likely contenders to win the National Championship and this is a Semi Final involving two of those teams.

The winner is going to be the favourite in the National Championship Game later this month and the question is whether it will be repeat or revenge when the Indiana Hoosiers (14-0) face the Oregon Ducks (13-1) in Atlanta?

The Hoosiers put together an unbeaten season, which included winning a road game in Oregon, and Indiana have crushed the Alabama Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff Quarter Final. Some were wondering if this upstart could even beat a blue blood school at a big moment, but the Hoosiers are the only team in two seasons who have been the higher Seed to win the Quarter Final game played.

There is no doubting how good this Indiana team are, but they are facing an Oregon team that have beaten everyone other than the Hoosiers. A comfortable win over James Madison Dukes at home in the First Round would not have concerned too many, but shutting out the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Quarter Final and avoiding going out at the same stage for a second year in a row will have some taking notice.

Of course beating the Big Ten Champion is a very different task than beating the Big 12 Champion and this looks like it is another Semi Final that could go down to the wire.

Unlike the NFL, it is rare to play the same team twice in a season when it comes to College Football, although it does happen.

This year it has happened nine times, but the team that have won the first game have only repeated twice and that is something that the Indiana Hoosiers will have to be wary of in this Semi Final. The Hoosiers won by 10 points on the road and were pretty dominant on both sides of the ball, but Oregon will take plenty of heart from the way rematches have trended this season and the Ducks are much better than what they were able to show in that regular season defeat.

The two teams that have repeated regular season wins in the second time round both won by at least 22 point margins the first time around and were 20 plus point winners again.

However, none of the other seven games had been decided by more than 17 points and six were by single digit margins, which suggests this game is going to be another close one and a Semi Final Oregon can enter with some confidence.

In saying that, Oregon will be well aware that they need to be better across the board if they are going to knock off the Number 1 Seed and Conference Champion.

For starters they have to find a way to run the ball with some productivity to at least keep Quarter Back Dante Moore in third and manageable positions. Third Down conversion is going to be absolutely massive to the final outcome of this game and a Quarter Back expected to go very quickly in the NFL Draft in April has to be better than he was the first time around against this Defensive unit.

Dante Moore can take encouragement from the recent numbers the Indiana Secondary have allowed, although running the ball against this Hoosiers Defensive Line is going to be incredibly challenging. If the Ducks Offensive Line are not able to win at the Line of Scrimmage as far as the run game goes, they must be able to stand up to the Indiana pass rush and at least offer the star Quarter Back time to throw the ball down the field.

Two Interceptions were thrown in the regular season and that is something the Ducks will not be able to afford if they are going to upset the odds.

Avoiding those and learning from what they have seen already in the regular seaosn should give Dante Moore a better plan from which to attack, but the Quarter Back cannot take too many risks in what is going to be a battle.

The same will apply to Indiana, but they will be confident with the way they approached the first game and only mistake by Fernando Mendoza in the Fourth Quarter almost flipped the momentum. The game was tied up he threw a Pick Six, but Indiana were the better team and ultimately ran out pretty clear winners, even if they are expecting different looks in this Semi Final.

Indiana were well balanced in the regular season game, and they did not shy away from pounding the rock.

They only managed 3 yards per carry, but had two scores on the ground and the Hoosiers Offensive Line have been in powering mood down the stretch. They will also have noted some of the successes teams have had moving the ball against this Oregon Defensive Line in recent games and putting this team in third and manageable spots could be the key to repeat, rather than revenge.

Some even see this as a fight between two Quarter Backs that may go First and Second in the next NFL Draft and third and manageable would certainly give Fernando Mendoza to produce stronger numbers than Dante Moore.

He had over 200 passing yards in the road win over the Ducks and would have more time in the pocket if the team are able to move the ball a little bit more efficiently on the ground. The Hoosiers had kept Mendoza well protected in that regular season win and doing the same here would certainly mean the Number 1 Seed can come out on top.

As mentioned a few times, beating a team twice in the same season is not easy in College Football.

The Ducks need to be given a lot of respect for the season they have put together and they are going to have a plan to turn around that home defeat to Indiana.

However, the Hoosiers have continued to pound out the wins and they will feel they can win the battle of the Third Down conversions, which ultimately will be a key to the final outcome. As long as the turnover battle is level at the least, the Hoosiers can find a way to come out on top and earn the opportunity to win a National Championship later this month.

MY PICKS: Mississippi Rebels + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final: 2-2, - 0.26 Units (4 Units Staked, - 6.50% Yield)

First Round Playoff: 3-1, + 1.67 Units (4 Units Staked, + 41.75% Yield)

Week 15: 2-2, - 0.29 Units (4 Units Staked, - 7.25% Yield)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

College Football Playoff Picks 2025- Quarter Final (Wednesday 31st December-Thursday 1st January)

The College Football Playoff is going to change in the years ahead and there is little doubt about that.

However, we do look to have a solid eight teams left who will be vying to end the season as National Champions and the Quarter Final match ups look good.

The Playoff Picks begun with a 3-1 run in the First Round, although the last of those games should have also secured a win when the Oregon Ducks allowed a late Touchdown and a backdoor cover against the James Madison Dukes.

Hopefully that can be built upon in the Quarter Final with the four games to be played on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Miami Hurricanes: Last season was the first in the new format of the College Football Playoff and all four First Round winners were able to beat top four Seeded opponents.

That includes the Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) crushing a Big Ten rival in Oregon, but this time it is the Buckeyes who have been sitting and waiting to see who they would face Dallas.

Most may have expected the Texas A&M Aggies to be that opponent, but they were upset at home by the Miami Hurricanes (11-2) who have already proven the Playoff Committee were correct in bringing them into the Bracket.

