College Football Playoff bracket picks: Second-chance expert predictions for crowning 2026 national champion

Our CBS Sports experts have prognosticated how the 2025-26 College Football Playoff will play out now that the semifinals are set

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff has already provided some unexpected twists and turns, most notably with No. 10 seed Miami pulling an upset of No. 2 seed Ohio State in the quarterfinals. The Hurricanes' stunning dominance of the reigning national champions messed up a lot of brackets.

On the same side of the bracket, No. 6 seed Ole Miss taking down No. 3 seed Georgia has left us with a Fiesta Bowl matchup between the Rebels and Miami that few would have predicted. Whoever wins that game will take on either No. 1 seed Indiana or No. 5 seed Oregon after the Big Ten foes square off in the Peach Bowl.

The top-seeded Hoosiers were the only team with a bye to survive the quarterfinals. Now that the chaos of the first two rounds is behind us, our experts are recalibrating and issuing new predictions for how things will play out from here. With just three CFP games remaining before a champion is crowned, here are our best takes on what's likely in store.

2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket picks

Tom Fornelli

I did not think Miami had a legit shot at a national title, even after beating Texas A&M, because the path felt unrealistic. Then the 'Canes beat Ohio State and Georgia lost. Now the door looks open, and while Indiana took the belt to Alabama, its offensive line struggled a bit in pass protection -- much like it did against Ohio State. Well, Miami's pass rush is pretty good, and the defense as a whole is currently playing like the '85 Bears. Indiana has been the best team all season, but Miami feels like the best team right now. 

Chip Patterson

We have four head coaches who have never won a national championship at the FBS level, but we do have one who has been a consistent winner at every level. The Parity Playoff, ringing in the era of the New Bloods, seems ripe to be won by Curt Cignetti and his band of misfits that have simply out-played and out-executed all of the big-brand monsters put in their way. Beating Oregon for a second time and then a Miami team with a game-wrecking defensive front will be perhaps the biggest challenges of the season, but the level of consistency all season long is too hard to ignore when projecting out the final three games of the season.

John Talty

Indiana has been the best team all season. At every step, the Hoosiers have proven themselves worthy of winning it all. Indiana has already beaten Oregon once this season and will do it again in Atlanta. I love Ole Miss' story and think the magic continues for one more round into the national championship. But, ultimately, I trust Indiana's elite combination of offense and defense over the remaining teams in the field. As insane as it would have sounded a few years ago to write these words, I believe Curt Cignetti will win a national championship at Indiana this season. 

Brandon Marcello

I'm not hedging when I say any of these four teams remaining in the semifinals can win the national championship. No team is head and shoulders above the others, unlike in previous years. And thank goodness for that! Miami is the most physical team in the field and is playing better than probably every other team not named Indiana, but the matchup with Ole Miss is a monster. The Rebels can score against anybody, it seems, and though Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor are the two best pass rushers remaining in the playoff (and they're on the same team!), I can't discount the legendary gamer mentality that quarterback Trindiad Chambliss has shown all season. Even with that incredible defense, Miami may need to score four touchdowns to win, and the Hurricanes have not yet done that in the postseason. 

Meanwhile, the Peach Bowl gives me pause because of an old -- but true -- adage: it's difficult beating the same team twice. Still, Indiana knocked off Oregon on the road by double digits in the regular season despite Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza throwing a pick six. I'll take Ole Miss and Indiana in the national championship with Mendoza returning home to South Florida and delivering the Hoosiers a national title.

Shehan Jeyarajah

The Hoosiers have been on a mission from the outset of the season. No team is better across the board, from trench play to downfield passing. A rematch with Oregon could get a little squirrelly, but Fernando Mendoza will make enough plays to get by. Miami's defensive line will cause major headaches for Ole Miss and end their magical run, but the Hoosiers have enough beef up front to counter. Believe in miracles: Indiana will win the national championship. 

Chris Hummer

If there's anything I've learned from the first few rounds of the playoffs it's that elite line of scrimmage play matters. That's what Oregon and Miami have in common. I don't like picking against Indiana. But it's really hard to beat a great team twice, and that's what the Ducks are. Miami, for its part, just has a major advantage in the trenches against Ole Miss. As for the national title matchup of two huge brands separated by an entire country, I like Oregon. Mario Cristobal is very familiar with that roster, and I think the Ducks have the o-line and QB to combat what Miami does really well. Oregon is the more explosive team. That makes the difference.

David Cobb

Indiana imposed its will on Alabama in all phases during its 38-3 Rose Bowl romp. Meanwhile, Oregon's offense looked a bit sloppy and disorganized in a 23-0 Orange Bowl win over Texas Tech. Additionally, we've already seen IU beat Oregon 30-20 on the road this season. The Hoosiers are the most complete team in college football and have proved that multiple times. Regardless of who it might face in the national championship game, this Indiana team should win it all.. 

Brad Crawford

Indiana's a well-oiled machine that does everything well with a Heisman quarterback at the helm and coach whose ruthless preparation and extreme confidence is reflected by his team's execution level. Two more wins is all that stands between Indiana becoming college football's first 16-0 team of the playoff era and cementing itself alongside the sport's all-time greatest national champions. With that, Curt Cignetti secures one of the most impressive coaching jobs across an entire season in history -- a couple fourth-quarter comebacks, a Big Ten title triumph, a resounding 35-point Rose Bowl win over a perceived titan and a championship trophy.