One 2025 College Football Playoff sleeper from each Power Four conference: Why Oklahoma fits the bill

Year 1 of the 12-team College Football Playoff is almost complete. Notre Dame will face Ohio State on Jan. 20 in the CFP National Championship with the winner earning bragging rights as the first team to run the table in the newly expanded playoff format.

The bracket began with 12 teams last month, with a handful not being popular preseason choices to reach the CFP. Arizona State completed one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history. The Sun Devils went from being picked to finish last in the Big 12 preseason media poll to winning the conference and earning an automatic bid to the CFP.

Indiana emerged as a Cinderella team under first-year coach Curt Cignetti. The program won 11 games for the first time in program history before being eliminated by Notre Dame in the first round. Indiana and Arizona State joined SMU, Penn State, Tennessee and Boise State as first-time participants in the CFP.

So, who could be the next Arizona State or Indiana? Looking ahead to the 2025 season, here are five teams that could emerge as dark horses to reach the CFP — one per each Power Four conference, plus a trendy Group of Five pick.

Big Ten CFP dark horse

Illinois

I’ll take the homer route here and ask, why not Illinois? It’s a team coming off a 10-3 season where two of its losses were to playoff teams. It has its starting quarterback in Luke Altmyer, and its entire offensive line returning. It has a manageable schedule. I know it sounds crazy to say this about Illinois — it certainly does to me — but consecutive…

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Author : Cameron Salerno

Publish date : 2025-01-14 14:07:00

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