The win over the Aggies was not the most eye-pleasing performance, at least not from an Offensive point of view, and the Hurricanes have to be aware that they are going to need to be better all around to upset the Number 2 Seed. Miami have been set as a considerable underdog in the contest, but that win on the road has to give them belief that they are able to make this a very competitive outing.

Much of the heavy lifting is going to have to be done by the Miami Defensive unit, who just limited the Aggies to 3 points at home.

They are a team that have been very strong at the Line of Scrimmage and that has made it very difficult to run the ball against the Hurricanes, which is going to be something that the Buckeyes may struggle to do with any consistency. Ohio State have been very good at running the ball all season, but there has been a feeling that they have struggled against strong fronts and the Hurricanes are about as good an opponent as Ohio State will have faced this season.

If the Hurricanes can at least slow the rush, they will feel they can unleash a pass rush that Ohio State will have rarely seen and that can put Quarter Back Julian Sayin under pressure. He has shown he is capable of finding big throws when they are needed this season and the Buckeyes are very talented in the Receiver positions, but the Indiana Hoosiers showed the blueprint to beat them and the Miami Hurricanes can certainly play their part on this side of the ball.

A bigger question is can the Miami Hurricanes find enough Offensive output to stay with the Buckeyes? They struggled in poor conditions against the Aggies, but playing indoors will help, although the Hurricanes also have to have a lot of respect for what this Ohio State Defensive unit can put together.

The Buckeyes numbers have been really strong all season on this side of the ball.

Carson Beck has experience, but the pressure is likely going to be carried by the Quarter Back with the Buckeyes Defensive Line capable of closing down the running lanes for the underdog.

He will be well protected, which will help, and Beck will have seen what the Indiana Hoosiers were able to do against the Buckeyes Secondary.

Fernando Mendoza managed to throw 222 yards against Ohio State and the Miami Hurricanes may need something similar to keep this one close on the scoreboard.

As long as the Miami Hurricanes can play a clean game Offensively, this opening Quarter Final will be a battle of field position and that should mean the spread is a bit too high for the favourite to cover, even if they are to win and move through to the next Round.

Texas Tech Red Raiders vs Oregon Ducks Pick: Out of the four Quarter Final games to be played in the College Football Playoff, this is the one with the shortest spread and there is every reason to believe it could come down to a final possession to separate the two teams.

Last year the Oregon Ducks (12-1) were the Number 1 Seed as the unbeaten Big Ten Champions, but they were placed in the First Round in 2025 and crushed the James Madison Dukes. The final score is much closer than the game panned out, although the Ducks will feel there is still room for improvement if they are going to move into the Playoff Semi Final Round and get the better of the Big 12 Champions.

All season the Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-1) have been overlooked and that is going to give this team a lot of motivation.

The one loss was in a game where they had to play with a backup Quarter Back, but Texas Tech look ready to go, although they will note that the teams that were Seeded higher were all beaten in the Quarter Final Round last year. This is something that everyone will be keeping an eye on with some believing the lay off between games is a problem for the Seeded teams, especially as they are going up against an opponent that has played at least once in December in the First Round.

In this one the Oregon Ducks- the lower Seed- have been set as favourites, but that could be partly down to the familiarity people have with a school that has been operating at a much higher level than Texas Tech in recent years.

However, the era of the transfer portal has been exploited by Texas Tech and others to quickly change the fortune around any team and the Red Raiders have the personnel on both sides of the ball to spring the upset.

Oregon have gotten the better of the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the past, but it feels this game is going to come down to how they can perform Offensively against one of the best Defensive units in the College Football picture.

An immediate problem could be at the Line of Scrimmage with the Ducks unlikely to rip off big gains against this Red Raiders Defensive Line and that will mean Quarter Back Dante Moore needing to make plays with his arm. He will be confident in doing that, but Moore struggled in the loss to the Indiana Hoosiers in the regular season and this is a Texas Tech team that really gets after the Quarter Back when they have pushed an opponent into obvious passing situations.

You do have to expect the speed and talent in the Oregon Offensive unit to come to the fore and make some big plays, but Dante Moore will have to be very aware of the capabilities of this Secondary in taking the ball away. This is another area where the Red Raiders have to be the stronger of the two teams if they are going to pull the upset, but there is a lot of confidence in Texas Tech about the strength of the team on the Defensive side of the ball.

The Red Raiders Defensive unit are the focus in this one as people want to know how they can step up to the elite of the Big Ten level.

However, it would be foolish to ignore the Offense and what they may be able to do in this game to give the Big 12 Champions an edge.

Behren Morton has really played efficiently from the Quarter Back position and he is going to be hugely encouraged by some of the passing numbers allowed by the Oregon Secondary in recent games. Most importantly, the Red Raiders Offensive Line may feel they can at least keep Morton in third and manageable spots by having some success at the Line of Scrimmage and that will be key to ease the Ducks pass rush pressure and give the Quarter Back some time to make plays down the field.

The expectation around this game is that it is going to be really close and it would be a surprise if it is anything else.

You have to like the Oregon Ducks with the experience they have in both Coaching and playing at this time of the year, but Texas Tech Red Raiders have been having a strong season and are perhaps underestimated.

If the Defensive front can do what they have been, Texas Tech may just have enough to edge to the victory and just remind the Big Ten and SEC that they are not the only Power 4 Conferences with legitimately strong teams playing within them.

Indiana Hoosiers vs Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: If you want to know what kind of impact the transfer portal and NIL deals have had in College Football, just have a look at the spread for this Playoff Quarter Final.

