Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal against Oregon, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta.
Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal and former Miami head coach Jimmy Johnson flash the “U” after the Canes defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
AL DIAZ/TNS
The national title game is set.
Less than 10 days separate Miami and Indiana’s clash for College Football Playoff glory.
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The tournament’s semifinals finished Friday, with the Hoosiers beating the Ducks, 52-22. That means no teams from a very ballyhooed SEC made the final, despite beginning the year with 10 teams in the AP Top 25.
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The semis began started with Miami’s win over Ole Miss on Thursday. Now the Hurricanes and Hoosiers prepare for the Jan. 19 title game in Miami Gardens, Fla. No. 10 Miami is the lowest seed yet to make the CFP final. Last year, the first that the tournament expanded to 12 teams, an eight seed and seven seed made up the championship game.
What does a perfect bracket look like after three weeks of play? Who correctly called the national title game? Many probably had their brackets busted by Texas A&M’s loss to Miami, then Miami’s (bigger) upset of Ohio State. The preseason favorite Texas Longhorns weren’t invited, and defending champion Ohio State has been eliminated.
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The ACC will no doubt raise its profile as a conference by having a CFP finalist for the first time since 2019-20. The Big Ten has a representative in the title game for the third straight year after back-to-back seasons without one. Both of the participants are making their first CFP championship appearance.
With 10 of the 11 CFP games in the book, let’s check in on how our staffers’ brackets looks:
College Football Playoff predictions: 2025-26 bracket
Danny Davis
Our lead Texas Longhorns football reporter, Davis was a perfect 4-for-4 in the first round. Then 2-for-4 in the second round. His semifinal pick was his last chance at a win as his national champion (Georgia) has already been eliminated.
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First-round winners
Oregon ✅
Alabama ✅
Ole Miss ✅
Miami ✅
Second-round winners
Oregon ✅
Indiana ✅
Georgia ❌
Ohio State❌
Semifinals winners
Oregon❌
Georgia❌
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A 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket prediction, according to Danny Davis, the American-Statesman’s lead Longhorns’ reporter.
Danny Davis/American-Statesman
David Eckert
Indiana was the pick for the American-Statesman’s Longhorns Insider. He was also perfect in the first set of games before a 2-for-4 second round.
First-round winners
Oregon ✅
Alabama ✅
Ole Miss ✅
Miami ✅
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Second-round winners
Oregon✅
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
Ohio State❌
Semifinals winners
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
A 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket prediction, according to David Eckert, the American-Statesman’s Longhorns Insider.
David Eckert/American-Statesman
Cedric Golden
Golden, the Statesman’s columnist, is also going with the Hoosiers. But the Aggies let him down in the first round. Then, with Ohio State losing, it was IU or bust.
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First-round winners
Oregon ✅
Alabama ✅
Ole Miss ✅
Texas A&M❌
Second-round winners
Ohio State❌
Georgia❌
Indiana✅
Texas Tech❌
Semifinals winners
Indiana✅
Ohio State❌
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A 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket prediction, according to Cedric Golden, the American-Statesman’s sports columnist reporter.
Cedric Golden/American-Statesman
Colby Gordon
Another prediction from Georgia comes from Gordon, who covers preps sports as well as soccer for the Statesman. He, too, suffered a loss in his bracket due to A&M. Indiana was also his last shot at win in the bracket.
First-round winners
Alabama ✅
Texas A&M ❌
Ole Miss ✅
Oregon ✅
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Second-round winners
Ohio State❌
Oregon✅
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
Semifinals winners
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
A 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket prediction, according to Colby Gordon, an American-Statesman high school sports reporter.
Colby Gordon/American-Statesman
Thomas Jones
To bring our staff predictions to a 3-2 vote for the Big Ten, Jones — another Texas football reporter — is going with Indiana. He, like so many others, was let down by Georgia and Ohio State.
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First-round winners
Oregon ✅
Alabama ✅
Ole Miss ✅
Texas A&M❌
Second-round winners
Oregon✅
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
Ohio State❌
Semifinal winners
Indiana✅
Georgia❌
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A 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket prediction, according to Thomas Jones, an American-Statesman Texas football reporter.
Thomas Jones/American-Statesman
Who will win the national title? CFP title game betting odds
The leader to win it all, per FanDuel, was Ohio State. Second was Indiana, third was Georgia and fourth was Oregon. Miami, which was the first team to clinch a spot in the final, had the longest odds of any Power Four team. It had to navigate a bracket that included Texas A&M, one of the last undefeated Power Four teams in the country, Ohio State, the aforementioned defending champs, and Ole Miss, which defeated UGA.
Here are the betting odds for each team, as of Friday night. If you bet on Miami, you have a chance to cash in nicely. Same for Indiana, though their odds were never as long as the Hurricanes.
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Indiana -300 (previously at +310)
Miami +240 (previously at +2500)
Indiana vs Miami spread: Indiana by 7.5 points
Indiana vs Miami over/under:48.5 points
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