This 2025-2026 college football season, the line between legacy and letdown is razor-thin.
Will Ohio State repeat?
Will Texas break through?
Will Arch Manning live up to the hype and capture the Heisman?
Will Brian Kelly be leading the Tigers in 2026?
Will Alabama return to glory?
Can Clemson get back to being a perennial championship contender?
Can Oregon return to the Playoff with a revamped roster?
… Will Bill Belichick and UNC flourish or flounder?
A Quick College Football Playoff Format Update
Before jumping into matchups and storylines that will pave the way, let’s start with where the season will end: the 2025-2026 College Football Playoff. We’re entering the second year under the 12-team playoff era—but the 2025 season brings a pivotal twist: first-round byes no longer belong to conference champions by default. Instead, the four highest-ranked teams in the final College Football Playoff rankings will earn a bye, regardless of championship status.
2025-2026 College Football Playoff Opening Round Format
There will be four opening-round games played on the home fields of the higher-seeded teams.
- The #5 seed will host the #12 seed.
- The #6 seed with host the #11 seed.
- The #7 seed will host the #10 seed.
- The #8 seed will host the #9 seed.
The four winners of these opening-round games then advance to face the top four seeds in the quarterfinal bowl games: the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl.
2025-2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Schedule
- The Cotton Bowl will be played on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN
- The Orange Bowl will be played on Thursday, January 1, 202,6 at Noon ET on ESPN.
- The Rose Bowl will be played on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at 4 PM ET on ESPN.
- The Sugar Bowl will be played on Thursday, January 1, 202,6 at 4 PM ET on ESPN.
2025-2026 College Football Playoff Semifinals Schedule
- The Fiesta Bowl will be played on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.
- The Peach Bowl will be played on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.
2026 College Football National Championship
- The 2026 College Football National Championship game will be played on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
With just four golden tickets to skip the first round and host games disappearing into neutral bowl sites after that, the value of every win—and especially every marquee matchup—has never been higher.
Below, will outline significant storylines and must-see matchups that have major College Football Playoff implications. Then, we’ll close with bold predictions for the Heisman trophy race and 2025-2026 College Football Playoff.
Significant Storylines That Will Shape the 2025-26 College Football Season
Hospitable Home Schedules for Georgia & Alabama
Georgia’s 2025 schedule might be the most quietly dangerous weapon in college football. Their three most consequential games—Texas, Ole Miss, and Alabama—are all between the hedges in Athens. In a season expected to be this balanced at the top, the Bulldogs' ability to play their hardest games in familiar territory could be the edge that gets them to Miami.
Similarly, Alabama has the fortune of playing LSU, Oklahoma, and Tennessee in the friendly confines of Bryant-Denny Stadium. With plenty of talent and a favorable schedule, this could be a breakthrough season and return to College Football Playoff glory for head coach Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide.
Ruthless Road Schedules for Texas & LSU
On the opposite side of the field, preseason title favorite (to most), Texas, has an absurdly turbulent road schedule teed up for Arch Manning and company. The whole world will be glued to the opening weekend showdown in Columbus against reigning national champion, Ohio State. A battle against Florida in The Swamp and a showdown at Sanford Stadium against Georgia also cast large shadows.
Similarly, LSU, a deserving dark-horse championship candidate, faces a brutal road schedule. After a Death Valley gladiator match at Clemson to kick off the season, road games at Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Alabama loom large—with a home battle against Florida being almost assured of having voodoo in the air.
Quarterbacks That Could Tilt the Playoff Odds
This year’s Heisman race isn’t just a popularity contest—it’s essentially a litmus test for many teams’ postseason aspirations. With lofty expectations and unforgiving schedules—especially for Manning and Nussmeier—each quarterback faces a defining challenge. Each could end the year with hardware or heartbreak.
- Garrett Nussmeier enters the fall with quiet confidence, a live arm, and control of an LSU team built for a breakthrough. Offensive coordinator/QB coach Joe Solan helped Jayden Daniels win the Heisman in 2023. His second winner in three seasons is very much on the table.