The long-time contenders Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3) and 'blue blood' are not only the lower Seed, but they are significant underdogs against the Indiana Hoosiers (13-0). Take away the names and it makes a lot of sense with the unbeaten Big Ten Champions building on a strong run in 2024, but it is still jarring for older College Football fans.

You have to believe the Crimson Tide are going to be highly motivated by the spread, even if some will pretend players and Coaches do not pay attention to the Vegas oddsmakers.

They have already overcome some of the criticism by being included in the Playoff by coming back from 17-0 down to beat the Oklahoma Sooners on the road in the First Round and earn revenge for a regular season loss. However, this feels like a significantly tougher challenge for the Crimson Tide against an opponent that has beaten the Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks this season, two teams that also make up the final eight in the Playoff Bracket.

A season-long problem for the Crimson Tide has been at the Line of Scrimmage and an inability to run the ball.

This is not expected to change in this Quarter Final with the Hoosiers Defensive Line able to clamp down on the run and that means the pressure is on Quarter Back Ty Simpson. He has been inconsistent at times this season, which is not surprising without much support on the ground and having to convert third and long spots all over the field, while Simpson has seemingly been playing through an injury over the last several weeks.

Assuming the Crimson Tide don't change the habit of a 2025 season on New Year's Day, Ty Simpson is going to be put under incredible pressure by the Indiana pass rush. The Quarter Back has perhaps not been good enough with his footwork to make up for escaping pressure around him and Simpson could have a really tough day keeping the chains moving against one of the premier Defensive units in College Football.

All of this means the Crimson Tide are going to need the Defense to step up for them, but they are expected to be given a stern examination.

Much like Indiana, Alabama's Defensive Line have to be confident that they can at least slow down the Hoosiers run game, although perhaps not to the same extent as will be expected on the other side of the ball.

Some believe Quarter Back Fernando Mendoza is potentially going to be the Number 1 Pick in the NFL Draft next April and he is expected to showcase some of his talents against a Secondary that will also be pushing onto the next level. However, the Crimson Tide have been struggling against the pass against the stronger competition faced and this is where the Hoosiers may take command of this Quarter Final and avoid having another Number 1 Seed beaten in this Round following Big Ten Champions Oregon falling twelve months ago.

Fernando Mendoza has largely avoided mistakes in the passing game as well and so there is a feeling the Indiana Hoosiers will pull ahead and then have the pass rush pin back their ears on the other side of the ball.

This could lead to a turnover or two in their favour and the Indiana Hoosiers can show why they are considered the team to beat in the Playoff with a comprehensive victory.

Stephen Daley is missing for the Hoosiers, which is a blow, but Indiana can make up for that and still move into the Semi Final later this month.

Georgia Bulldogs vs Mississippi Rebels Pick: Everyone was interested to see how the Mississippi Rebels (12-1) would react to the Lane Kiffin drama, but they were big favourites in the First Round of the Playoffs and made that count on the field. This is a much more significant test for the Rebels as they face the Georgia Bulldogs (12-1) for a second time this season, a team that went on to win the SEC Championship with a dominant win in early December.

The game in mid-October ended in an 8 point win for the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, while a dominant Fourth Quarter saw them dominate the yardage and pull clear of the Rebels.

A lot feels like it has changed for Georgia since then- the younger players have grown and grown and crushing wins over Texas and Alabama has underlined the improvement being made. Importantly it looks like the Bulldogs have gotten stronger Defensively, which is where all SEC teams look to dominate, and they will feel they are going to be able to exert their strengths in this one.

So much of this Quarter Final is going to be decided when the Mississippi Rebels have the ball.

They should be pretty well prepared now the Kiffin drama is behind them, although there is still some uncertainty as to how the Rebels will look next season. Trinidad Chambliss has made the Quarter Back position his own, but rumours continue to swirl that he may make a move in the transfer portal with many expecting him to join his former Head Coach with the LSU Tigers.

In the first meeting with the Bulldogs, Trinidad Chambliss had 263 passing yards with a Touchdown and added two more on the ground to go along with 42 rushing yards. A similar performance will be needed if the Rebels are going to pull the upset, but the Rebels have to be aware they are going up against a much stronger looking Georgia Defensive unit in this one.

Everything begins up front with the Georgia Defensive Line absolutely clamping down on the run in recent games and they will be very keen to put the Rebels behind the chains and see if Trinidad Chambliss can beat them with his arm.

The Quarter Back is expected to have some successes, although time in the pocket may run out pretty quickly against this Georgia pass rush. Trinidad Chambliss also has to be very aware of the turnovers that the Bulldogs Secondary have been creating and none of the last four opponents have scored more than 10 points against the SEC Champions.

Improving Defensive performances have perhaps contributed to Georgia looking a bit more conservative Offensively with the idea to make sure they win the field position battle.

Gunner Stockton had 289 passing yards and 4 Touchdowns in the home win over the Rebels, but the passing numbers are way down in recent outings with the Bulldogs not asking as much from the Quarter Back.

That may be the case in this Quarter Final with the Bulldogs Offensive Line looking to establish the run and they will certainly feel they can do that in this game. The Rebels Defensive Line has been vulnerable at times throughout the season, but recent games have seen the Rebels give up a bit more on the ground and this should be music to the ears of Georgia fans.

Putting Gunner Stockton in third and manageable spots should mean he has a bit more time in the pocket to make his throws down the field, while there have been some lanes that have been exploited through the air against the Rebels in recent games. He may not have the same totals as the regular season win, but Stockton will certainly feel he can help the Bulldogs keep the chains moving.

