Quarterfinal Playoff Predictions; Bowl predictions for the next two days
The College Football Playoff Quarterfinals are right upon us and it couldn’t be more electric. The coaching soap opera, the NIL/transfer portal dysfunction, all of that can be thrown by the wayside and we can concentrate on these riveting playoff matchups now . No.2 Ohio State squares off with No. 10 Miami in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Wednesday at 6:30 P. M. CT on ESPN. Then on Thursday, to kick it off, No. 5 Oregon locks horns with the No.4 Red Raiders of Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl at 11 A.M. CT on ESPN. The No.9 Crimson Tide competes with the No.1 Indiana Hoosiers and Heisman Trophy winner quarterback Fernando Mendoza in what looks like a rainy Rose Bowl at 3 P.M. CT on ESPN after the Orange Bowl. And that night, the No.6 Rebels of Ole Miss with the great Pete Golding and stellar Trinidad Chambliss face the No.3 Georgia Bulldogs and the prolific Kirby Smart at 7 CT in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in N’Awlins on ESPN. There are four other bowl games besides these classics that look riveting as well. Previews and predictions for those as well. Here is the upcoming slate of phenomenal football action as we close in on 2026.
Bowls/Playoff Record thus far. Overall in the 2025 season.
SU: 7-3, 167-54, 76%; ATS: 6-4 102-119, 46%; Over/Under: 7-3, 115-106, 52%
***All times Central***
Playoff Predictions
Thursday
Rose Bowl
No.9 Alabama (11-3) vs. No.1 Indiana (13-0)
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, 89,702.
3 P.M.
ESPN
Chris, Kirk, Holly, Kris
Indiana by 7 1/2, 47 1/2
The story of this 112th edition of the “Grandaddy of them All” is the weather, somewhat unfortunately. It’s predicted to be wet and sloppy in Pasadena. The Crimson Tide is a pretty substantial underdog. It’s about Mendoza, the Indiana running game and its defense according to a lot of “experts.” But the Crimson Tide plays exceptional defense too, and LT Overton is back on one bookend of the defense and a guy I really like, running back Kevin Riley, is back for the Tide also. I like the four and five star talent of the Crimson Tide better here. It’s going to be a slugfest in what is predicted to be a rainy and muddy field. Give me the Crimson Tide to pull off the upset and head to the semis with a full head of steam to face the Texas Tech-Oregon winner. If it doesn’t rain as much, I’m still taking the Tide.
Alabama 14, Indiana 10
Wednesday
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
No.10 Miami (11-2) vs. No.2 Ohio State (12-1)
AT&T Stadium, Jerry country, Arlington, TX. (80,000-100,000-can expand)
6:30 P.M.
ESPN
Dave, Dusty, Taylor, Quint
Buckeyes by 9 1/2, 41 1/2
Some serious defense in this game, but I like the experienced quarterback Carson Beck over the inexperienced Julian “Just” Sayin, and a strong running game that is equal to the Buckeyes as well as a ferocious defense that is every bit as good as Ohio State’s. Give me the Canes.
Miami 20, Ohio State 17
Thursday
Capital One Orange Bowl
No. 5 Oregon (12-1) vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1)
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, 65, 326
11 A.M.
ESPN
Tess, Jess, Katie, Stormy
Ducks by 2 1/2, 51 1/2
Give me stellar linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and superb defensive end David Bailey and the Red Raiders to move on and face the Crimson Tide in the Chick-fil-A Bowl Friday, 1/9/26, at 6:30 P.M. CT on ESPN. Love this Red Raider defense.
Texas Tech 24, Oregon 21
Allstate Sugar Bowl
No.6 Ole Miss (12-1) vs. No.3 Georgia (12-1)
Caesars Superdome, New Or-leans, 73,208
7 P.M.
ESPN
Sean, Gregory, Molly, Laura
Them Dawgs by 6 1/2, 56 1/2
I like a really, really dynamic football game here. What a job Pete Golding has done with the team, and, even more impressively, what a job quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and the Rebels players have done through all of this Kiffin turmoil. They’ve hung tough through it all. I like this to be a phenomenal game, but for Kirby and his Dawgs to just get through a physical, riveting contest. You hate to see anybody lose this game. Both teams are so likeable. Georgia moves on to face Miami in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at 6:30 P.M. CT Thursday, 1/8/26 on ESPN.
Georgia 35, Ole Miss 31
Today’s Bowl Games
Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl
Tennessee (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4)
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, 69,143
4:30 P.M.
ESPN
Tom, JRodg, Cole
Vols by 2 1/2, 62 1/2
I like the slight upset here. Feel like Illinois is more excited to be in this game than Tennessee is. But expecting a very close contest.
Illinois 31, Tennessee 30
Valero Alamo Bowl
No. 16 USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4)
Alamodome, San Antone, 64,000
8 P.M.
ESPN
Bob, Louis, Dana
USC by 5 1/2, 56 1/2
Give me the upset. If you can, this one is worth staying up for. I’m done writing for a few days, so I’m going to try. Should be a lot of offensive fireworks.
TCU 35, USC 34
Wednesday’s Bowl Games
ReliaQuest Bowl
No.23 Iowa (8-4) vs. No.14 Vanderbilt (10-2)
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, 65, 618
11 A.M.
ESPN
Roy, Sam, Taylor Davis
Commodores by 5 1/2, 46 1/2
He’s flamboyant and controversial, but I love the guy. He’s ruffled some feathers, but Diego Pavia has done so much on and mostly off the football field for Vanderbilt University. Did he not have a strong argument for the Heisman Trophy? He threw for 3,192 yards, completed 242-of-340, 71%, passed for 27 TDs against 8 ints, and rushed for 826 yards and 9 TDs. Put that in your pipe and smoke it Mendoza (226-of-316, 72%, 2,980 yards, 33/6, 240 rush yards, 6 TDs, SEC vs. Big Ten schedules) and Heisman voters. It could have even been better for the Dores this season, but they’ll take 11-2, and with five star quarterback Jared Curtis from Nashville Christian coming into the fold for the 2026 season, Diego and the Dores finish strong, some of them look to their future on the next level, while the underclassmen highly anticipate a 2026 season on the West End.
Vanderbilt University 28, Iowa 14
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
No.18 Michigan 9-3) vs. No.13 Texas (9-3)
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, 57,000
2 P.M.
ABC
Mark, Roddy, Alyssa
Horns by 7 1/2, 48 1/2
I like Arch and the Horns to take care of business as Arch sets his sights on a proilfic 2026 season.
Texas 35, Michigan 14