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 Week 15 Picks 2025 (Friday 5th December-Saturday 6th December)

Championship Week is always going to be important to teams around the College Football landscape and there are some big games to be played in 2025.

This time there are a few teams who will be worrying that a defeat in the Championship Game would see them miss out on the Playoffs, while Seeding is still up for grabs.

Games will be played from Friday through Saturday before the College Football Playoff Bracket is released next week.

Kennesaw State Owls @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks: Neither of these teams are Ranked as far as the College Football Playoff goes so the winner is not going to be thinking about pushing their way into the top twelve positions at the end of Championship Week.

However, make no mistake about the importance of winning the Conference USA Championship for both and that is going to mean plenty of motivation and intensity on the field.

Both the Kennesaw State Owls (9-3) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4) finished with 7-1 records in the Conference, although it is the Gamecocks who get to host the Championship Game having beaten the Owls three weeks ago.

Despite that win, the Gamecocks have been set as home underdogs again, although the line has dipped below a key number 3 from the regular season meeting compared with this Championship Game.

Kennesaw State will certainly feel they were the better team when losing in this Stadium, but the four turnovers on the day proved costly and the stronger yardage produced could not make up for that.

The Owls bounced back as would have been expected from that setback, but the pressure will be on Quarter Back Amari Odom who threw 3 Interceptions without a single Touchdown pass in the loss to Jacksonville State. This is not going to be far from the mind when he steps back in this one, although even a slightly cleaner game from that Quarter Back position is going to give the Owls an edge.

As the season has wound down, the Gamecocks have just had a few more issues controlling the Line of Scrimmage on the Defensive side of the ball and that means an opportunity for Kennesaw State to keep the Quarter Back in third and manageable spots. This should also mean having a clean pocket from which to throw down the field, while not needing to force the ball so much against a Secondary that will give up some big passing numbers, but who have thrived on picking off some of those pass attempts.

Capitalising on mistakes will be the plan for the home team who have been much cleaner with their execution and who will not think a Punt is the same as a defeat. Instead there will be patience from the Gamecocks to keep playing the field battle if they have to, while Jacksonville State have to be hugely encouraged with the problems the Owls Defensive Line have been having when it comes to stopping the run.

This is something that Jacksonville State will feel they can exploit, especially as the Gamecocks were rushing at 6 yards per carry in the win over Kennesaw State in the regular season.

Caden Creel will then be asked to keep things simple in the passing game and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks will be confident in earning another upset.

It could be another back and forth affair in this Championship Game, but the narrow edge has to remain with the Kennesaw State Owls and that is largely by building on what they learned from the regular season defeat. You have to believe the turnover gap will not be nearly as large as it was in that loss, and Kennesaw State have been playing well enough to think that even halving the number will be enough to secure the road victory.

The key will be to take Jacksonville State out of their comfort zone and forcing them to get into obvious passing situations, although that won't be easy.

Instead it could be Amari Odom who can earn redemption with a cleaner game than the first time around against the Gamecocks and the Quarter Back can lead the Owls to a Championship.

Troy Trojans @ James Madison Dukes Pick: The Sun Belt Championship has to be the main aim for both of these teams, but the James Madison Dukes (11-1) potentially have more on the line when hosting the Championship Game.

They dominated the Conference with a perfect 8-0 record and the Dukes have been rewarded by being placed as the Number 25 team in the Rankings.

With that in mind, winning the Sun Belt Championship may yet see the James Madison Dukes earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, although they will need some results to go their way on Saturday. That does mean the team can focus on winning a Championship on Friday in front of the home fans, even if the likelihood is that Head Coach Bob Chesney is set to depart James Madison for the vacant role with the UCLA Bruins.

Bob Chesney has not been able to deny those reports with the expectation being that he will move on, but he has given a lot of credit to the school and the players who have represented him and the Head Coach will be desperate for a Championship.

His team are hosting the Troy Trojans (8-4) who finished 6-2 in the Conference and winning the West Division.

The two teams had very different experiences facing the Old Dominion Monarchs, but that won't count for anything in this one-off game.

The Trojans are not going to make the College Football Playoff even with a win, but a Conference Championship is a big achievement for any team and they can use the 'inferiority complex' to motivate the players in this one.

Instead of having to worry about potentially 'impressing' the Playoff Committee, the Trojans will simply having been working on a plan to impose themselves Offensively. One of the big problems this season has been an inability to run the ball with any kind of consistency and Troy will not be expected to have a lot of impact trying to run the ball against this James Madison Defensive Line.

Goose Crowder returning at Quarter Back has given the Trojans something of a spark, and he has led the team to important wins to merely make the Championship Game.

However, throwing from third and long is tough enough without facing a Secondary like this one at James Madison, and especially when the Trojans Offensive Line have not always been the most productive in pass protection.

The Trojans should still have some success when it comes to moving the ball, although drives are expected to stall at times.