As long as he can avoid turnovers, Gunner Stockton should lead the Georgia Bulldogs to success, even if repeat games in one season are always very different to the first. However, the Rebels showed in the First Round that some things do not change in the second dominant win over Tulane this season and they may just not have the consistency to keep up with an improving Georgia Bulldogs team looking to make amends for a relatively early exit twelve months ago.

MY PICKS: Miami Hurricanes + 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders + 2.5 Points @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Indiana Hoosiers - 6.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs - 6 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

First Round Playoff: 3-1, + 1.67 Units (4 Units Staked, + 41.75% Yield)

Week 15: 2-2, - 0.29 Units (4 Units Staked, - 7.25% Yield)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

College Football Playoff Picks 2025- First Round Games (Friday 19th December-Saturday 20th December)

The First Round of the College Football Playoff will hopefully end the controversy about the selections that were made, although those in Notre Dame are unlikely to forgive or forget.

It does feel harsh on the Fighting Irish to miss out, but being an Independent comes with some danger and the head to head against the Miami Hurricanes ultimately made the difference.

Things may have been different if the Hurricanes had made the ACC Championship Game- win or lose, that would have meant the Notre Dame Fighting Irish would have likely been invited into the final twelve and the Conference has made it clear that they will change their tiebreaker rules in 2026.

The ACC would have been frustrated if the Hurricanes had missed out seeing as their underdog Champion Duke Blue Devils were always going to be left out.

Instead there are two Power 5 Conference Champions playing in the First Round as big underdogs, but with nothing to lose.

Those should be dominated by two strong home favourites, but there are two very competitive looking First Round games to be played on Friday and Saturday and it should be a really good start to the College Football Playoffs.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Oklahoma Sooners Pick: There has been a lot of controversy around some of the selections made for the College Football Playoff this season and the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-3) were one of the big names that people felt have been fortunate to reach the twelve team Playoff.

That was after the blowout loss in the SEC Championship Game against the Georgia Bulldogs, which meant a third defeat of the season.

Some believe Alabama should have been punished for the manner of the SEC Championship Game defeat, but those involved with the Crimson Tide have made it very clear that reaching the Conference Championship should mean being involved in a game that should not have an impact on the final standings.

No one is going to be really happy about the outcome, but Alabama have to travel to Norman in the First Round and prove they deserve to be amongst the final twelve. Win here and the Crimson Tide will take aim at the Number 1 Seed, although it has been a far from ideal build up towards the First Round after the controversy of the selection and reports linking Head Coach Kalen DeBoer with the suddenly vacant Head Coach role with the Michigan Wolverines.

Denials have been made by DeBoer and the school, but it is not ideal as the Crimson Tide travel to face the Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) in a rematch of a regular season game.

A little over a month ago, Oklahoma Sooners left Tuscaloosa with a victory that virtually secured a spot in the Playoff and the opportunity to host this game. Four straight wins to conclude the regular season will have given the Sooners confidence, although the last couple of performances were far from ideal from an Offensive unit that have not impressed at all.

This is where the challenge is on Friday night to open the College Football Playoffs.

Even in the win over Alabama on the road, the Sooners struggled mightily for any kind of consistency from the Offensive unit and it was big Defensive and Special Teams plays that allowed them to escape with the upset. They were massively outgained in terms of Offensive yardage, although Oklahoma have been a little more convincing overall when playing in Norman.

Like most teams, the Sooners will not shy away from trying to run the ball, but that is going to be a huge challenge for an Offensive Line that were struggling down the stretch and now facing this Alabama Defensive Line.

All of that adds up to the pressure once again being on Quarter Back John Mateer, who did throw for over 2500 passing yards, but also had 12 Touchdown passes and 10 Interceptions.

During this four game winning run, John Mateer has been held to under 175 passing yards three times and the Crimson Tide Secondary have shown up pretty well down the stretch. Big, explosive plays have been produced by the Mateer arm and that is something the Alabama Crimson Tide will have to be aware of, but they held the Quarter Back to 138 passing yards at home and will feel they can make enough plays to give their own Offensive unit an opportunity for redemption.

Ty Simpson has not played well in the last couple of starts for Alabama as he continues to deal with an undisclosed injury, but there has been a couple of weeks of rest since the SEC Championship Game. The Crimson Tide will be hoping that he has had enough time to at least feel better about what he can do on a football field and especially as Alabama will need the Quarter Back being able to throw the ball with confidence.

In the first game in the regular season, Alabama did have issues running the ball and even a returning Jam Miller may not make much of a difference against this strong Sooners Defensive Line.

However, it was Ty Simpson who had given the Crimson Tide a chance having thrown for over 300 passing yards, although the Interception thrown and a Fumble lost were costly parts of the reason Alabama failed to win.

As the season has wound down, there have been holes in this Oklahoma Secondary which can be exploited, although the question will be how healthy Ty Simpson feels?

We cannot really answer that, but this feels like a chance for Alabama to bounce back and earn revenge for the loss in Tuscaloosa to this Oklahoma team.

It should be another close, competitive game, especially with so much on the line.

Alabama should be very motivated to show they belong in the First Round of the Playoff after all of the controversy, although they will be well aware that all four hosts won in this Round twelve months ago.

None of those games were expected to be anything as competitive as this one looks though and the Crimson Tide are backed to find a way in Norman in a hostile environment.

Miami Hurricanes @ Texas A&M Aggies Pick: If the inclusion of the Alabama Crimson Tide is considered controversial, having an ACC representative that did not win the Conference Championship involved has really stirred things up.

The Miami Hurricanes (10-2) were given plenty of respect by the Playoff Committee down the stretch, but they were not able to push their way into the ACC Championship Game. Ultimately that may not have been a bad thing knowing a defeat would have meant elimination, but Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans will be absolutely sickened to finally have been passed by the Hurricanes in the final Playoff Rankings.

