Last year, Clemson made its first College Football Playoff appearance since the 2020 season. Now, heading into the 2025 campaign, the Tigers are looking to make the 12-team playoff once again and make a run at their first national championship since 2018.
This will mark the second year of the 12-team playoff, but the format has been adjusted. The 12-team CFP is moving to straight seeding this season, meaning the teams ranked No. 1 through No. 12 will be seeded directly on the rankings.
With the straight seeding model, the top four teams in the selection committee’s rankings will get the top four seeds and receive first-round byes, whether or not they are a conference champion. The five highest-ranked conference champs will still get automatic playoff spots, but will be seeded based on their ranking.
With all that considered, The Sporting News recently predicted how the CFP will shake out this season, projecting the entire 12-team field and bracket. The SEC is projected to send four teams (LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Texas) to the playoff, with three Big Ten teams (Penn State, Oregon, Ohio State) and two ACC squads (Clemson, Miami) in the field. The American (Navy) and Big 12 (Arizona State) each are each represented by one team, along with one Independent (Notre Dame).
Eight of last season’s CFP participants are projected to return to the playoff this season, including Clemson.
The Sporting News sees Clemson earning the No. 4 seed and thus receiving a first-round bye. No. 5 seed Penn State is picked to beat 12th-seeded Navy in the first round, and the Nittany Lions are projected to face Clemson in the quarterfinal round game at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.
“This would be the best matchup of the second round,” The Sporting News’ Bill Bender wrote. “Clemson would get a bye if it can win the ACC championship – at least we think they would. Penn State might be favored in this matchup. Both schools have memorable victories at the Orange Bowl, too, though the Lions saw their season end in Miami last year in heartbreaking fashion.”
Penn State is projected to beat Clemson and advance to play top-seeded Texas in the semifinal matchup at the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, with No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Georgia squaring off in the other semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Texas and Ohio State are projected to meet in the CFP national championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. That would be a rematch of the two teams’ 2025 season opener on Aug. 30 in Columbus, Ohio.