College Football Playoff odds, picks, predictions for remaining bowl games

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We're down to eight teams remaining in the 2025 College Football Playoff, with the top four seeds set to take the field for the first time since conference championship weekend. 'Tis the season for a robust slate of bowl games as well, so there's no shortage of picks and predictions to get to while you wrap up your final online shopping decisions.

Does anyone else hold a perfect playoff bracket through the first round? I won't pat myself on the back for too long with several seismic quarterfinal matchups looming -- including a couple that would send a national tremor if underdogs prevail. One of the most intriguing tilts remaining features Indiana's Curt Cignetti, who plans to lean on lessons learned from Nick Saban as he tries to thwart Alabama.

In addition to the CFP's Cotton, Orange, Sugar and Rose bowls next weekend, there are 24 additional bowl games scheduled through Jan. 2. The Holiday Bowl between Arizona and SMU is the final postseason game before the playoff semifinals at the Fiesta and Peach bowls on Jan. 8-9, with the winners advancing to the national championship game on Jan. 19 in Miami.

College Football Playoff quarterfinals

Cotton Bowl: Miami vs. Ohio State -9.5 (Dec. 31)

Hummer (Miami +9.5): I'm not going to pick Miami to upset my national title pick. But that's a very appealing line for a Miami cover. Ohio State can usually suffocate opponents with its line play and speed on the outside. That's not going to happen with Miami, a team with one of the best o-lines and pass rush groups in the FBS. I certainly trust Ohio State's offense a bit more in this matchup, but even that unit has a question mark associated with it after the way it struggled against Indiana. This will be a rock fight for most of the day, but the Buckeyes pull away in the second half. … Ohio State 27, Miami 20.

Crawford (Miami +9.5): Should I stay with the Hurricanes after taking Miami on the moneyline at Texas A&M? I'm not ready to pick against my national championship selection just yet, but Mario Cristobal's defense could present a number of problems for Julian Sayin and the Buckeyes' passing game. Miami stymied the Aggies with a variety of looks and consistently frustrated Marcel Reed — film that Ryan Day and his staff will study closely ahead of this matchup. Outside of a potential rematch with Indiana in the national championship game, this may be the toughest test Ohio State faces in the bracket. This one could look a lot like the Big Ten Championship Game, a 12-round slugfest dictated by defense and timely stops. ... Ohio State 20, Miami 14.

Orange Bowl: Oregon -1.5 vs. Texas Tech (Jan. 1)

Hummer (Texas Tech +1.5): The most interesting matchup of the semifinals, at least to me. This game pits Texas Tech's elite front seven against Oregon's blazing speed. It'll also be interesting to see how Texas Tech adjusts to a different quality of opponent than they've seen week to week in the Big 12. On paper, these teams are evenly matched. They're one-two nationally in explosive plays of 20-plus yards. They're also tied for fourth nationally in defending them. There are four future draft picks on Texas Tech's d-line. There are multiple future draft picks on Oregon's o-line. Expect Oregon to get the ball out of Dante Moore's hands quickly to try to take advantage of playmakers in space. Expect Texas Tech to do the same. This game is going to be close. But I'm going with the Red Raiders. I think they're slightly better in the trenches and make enough big plays to pull it out. … Texas Tech 21, Oregon 20.

Crawford (Texas Tech +1.5): After going 4-0 in the opening round, my only bracket change from my pre-playoff fill-out comes in this quarterfinal between Oregon and Texas Tech. With Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders afforded nearly a month to prepare for Oregon's offense, we could see one of the nation's top defenses operating at its peak at AT&T Stadium. There's always some concern that Behren Morton could struggle in a high-leverage moment, given the number of blowouts Texas Tech enjoyed against Big 12 competition this season, but the Red Raiders are built to beat a team like Oregon. That second-half performance against James Madison should have been a wake-up call for the Ducks. Another showing like that against an elite opponent such as Texas Tech could lead to a lopsided final. ... Texas Tech 30, Oregon 24.

Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Indiana -6.5

Hummer (Alabama +6.5):Imagine explaining this line to someone three years ago, before Nick Saban retired. But as Curt Cignetti would tell you: "Google me." Indiana is the justified favorite entering this matchup, and as is always the case with Alabama, it largely hinges on how Ty Simpson plays. The Tide can struggle to run the ball -- ranking 72nd nationally in success rate -- and Indiana owns a top-10 run defense. That means Simpson will have to carry the load. He's capable of that, but Indiana is also an excellent pass defense and fields one of the nation's most efficient offenses. It's a brutal matchup for Alabama, which will need to play near-perfect football -- something it hasn't done consistently this season. It still feels strange to write, but give me the Hoosiers. They've been the most consistent team all year, and that matters. … Indiana 27, Alabama 24.

Crawford (Indiana -6.5): If there's a chance of another playoff runaway in the quarterfinals, it could come here for the Crimson Tide. There's no matchup an Alabama fan should view as favorable in this spot against the Heisman winner and a strong defensive group, but perhaps Kalen DeBoer can thrive again in the underdog role. His teams have consistently responded to adversity, and the distraction surrounding the Michigan rumors appears to be settling, which helps. Alabama spotted Oklahoma 17 points in its last outing, and a repeat of that would mean a long flight home to Tuscaloosa. As the unblemished top seed, there's pressure on Indiana as well. Oregon fell in a similar spot last fall at the Rose Bowl after Ohio State won its first-round matchup with Tennessee. ... Indiana 31, Alabama 17.

Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Georgia -7.5

Hummer (Georgia -7.5): Two regular-season rematches in a row for Ole Miss is an interesting wrinkle of the 12-team era. Georgia won the first meeting, storming back late in a game it outgained the Rebels by 159 yards. The issue for Ole Miss this time is that it's a worse team now than it was then. The rosters are largely the same, but the coaching staff has been in constant flux. Meanwhile, Georgia is playing its best football of the season after finding its footing defensively, allowing just 26 total points over its last three games against Power Four competition -- Texas, Georgia Tech and Alabama. The Bulldogs head to Louisiana and secure a decisive win.… Georgia 34, Ole Miss 24.

Crawford (Ole Miss +7.5): You have to believe you can slay a giant before actually doing so, and Ole Miss carries that confidence into New Orleans. The Rebels produced a near-perfect game plan against Georgia in an October loss, scoring touchdowns on their first five possessions in a 43-35 defeat. Georgia answered by scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter to erase a nine-point deficit. Trinidad Chambliss committed no turnovers in that matchup, but a pair of fourth-quarter three-and-outs proved costly, particularly with the defense unable to get stops. Ole Miss will need significantly better play on that side of the ball to knock off the SEC champions and advance to the semifinals. ... Georgia 27, Ole Miss 20.

Remaining bowl games (Dec. 24-Jan. 2)

With all non-playoff bowl game wagers, be sure to study the rosters and coaching staffs each team brings into its postseason matchup. Several two-deeps have been decimated by player opt-outs and transfer portal departures, with more than a dozen programs also navigating leadership changes.

Motivation always matters, too. How many of these teams truly want to be there and are looking to finish the season on a high note heading into 2026? Like most insiders, oddsmakers are making educated guesses on many of these lines. Play accordingly -- and smart.

Hawaii Bowl: Cal vs. Hawaii -1.5

Hummer: California +1.5
Crawford: Hawaii -1.5

GameAbove Sports Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Northwestern -10.5

Hummer: Northwestern -10.5
Crawford: Central Michigan +10.5

Rate Bowl: New Mexico vs. Minnesota -2.5

Hummer: Minnesota -2.5
Crawford: Minnesota -2.5

First Responder Bowl: FIU vs. UTSA -6.5

Hummer: UTSA -6.5
Crawford: UTSA -6.5

Military Bowl: ECU vs. Pittsburgh -9.5

Hummer: ECU +9.5
Crawford: Pitt -9.5

Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson -3.5

Hummer: Clemson -3.5
Crawford: Penn State +3.5