All of the controversy means there is some pressure on Miami and they are heading out on the road for the First Round of the Playoffs against what had been one of the more impressive teams in the SEC.

The Texas A&M Aggies (11-1) will be disappointed that a single loss in the final week of the regular season saw them drop out of the top four in the Rankings, but they are hosting and will be looking to bounce back from that loss to the Longhorns. It was the Defensive unit that really let them down that day, but for the majority of the season the Aggies have played well on that side of the ball and they have had a bit of time to reassess, refocus, and make sure they are ready to compete.

Plenty of people believe these teams are well matched and will want to approach this game in similar ways, and it has also been noted that both the Hurricanes and Aggies have not really faced schedules as tough as they may have been. Both have beaten the Florida Gators in dominant fashion during the regular season, but this is another of the very close looking opening Round Playoff games and the team that plays the cleanest is likely to move on to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the next Round.

The Line of Scrimmage is going to be really important on both sides of the ball- credit has to be given to the Hurricanes and Aggies for knowing that they can open up the playbook by making sure they are performing from in front of the chains and both will be looking to pound the rock behind strong Offensive Lines.

However, the challenge is that they will be going up against two Defensive Lines that have found a way to clamp down on the run more often than not. Again you have to point out that these teams have not faced an opponent like the other, so there is a bigger test coming up, and that is a key part of this game.

Carson Beck and Marcel Reed have both been playing really well at Quarter Back and the passing numbers will offer them plenty of encouragement.

The Hurricanes may take further confidence from some of the issues that the Aggies have had when facing stronger Offensive units this season, while the Miami Defensive unit has kept the team in games. That may be the slight edge needed in what looks like a First Round game that will come down to the wire and the Hurricanes have every chance of finding a way of getting through as an outright winner.

Having the hook over the key number 3 would have been ideal, but backing the Hurricanes with the points looks the right play, even if this Texas A&M Aggies team have impressed against a relatively weak SEC schedule.

Tulane Green Wave @ Mississippi Rebels Pick: Weak Conferences have allowed a couple of Champions from the Power 5 Conferences to earn spots in the College Football Playoff in 2025.

An upset in the American Conference Championship Game has earned the Tulane Green Wave (11-2) a place in the First Round, but the successes under Head Coach Jon Sumrall has gotten the attention of bigger schools. He is going to depart to take over at the Florida Gators, but Sumrall Coached the win over North Texas in the Conference Championship Game and he will get the chance to sign off with the Green Wave.

They are big underdogs going up against the Mississippi Rebels (11-1), although there has been plenty of upheaval around the team after Lane Kiffin finally decided to leave as Head Coach for a job at the LSU Tigers. It is a decision that has not gone down very well with anyone associated with the Rebels, but the players look focused after it was announced that Kiffin will not be Coaching in the post-season.

Instead Pete Golding has been promoted from within to take over as Head Coach and the hope is that there is some continuity that allows the Rebels to finish 2025 with a flourish. Some of the Coaches that will be departing for LSU along with the former Head Coach have been given a reprieve to stand on the sidelines in the Playoffs, but there is still some uncertainty about how the Rebels will perform.

They are big favourites, which is not a surprise considering the disparity in talent level between a team from the SEC and the American Conferences, while the Rebels have already blown out Tulane in this Stadium in the regular season.

You have to think the Green Wave will have been watching tape of that regular season meeting and looking to make adjustments, while avoiding turnovers is absolutely key in any upset bid.

The Green Wave struggled to run the ball efficiently in the regular season game and that could be the situation for them again, which means the pressure is on Jake Retzlaff. The Quarter Back had 56 passing yards and completed just 5/17 throws in the regular season loss and there will be some wariness about facing a Mississippi Secondary that finished the regular season making big play after big play.

At a lower level, Tulane's Defensive Line have played well and they have been able to clamp down on the run in recent victories, but it isn't too often that they will be coming up against SEC Offensive Lines. The Rebels Offensive Line have been helping establish the run all season and they managed to help the team put up 5.7 yards per carry in a 241 yard day in the win over Tulane in the regular season.

Trinidad Chambliss has been reported to be thinking about his options for next season after a strong year under Center for the Mississippi Rebels.

The Quarter Back should be able to have a comfortable day with the team expected to keep him in front of the chains and he had over 300 passing yards and 2 Touchdown passes already against this Tulane Secondary.

Unsurprisingly the spread is bigger for this First Round Playoff game than it was in the regular season with the line now crossing another key number 17.

However, the Mississippi Rebels do look considerably stronger than the American Champions and that should show up- the players are likely going to be pretty focused to remind people of their quality and move past the Lane Kiffin era and it may be tough for the Green Wave to keep up, much like it was when the teams met back in September.

James Madison Dukes @ Oregon Ducks Pick: There is no reason to be angry with James Madison Dukes (12-1) for making it through to the College Football Playoff at the expense of surprising ACC Champions Duke Blue Devils. Are the Dukes one of the best twelve teams in College Football? No, but they are a Conference Champion and the current selection policy means they have every right to be involved in the First Round.

Of course they have been set as the biggest underdog of the Round as they prepare to travel to face the Oregon Ducks (11-1) who are one of three Big Ten teams that are playing in the Playoffs.

They are the only one involved in the First Round, but the Oregon Ducks may feel that gives them a chance to play themselves into positive form having been given a Bye into the Quarter Final last year, but losing the opening game.

The Bracket also presents an opportunity with the winner of this game facing the Texas Tech Red Raiders- there is no doubting how good the Big 12 Champions are, but it feels eminently more winnable than facing the Indiana Hoosiers, Ohio State Buckeyes or Georgia Bulldogs and that is something the Oregon Ducks will consider.