- Arch Manning will have the brightest spotlight and one of the toughest schedules in the country to navigate, with the standard being squarely set on a national championship and Heisman trophy parlay.
- Cade Klubnik, once labeled a “next-up” guy at Clemson, now enters as a mature leader trying to return the Tigers beyond a College Football Playoff party favor—and back to a true title contender.
Culture vs. Talent Collection: NIL’s New Battleground
Over 3,000 players entered the transfer portal during this offseason. In a sport now dictated by short-term contracts, instant opportunities, and deep-pocket collectives, continuity also deserves to be recognized as an official currency.
Programs like Georgia, Clemson, and Penn State—where culture isn’t just a tagline—are banking on thriving when others unravel. Evidenced by their perennial roster construction strategies, it’s clear that they believe retaining and developing over the long haul creates a competitive advantage over those betting on rental talent.
Oregon is on the opposite side of the field, running its program like a professional franchise. Through Dan Lanning’s modernized philosophies and some financial turboboosts from Phil Knight, the Ducks have been dominant in the transfer portal and high school recruiting. It will be fascinating to see how the Ducks’ hyper-talented roster, loaded with newcomers, fares against continuity-centric Big 10 foes like Penn State.
Coordinators, Coaches & The Weight of Expectations
Ohio State might have the deepest roster in America, but with both Jim Knowles (DC) and Chip Kelly (OC) now gone, Ryan Day’s ability to manage internal transition will be under the microscope.
Brian Kelly, meanwhile, is entering a season that feels like a verdict waiting to be written. LSU hasn’t sniffed the CFP since Joe Burrow’s epic title run in 2019-2020. With an elite quarterback, veteran depth, and a reloaded defense, expectations are as high as the stakes.
Will Bill Belichick’s On-Field Success Overshadow The Offseason Charades?
Bill Belichick coaching North Carolina is wild enough. Add in all the Jordon Hudson drama, and you have a colossal storyline that has captured the attention of college football diehards and regular folks alike.
How will the famously prickly, inarguably brilliant six-time Super Bowl winner adapt to the college game, where being an NIL-aligned player's coach is of paramount importance? Is he genuinely focused and motivated to build a powerful program—or is he viewing this opportunity as more of an experiment?
Will North Carolina take advantage of a friendly schedule and find major on-field success? Will the off-the-field melodrama make that task near impossible, no matter how elite Belichick’s coaching is?
It feels fair to say we’re all curious to see how this one unfolds in Chapel Hill.
Must-See Matchups With Real CFP Implications
Texas at Ohio State – August 30
A season-opening clash between No. 1 Texas and No. 2 Ohio State—a rematch of the 2024-25 CFP semifinal, staged under the arch of pressure and postseason expectations.
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - September 13
After a challenging opening week matchup with the Miami Hurricanes, can Notre Dame prove they’re ready to get back to the national championship game by taking down a super-talented SEC opponent? Conversely, can Texas A&M convert its colossal NIL efforts into major on-field success?
Florida at Miami - September 20
Florida’s speed and youth meet Miami’s veteran poise in a rivalry reboot with postseason consequences. Expect fireworks—and bruises—in a game that could vault the winner well into the CFP conversation.
Oregon at Penn State– September 27
A Beaver Stadium whiteout lock, this is a pivotal Big 10 showdown with colossal playoff implications. Dan Lanning’s freshly revamped, but undeniably talent-rich team against Penn State’s returnee-heavy roster. This matchup is dripping with storylines.
Ole Miss at Georgia - October 18
With a relatively calm SEC schedule, Ole Miss will be searching for a statement win between the hedges against a championship-hungry Bulldogs squad.
Penn State at Ohio State – November 1
A Big Ten clash in Columbus with serious playoff implications. The winner stays in the top-four hunt; the loser risks sliding into a road-first playoff round.
LSU at Alabama – November 8
An SEC heavyweight bout: Alabama controls its destiny at home, while LSU needs a signature win amongst a brutal schedule to solidify CFP consideration.
Texas at Georgia – November 15
Texas’ first trip to Athens: Arch Manning enters SEC territory, looking to test Georgia’s elite defense and tilt the CFP narrative in Georgia’s favor.
