The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four has a case for the most stacked ever. The last time four 1-seeds reached the Final Four was 2008. Amazingly, all four national semifinalists rank inside the top 10 teams in KenPom history.
With that in mind, we decided to think about some of the best potential matchups on the football side heading into the second year of the 12-team College Football Playoff. The first iteration delivered some legendary games, including Notre Dame’s win over Georgia, a Texas barn-burner against Arizona State and Ohio State exorcising demons to win the natty. Next year could be even bigger.
The criteria to judge quality CFP Final Four matchups is subjective. Some of it comes down to the entertainment factor and quality of play. Others involve key storylines, like a player or coach spurning a program. For at least one, the pregame trash talk would make for a legendary leadup.
Several of the brackets are realistic and could deliver historic matchups in the coming months. Others require a little more suspension of belief. With that in mind, here are eight potential CFP Final Four brackets that would deliver a thrilling finish.
Heavyweight Bracket
Teams: Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame
Consider this to be the college football equivalent of the 2025 Final Four. These are four of the unanimous most powerful programs in college football. Georgia and Ohio State have combined for three of the last four national championships. Texas has appeared in back-to-back national semis. Notre Dame reached the title game and returned the core of the team. The only drawback is that Texas will likely have played Georgia and Ohio State previously. If they earn their way back, though, it will be well deserved. Every combination of these teams would lead to a legendary matchup.
Aerial Bracket
Teams: Miami, LSU, Texas, Penn State
Defense wins championships, there’s little question. Still, the 2024-25 Final Four featuring only one quarterback expected to be drafted in even the first three rounds was a little lackluster. Needless to say, this foursome would be a shot in the arm. Carson Beck, Garrett Nussmeier, Arch Manning and Drew Allar will all be on the shortlist of the best quarterbacks in college football. Each has the talent to play themselves into the first round with a strong run in the College Football Playoff. Think of the 2019 Alabama-LSU regular-season game between Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow — we could get some of that on the game’s biggest stage.
Breakthrough Bracket
Teams: LSU, Penn State, Texas, Utah
Last season, Ohio State coach Ryan Day finally got the monkey off his back and broke through to win a national championship. The year before that, it was Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh. Two years previously, it was Georgia’s Kirby Smart. Now, attention turns to the best coaches in the sport who have yet to reach the ultimate stage. James Franklin and Brian Kelly have been defined by failing on the biggest stage. Steve Sarkisian hasn’t been around quite as long, but would enter the No. 1 coach conversation with a title. Kyle Whittingham has a Hall of Fame career locked up in Salt Lake City, but a deep CFP run would cement him as one of the best ever.
New Era Bracket
Teams: Oregon, Arizona State, Notre Dame, Boise State
There’s been an exodus of legendary coaching talent in the past few years, but it’s the perfect time to get acquainted with the next generation. All four of these programs and coaches were in the College Football Playoff last season. More importantly, the coaches of all four programs are below the age of 40. Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham is a serious unicorn at 34, making him the second-youngest coach in the FBS. Spencer Danielson isn’t far behind at 36. Marcus Freeman (39) and Dan Lanning (38) are big-time coaching talents. Any one of these coaches is capable of reaching the top spot in the coach rankings down the road.
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Brandon Marcello
Relitigating 2021 Bracket
Teams: Oklahoma, USC, Notre Dame, LSU
So, who really won the breakup? Let’s decide on the field. College football has been clamoring for Oklahoma to get a shot at Lincoln Riley ever since he left for USC. Both programs would need to make significant upgrades to reach this point, but hiring a pair of great general managers helps matters. LSU and Notre Dame is a realistic battle as Brian Kelly tries to get his new team to championship level. Kelly is the winningest coach in Irish history, but fans have been perfectly content since Freeman led them to the title game. Can Kelly get his old program back?
Taking It Personally Bracket
Teams: Colorado, Florida State, Illinois, Ole Miss
Is it likely that either of these teams will make the Final Four? No, not really. Would a matchup between Coach Prime and his alma mater get the juices flowing? Absolutely. The three-time All-American holds a complicated relationship with the school, especially after convincing Travis Hunter to leave FSU for Jackson State. Both sides would relish the opportunity. And by the way, if Sanders pulls off a win to reach the national championship game … the clamors by fans to get him to Tallahassee would be deafening. We’ll throw in Illinois coach Bret Bielema and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin as two terminally online coaches who should be more than happy to join in the fun.
Texas Forever Bracket
Teams: Texas, SMU, Baylor, Texas A&M
Let’s turn the clock back to my days at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine. Three of the four major college football conferences now play in the great state of Texas after SMU joined the ACC in 2024. Texas A&M and Texas were both in serious CFP contention heading into November. SMU earned a trip to the field, and returns star quarterback Kevin Jennings. Baylor is a serious Big 12 contender, though TCU or Texas Tech will nip at their heels. A final four this good just may convince the football gods to return the Southwest Conference to its rightful glory.
Final Four Bracket
Teams: Duke, Florida, Auburn, Houston
It’s harder than ever to win big in both football and basketball these days, but all four of these men’s basketball Final Four participants will at least have a chance. Duke poached perhaps the best quarterback in the portal, Darian Mensah, to add to a nine-win team. Houston added a five-star of its own in Conner Weigman, and Willie Fritz is a turnaround master. Florida with quarterback DJ Lagway is probably the most realistic on the list, but Auburn also invested big under coach Hugh Freeze. It would be pretty amusing to repeat this group on another stage.
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