Oregon are hosting and they have won six in a row, while covering in three straight, which suggests they finished the season in confident form.

The Ducks are very balanced on the Offensive side of the ball and that is going to make it very difficult for James Madison Dukes, especially as they will not have faced teams with the talent and speed of Oregon very often. The sole defeat this season was a 14 point loss at the Louisville Cardinals, but James Madison upset North Carolina Tar Heels last season and will feel they have 'nothing to lose'.

Stopping this Oregon team will be extremely challenging, but the Dukes will have to see if they can put up enough Offensive output of their own to keep this competitive.

Everything will depend on the Line of Scrimmage when the Dukes have the ball- James Madison's Offensive Line have been very good at the Sun Belt Conference level and controlling the clock and the tempo has to be the plan for the big underdog.

However, they are facing an Oregon Defensive Line which has been very strong all season and while playing a higher class of opponent.

Alonza Barnett III has played well at Quarter Back to back up the strong running game, but it is a very different challenge if he is playing from behind the chains and against a top Big Ten opponent on the road.

It is simply not being used to facing competition of this level that is one challenge and this Oregon Secondary are giving nothing away.

Trying to find an upset on the road just feels too tall a task and the Oregon Ducks should have enough to pull clear and cover as the big home favourite.

MY PICKS: Alabama Crimson Tide + 1 Point @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Miami Hurricanes + 3.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Mississippi Rebels - 17.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oregon Ducks - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Week 15: 2-2, - 0.29 Units (4 Units Staked, - 7.25% Yield)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

College Football Pick- National Championship 2025 (Monday 20th January)

The new College Football Playoff has changed the way we lead up into the National Championship Game, but we have got here and it looks like a decent game between two schools that have overcome some adversity during the course of the season.

The off-season is going to bring changes in College Football and we might even here about any extension to the Playoff format, while all eyes will be on North Carolina and whether they can retain Bill Belichick as Head Coach.

It has been a fun season for the fans to enjoy, but all comes to a conclusion with a new Champion set to be crowned when the Buckeyes and Fighting Irish face off.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs Ohio State Buckeyes Pick: The new College Football Playoff format will be considered a success, although there maybe some tweaks and an expansion over the coming years.

The first twelve team Playoff ends on Monday with the National Championship Game and it looks a good one.

Both the Ohio State Buckeyes (13-2) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-1) played in the First Round of the post-season and they have each beaten three opponents.

The Buckeyes crushed Tennessee Volunteers at home before earning revenge over the Oregon Ducks, the Big Ten Champions, in the Quarter Final. They were not as dominant, despite the score, in the win over the Texas Longhorns, but the Ohio State Buckeyes will feel they are pretty well tested ahead of the National Championship as a talented group peak at just the right time.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish have beaten two Big Ten opponents on their way to the National Championship Game and that will give them plenty of confidence that this season can end with a trophy to parade. The blowout of the Indiana Hoosiers was expected, but the tough, battling win over the Penn State Nittany Lions just underlined the belief in this Fighting Irish team.

Beating the SEC Champions Georgia, albeit with a backup Quarter Back, will have deepened that belief and Notre Dame have to be respected for gritting their way through to the National Championship Game. Injuries have piled up, which is something those in the Playoff Committee will have noted, but the Fighting Irish continue to rally together and 'next man up' mentality is helping them.

This is the hardest of tests for Notre Dame with the Buckeyes finally looking like they are playing at the level that most expected from them before a ball had been kicked off, and it may not be the best match up Offensively.

The Fighting Irish want to lean on the Offensive Line, but the Playoff performances have been more challenging for them as they have opened up holes for 4.1 yards per carry. However, Notre Dame are not going to want to move too far away from the plan, and that is a problem when going up against this Ohio State Defensive Line, which has played at a really high level in the post-season.

Riley Leonard would love to throw the ball to open the running lanes, but the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Quarter Back has not really been as consistent with the step up in level of competition. There has been some success throwing the ball against the Buckeyes, but that is because teams have needed to take risks and Leonard and company may get into a vicious cycle if they have to move away from the run.

It would also mean trying to stop the fierce Ohio State pass rush that has penetrated the backfield and Riley Leonard has been put under duress during the Notre Dame run to the National Championship Game. That pressure has led to some turnovers and the Ohio State Buckeyes have to be very confident about what they can do when the Fighting Irish have the ball, especially with further injuries on the Notre Dame Offensive Line.

In saying that, Notre Dame are going to be confident they can make enough plays on the Defensive side of the ball to keep this one competitive and give them a chance of earning the upset.

Extra preparation time should mean the Fighting Irish are ready to challenge this very productive Ohio State Offense, which has found considerable balance.

Moving the ball on the ground against the Fighting Irish Defensive Line with any consistency will not be easy, but this Ohio State team will be confident they can rip open some big plays to keep the team balanced, which is so important in these potentially tight, competitive Defensive battles.

Will Howard is certainly the stronger passer of the two Quarter Backs taking to the field and he has some hugely talented playmakers around him. Assuming the Fighting Irish are going to try and limit the impact of Jeremiah Smith, others have shown they can step up for their Quarter Back and make the plays that keep the chains moving down the field.

There are some big injuries on this side of the ball for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to deal with and even Head Coach Marcus Freeman's strong record when having time to prepare looks like it may not be good enough to keep his team within the spread.

He will make sure Notre Dame remain competitive, but the likelihood is that the Ohio State Buckeyes use their talent to wear down a Notre Dame team missing a lot of important players on both sides of the ball. Head Coach Ryan Day is under some pressure to bring home the National Championship, but his Buckeyes team look to have peaked at the right time and they can cover on their way to a very successful season, a loss to Michigan aside.

