College Football Playoff predictions: Which teams return in 2025 from Ohio State to Clemson?

They’ll be back. At least, they know they’re expected to be back.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day hadn’t even left Atlanta yet, after the Buckeyes won their first national championship in more than a decade, when he fielded his first question about next season’s expectations. Day surmised that a national championship won’t buy him much of a honeymoon with Buckeyes fans.

“Try losing the first game and see how that goes at Ohio State. We’ll see about that,” quipped Day, who regularly endures heat from Buckeyes fans despite losing just 10 games in six seasons.

Never mind losing, though, because “I think we have a great group coming back,” Day said.

No debate here.

In the four-team College Football Playoff era, teams commonly repeated as playoff qualifiers. Alabama qualified for that format in eight of 10 years, and Ohio State made that four-team bracket five times. Clemson qualified six consecutive years.

The 12-team playoff creates more margin for error and ups the chance for repeat qualifiers, especially from the Big Ten and SEC.

Which of this season’s 12 qualifiers will return to the playoff next season?

I’ll take a stab at that:

Ohio State

This season: National champion.

In or out of the playoff next season?: In.

Ohio State’s notable losses include quarterback Will Howard, both standout running backs and the backbone of the country’s No. 1 defense and its coordinator Jim Knowles. But, Day remains a recruiting machine, and talent flows in. Plus, star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith will return. Don’t expect Ohio State to be flawless against a schedule that includes Texas, Penn State, Illinois and Michigan. But, this playoff format doesn’t demand flawlessness from Ohio State, only 10 wins to make field.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) catches a touchdown pass as Tennessee defensive back Rickey…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-playoff-predictions-teams-110722752.html

Author : USA TODAY Sports

Publish date : 2025-01-29 11:07:00

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