With the start of the 2026 college football season right around the corner, FOX’s Joel Klatt has officially locked in his 12-team playoff predictions.
The Big Ten has won each of the last three national championships with three different teams. And while Klatt has the parity continuing this fall, he doesn’t see the B1G winning it all again.
Let’s take a look at Klatt’s CFP picks starting with the first round where he has No. 5 Ohio State taking down the No. 12 Broncos of Boise State.
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Joel Klatt predicts every round of 2026 College Football Playoff
Klatt’s bracket features a number of big time matchups and interesting grudge matches — with a historic national title that would make for one of the biggest in program history.
CFP First Round:
- No. 5 Ohio State beats No. 12 Boise State
- No. 9 USC beats No. 8 Texas Tech
- No. 6 Indiana beats No. 11 Alabama
- No. 7 Georgia beats No. 10 LSU
CFP Quarterfinals:
- No. 5 Ohio State over No. 4 Texas
- No. 1 Oregon over No. 9 USC
- No. 3 Miami over No. 6 Indiana
- No. 2 Notre Dame over No. 7 Georgia
CFP Semifinals:
- No. 1 Oregon over No. 5 Ohio State
- No. 2 Notre Dame over No. 3 Miami
CFP National Championship:
No. 2 Notre Dame over No. 1 Oregon
Klatt sees this year’s Playoff concluding with a (presumably) undefeated battle between Dan Lanning and Marcus Freeman on the sport’s biggest stage.
Notre Dame’s elite defense vs. Dante Moore and the high-flying Ducks offense would be unbelievable on paper. And it may also be a battle between two potential No. 1 picks in Moore and C.J. Carr.