MY PICK: Ohio State Buckeyes - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Playoff Semi Final: 1-1, - 0.09 Units (2 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Playoff Quarter Final: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Playoff First Round: 3-1, + 1.72 Units (4 Units Staked, + 43% Yield)

Week 15: 3-3, - 0.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 4.67% Yield)

Week 14: 6-2, + 3.50 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.75% Yield)

Week 13: 4-4, - 0.36 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 12: 3-6, - 3.23 Units (9 Units Staked, - 35.89% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.15 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.17% Yield)

Week 10: 1-6, - 4.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 57.86% Yield)

Week 9: 4-2, + 1.82 Units (6 Units Staked, + 30.33% Yield)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

College Football Picks- Playoff Semi Final 2025 (Thursday 9th January-Friday 10th January)

The new College Football Playoff format is going to be changed and evolved in the coming years and those involved will be keeping a close eye on the development of the Bracket this year.

No one wants to make sweeping statements after one sample of games, but the fact that all four First Round winners were able to beat higher Ranked opponents in the Quarter Final will have been noted.

Of course a couple of the lower Seeded teams were better than those that earned Byes through to the Quarter Final, but it won't be lost on many that none of the Conference Champions are going earn a chance of becoming National Champions. The long layoff between games for those earning the Bye into the Quarter Final was a concern before the games were played and you have to think that the organisers will want to make sure that is not a trend going forward.

In saying that, both Semi Final games should be a good one and there will still be a deserving National Champion crowned when all is said and done.

Right now it is very hard to look past the Ohio State Buckeyes who look intent on making up for an underachieving regular season, but the other three teams left standing will all be extremely confident on winning the Championship too.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pick: It is best to not read too much into the first edition of the twelve team College Football Playoff, but it has been noted that the four First Round winners all came through their Quarter Final games to earn places in the final four.

Perhaps in the future the four teams earning the Bye will have guaranteed home field advantage to make up for the time spent away from competitive action, but that is a matter for another day.

Teams like the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2) and Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) could not, and should not, care less with the chance of winning a National Championship now coming over the horizon.

Both schools have to be excited about the opportunity in front of them as Penn State look for a first National Championship since 1986 and Notre Dame the first since 1988. Out of the two, the Fighting Irish have a lot more recent experience of playing in the College Football Playoff, but that is not going to count for a lot in this Semi Final.

The Fighting Irish beat the Indiana Hoosiers out of the Big Ten before upsetting the SEC Champions Georgia Bulldogs, but will note that there is room for improvement. Notre Dame were not very comfortable Offensively in the win over the Bulldogs and were perhaps fortunate that Georgia were without starting Quarter Back Carson Beck, who might have helped that Quarter Final become a lot more competitive than it was at the end.

Next up is the Penn State Nittany Lions who beat the SMU Mustangs and then covered as a big favourite in the victory over the Boise State Broncos. Head Coach James Franklin will have something to build upon thanks to this Semi Final run, but he will also be very aware that Penn State could not have asked for a better portion of the Bracket and this is a huge step up for the Nittany Lions, who were beaten by Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game in early December.

Much like Notre Dame, Penn State will be very pleased with the efforts of the Defensive unit in their two Playoff wins, but may feel there is still more to come from Quarter Back Drew Allar and the rest of the Offense.

Unsuprisingly the Line of Scrimmage is going to play a huge factor in this game on both sides of the ball.

Running the ball against this Fighting Irish Defensive Line has been challenging for teams all season and they were able to shut down the Bulldogs in the Quarter Final. Doing the same against the Nittany Lions will be tougher considering the experience of the Quarter Back, which was missing against Georgia and allowed Notre Dame to dare the SEC Champions to beat them through the air.

Someone like Drew Allar is capable of making plays against this Secondary, although running the ball is also important to establish the balance and just offer Penn State's Offensive Line a little less time to keep the pass rush out of the backfield. The long Allar has to hold the ball to allow routes to develop down the field, the better for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who will feel any under pressure Quarter Back could be picked off by the Defensive Backs.

Extra possessions could be crucial in a Semi Final like this one and avoiding turnovers is going to be important for Drew Allar and Fighting Irish Quarter Back Riley Leonard.

Good news for the Fighting Irish is that Jerimiyah Love looks like he will be ready to go after some early doubts about the big time Running Back. There is little doubt that Love and Riley Leonard will be needed to help Notre Dame try and establish the run against a very good Penn State Defensive Line, one that is expected to have standout Abdul Carter available to play.

Ashton Jeanty was able to pick up 104 yards on the ground against Penn State in the Quarter Final, but it took thirty carries to do that and that just underlines how good the Nittany Lions have been up front.

Having a dual-threat Quarter Back may aid Notre Dame, but they are going to have to be patient and try and wear down the Nittany Lions through the course of the Semi Final. It may also be a situation where Riley Leonard has to try and exploit the one or two holes that have existed in the Penn State Secondary and see if the pass can help open the running lanes.

Riley Leonard did not have a good game against the Georgia Bulldogs so may feel he has something to prove with his arm having thrown for just 90 yards in the Quarter Final win. He did avoid turnovers though and it is going to be a game that may end up being a field position battle where the team that plays the cleaner game is able to win.

The layers are finding it tough to separate Penn State and Notre Dame and the same can be said here.

Instead, it may just be the best option to focus on the Defensive units and expect them to come out on top.

College Football rules can make backing the under a bit more difficult- Overtime rules can see the points really rack up, and this is a game that is likely going to be close enough to potentially need an extra bit of time to find a way to separate them.