Ohio State at Michigan – November 29
The Game in Ann Arbor. With both programs positioned for postseason runs, this one may decide both conference pride and CFP seeding.
Clemson at South Carolina – November 29
An in-state rivalry closes the regular season in Columbia. With both teams on the bubble, playoff fate could hinge on this classic Palmetto State showdown.
Key Teams & Questions to Monitor
Georgia Bulldogs
Everything about Georgia screams “control.” They don’t rebuild—they reestablish. Add in the advantage of hosting three major playoff-shaping games, and the Bulldogs don’t just have the tools to win it all; they have the runway. Will Gunner Stockton use his 2024 CFP quarterfinal performance as a springboard to greater success? Will his receivers help him out? Will Georgia’s infamous running game return to form?
LSU Tigers
Nussmeier brings experience, confidence, and elite playmaking to a team that has the physical profile of a national champion. The question isn’t talent—it’s timing. If Brian Kelly doesn’t get it done this year, when will he?
Ohio State Buckeyes
The roster is undeniable. But what happens when a title-contending team loses the brains behind both its offense and defense? That’s what the Buckeyes will answer this fall as they try to repeat.
Texas Longhorns
This may be the most talented Texas team in over a decade. The challenge? They’ll face Ohio State, Florida, and Georgia all on the road, with a home matchup against heated rival Texas A&M to close the season. Oh, and that always unpredictable Red River Rivalry contest with Oklahoma. Simply put, Texas’ road to a top seed in the College Football Playoff couldn’t be rockier. But if Arch Manning is truly generational, will it matter?
Clemson Tigers
Cade Klubnik had a breakout year in 2024-25 and returns with a full grasp of the offense. Tom Allen brings stability to the defense. This is Clemson’s most complete team since 2020—and their best chance to remind the country that Death Valley still matters—and Clemson can truly contend for a title in this modern era of college football.
Alabama Crimson Tide
With a deeply talented roster, can Kalen DeBoer cement his coaching prowess and officially prove he can build upon Nick Saban’s historical success in Tuscaloosa? Bama fans will be closely monitoring the connection between new quarterback, Ty Simpson, and big-time receivers, Ryan Wiliams and Germie Bernard.
7 Bold Predictions for the 2025-26 College Football Season
- Georgia wins the National Championship
The combination of championship-accustomed coaching and culture, home-field positioning and playoff seeding, and veteran leadership proves too much for the rest of the field to overcome. - Garrett Nussmeier wins the Heisman Trophy
With impressive displays in elite matchups, including a late-season charge that leads LSU into the playoff, Nussmeier edges out Arch Manning as the Heisman Trophy winner. - Ohio State Makes the CFP but Falls Short in the Semifinals
The Buckeyes dominate the regular season (including finally beating Michigan again)—but lose a one-possession game due to scheme miscues in crunch time. - Texas Comes Up Short of a Title
Talent, Arch’s arm, and Sark’s brilliance are enough to get Texas into the College Football Playoff. But the new offensive line can’t protect Manning when it matters most. - LSU Makes the Playoff
LSU survives its gauntlet of a schedule and makes the college football playoff, officially cooling off Brian Kelly’s day-game-in-the-Bayou-temperature coaching seat. - Clemson Reaches the Semifinals
Dabo and Cade Klubnik build on last season’s success, marching all the way to the semifinals before bowing out. Maybe championship-caliber Clemson is back? - Oregon Reaches the Championship Game
Laughing in the face of continuity, Dan Lanning and Oregon out-scheme and overpower their way to another dominant season. They make it all the way to the title game before running into a rabidly hungry Georgia squad.
Separate Your Style for the Season Ahead
The 2025-2026 college football season is going to be a wild rollercoaster ride.
Whether your favorite college team is pushing for a deep CFP run, adding to its impressive bowl streak, or working on ending rivalry game and/or bowl droughts, you can cheer them on in elevated college football apparel that pairs exclusive styles with incredible comfort and sustainable materials. With opening week right around the corner, let’s all lock in on what could be a historically epic season.