You cannot make that argument with as much confidence when it comes to this James Madison team that have found considerable balance when it comes to running and throwing the ball. Making things more comfortable is the fact that the Troy Defensive Line have had issues stopping the run, which in turn has made it that much more difficult when trying to slow down drives.

Alonza Barrett III may not be asked to throw too often in what are expected to be cold and potentially snowy conditions, but he can keep this drive ticking over when he is needed to do that.

Despite that, the Dukes should be comfortable showcasing their Offensive power and they will be looking to show the Playoff Committee why they should be a surprise contender for a place in the post-season amongst the elite of the College Football nation.

Conditions will make things tougher, but this team has dominated the Sun Belt Conference and they can do enough to win a Championship behind a dominant win.

BYU Cougars vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Pick: The Big 12 teams that came through the pack to both finish with 8-1 records in the Conference will be competing in the Championship Game.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1) and BYU Cougars (11-1) both have the same record, but it is Texas Tech who have been Ranked higher by the Playoff Committee and they are going to be competing in the Playoff regardless of the outcome. However, the BYU Cougars have effectively been asked to 'prove themselves' by winning the Big 12 Championship, even though the Big 12 Commissioner and both Head Coaches in this game have made it clear that both of these teams deserve their spot in the final twelve.

It is the regular season win secured by the Red Raiders over the Cougars that has given them the edge and Texas Tech are rightly favoured in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Errors made a big difference in the regular season loss, but it is going be a challenge for the Cougars to change things dramatically.

A problem is that the Cougars may struggle to run the ball, as they did in the regular season game against Texas Tech- they only had 2.5 yards per carry in that game and the Red Raiders Defensive Line have continued to clamp down on the run as the season has wound down.

Bear Bachmeier may have to carrry the burden for the BYU Offense, although there has been so much to like about this Texas Tech Secondary and the way they have backed up the stout Defensive Line. The Quarter Back struggled in that regular season meeting for consistency and that may be the case again in the Championship Game, which gives Texas Tech a big advantage.

Much like the Cougars, Texas Tech's Offensive Line may have a few problems when it comes to consistently pounding the rock on the ground.

However, Behren Morton is expected to have a few more holes to exploit when it steps back to throw the ball down the field, even though he will have to look out for the Cougars pass rush. If the team have placed Morton in third and manageable spots, the Quarter Back should be able to expose spaces in the BYU Secondary and that will give the Red Raiders a chance to back up the regular season win with another in the Championship Game.

Beating a team twice in the same season is never easy, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders have looked the stand out team in the Big 12 and they can secure another relatively comfortable win over the second best team in the Conference.

Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Cavaliers Pick: Two years ago, the ACC were incredibly upset when the unbeaten Conference Champion was not called up to take part in the then four team College Football Playoff.

In 2025 there is potentially another situation developing where the ACC would not have a representative in the twelve team Playoff and it all comes down the Championship Game.

If the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) were to upset the Virginia Cavaliers (10-2), there is a real chance that the ACC will not be included in the Playoff- the Blue Devils finished 6-2 in the Conference and came out on the right side of a number of permutations to face the Cavaliers, who finished 7-1 in the ACC, and Duke will be looking for revenge after being blown out at home by this team three weeks ago.

The Cavaliers were dominant in that game, but they are well aware that this is a brand new day and the preparation has been to face a Duke team at their best.

However, it is the Virginia Defensive unit that looks very capable in shutting down the Duke Offense and that could be the key to the outcome, much as it was in the regular season.

Duke's Offensive Line is unlikely to have a lot of success running the ball against this Cavaliers team and that will mean Darian Mensah is going to have to step up for his team. He did have decent passing numbers in the first meeting, but Mensah will know how much of a challenge it is to keep the chains moving against this Virginia Secondary.

Of course the Blue Devils have nothing to lose and will pull out every play from the book to try and keep Virginia guessing, but the consistency they lack with the ball in hand is unlikely to be a similar problem for the Cavaliers.

Three weeks ago they piled up well over 500 Offensive yards against the Duke Blue Devils and the Cavaliers are likely to be very balanced when they have the ball in this one.

The Cavaliers Offensive Line is likely going to be the dominant force on the Line of Scrimmage and they should be able to make sure the team is in third and manageable spots for much of this game. This should only make things very comfortable for Chandler Morris at Quarter Back who will be aware of the issues Duke have had in the Secondary and the Cavaliers look like they can win well and make sure they earn their spot in the Playoff as the ACC representative.

Covering turned out to be pretty comfortable in the road win over the Blue Devils, but this one is likely to be closer with Duke pulling out all of the stops to try and keep up on the scoreboard.

With the strength of the Cavaliers on the Defensive side of the ball, Virginia should eventually begin to make the plays to pull away and earn a victory and cover to pick up the ACC Championship.

MY PICKS: Kennesaw State Owls - 1.5 Points @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

James Madison Dukes - 23.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 12.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Virginia Cavaliers - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

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)