However, you have to believe both teams are going to grind this one out at times and that could see the clock run quicker than in other games. Both will look to pound the rock and open up the pass, but the Quarter Backs may not be tasked with trying to do too much when they step back to throw the ball in order to avoid turnovers.

Both the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish have shown how good their Defensive units can be this season and a tight, competitive Semi Final is expected.

Texas Longhorns vs Ohio State Buckeyes Pick: Losing to the Michigan Wolverines cost the Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2) a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game and put Head Coach Ryan Day firmly on the hot seat. Failing to beat their old rival again would have hurt the fans, but the fact the Buckeyes had lost to a Wolverines team in disarray this season really placed the pressure on the Head Coach.

Ultimately you are going to be judged by titles when you are the Head Coach of a school like Ohio State and the Buckeyes felt like an underperforming team with their 10-2 record to conclude the regular season.

Things have certainly changed in the Playoff though.

Missing out on the Big Ten Championship Game ended any chance of earning a Bye through to the Quarter Final, but the Buckeyes have been able to turn their momentum right around. Blowing out the Tennessee Volunteers at home was impressive, but there is no doubt that the best performance in the Quarter Final Round came from Ohio State who crushed the Oregon Ducks, the Number 1 Seed and Big Ten Champion.

This is going to feel like a road game for the Buckeyes, no matter how the fans are known to travel, and that is because it is being played in Dallas.

Against the Texas Longhorns (13-2).

Losing the SEC Championship Game meant the Longhorns have also been forced to win two games to earn their spot in the Semi Final of the 2024 Playoff. They were comfortable winners against ACC Champions Clemson Tigers, but Texas made really hard work of beating the Big 12 Champions Arizona State Sun Devils and it feels like the Longhorns have a lot more to prove.

Quinn Ewers will earn the start at Quarter Back, but the fans are hoping there will be a big package in place for Archie Manning, who is seen as a much more effective runner and a confident passer. There will be plenty of motivation within Ewers though and that is because he actually originally signed up to play for Ohio State before transferring to Texas.

The Longhorns may need their Quarter Back to be at his absolute best against this tough Buckeyes Defense and that is all down to the strength of the Ohio State Defensive Line. It has been so tough to run against them all season, but the Texas Offensive Line have not been playing that well down the stretch and that will offer little encouragement for them.

Making the Longhorns a little one-dimensional will be seen as a big win for the Ohio State Buckeyes and will ramp up the pressure on Quinn Ewers.

The Quarter Back is obviously going to be confident in his own ability, but Texas' Offensive Line may struggle to keep the Buckeyes out of the backfield if Ewers is stuck in third and long spots on the field. A talented Ohio State Secondary have benefited from the pressure that the pass rush have generated and they will certainly believe they can stall drives and potentially pick off an errant pass or two.

This is going to be a prove it kind of game for Quinn Ewers and he will try and boost himself through the personal motivation of playing against his old team for the first time.

Ohio State's Quarter Back is also firing himself up through personal experiences and Will Howard is well aware of the Texas Longhorns having transferred to Ohio State after several years facing Texas in the Big 12. Will Howard has never beaten Texas (0-4), but it also fair to say that the Quarter Back was not throwing to the kind of talented Receivers at Kansas State as he is with Ohio State.

Unlike the Longhorns, the Buckeyes Offensive Line may have a lot more success running the ball and that is key to helping Will Howard and the passing game to really attack the Longhorns down the field. That Offensive Line has also been pretty good when it comes to pass protection, which is all the easier if you are playing in front of the chains and giving Will Howard a clean pocket would give Ohio State a big edge.

Take nothing away from the season that Texas have put together and the level of play that the Secondary have found, but their most recent games have been more difficult when it comes to stopping the pass. Will Howard can connect with the likes of Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith against the Longhorns Secondary and they can certainly pick up from where they left off against the Oregon Ducks as a team.

Ohio State look a big more battle hardened for a Semi Final of this magnitude and the team look to have got things figured out in time for the chance to win another National Championship.

Beating the Texas Longhorns will be far from easy, especially in Dallas, but the Buckeyes might have the more balanced Offensive game-plan and the stronger play at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Buckeyes Secondary might be operating at a higher level than their counterparts with the Longhorns and it all may just end up leading to another big win for Ohio State to move into the National Championship Game to be played later this month.

MY PICKS: Penn State Nittany Lions-Notre Dame Fighting Irish Under 45.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

PlayOff Quarter Final: 2-2, - 0.18 Units (4 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Playoff First Round: 3-1, + 1.72 Units (4 Units Staked, + 43% Yield)

Week 15: 3-3, - 0.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 4.67% Yield)

Week 14: 6-2, + 3.50 Units (8 Units Staked, + 43.75% Yield)

Week 13: 4-4, - 0.36 Units (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 12: 3-6, - 3.23 Units (9 Units Staked, - 35.89% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.15 Units (6 Units Staked, - 69.17% Yield)

Week 10: 1-6, - 4.05 Units (7 Units Staked, - 57.86% Yield)

Week 9: 4-2, + 1.82 Units (6 Units Staked, + 30.33% Yield)

Week 8: 2-4, - 2.23 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.17% Yield)

Week 7: 6-3, + 2.55 Units (9 Units Staked, + 28.33% Yield)

Week 6: 3-2, + 0.82 Units (5 Units Staked, + 16.4% Yield)

Week 5: 0-5, - 5 Units (5 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Week 4: 3-2, + 0.73 Units (5 Units Staked, + 14.60% Yield)

Week 3: 3-5, - 2.35 Units (8 Units Staked, - 29.38% Yield)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)