College Football Playoff: CBS Sports projects 12-team field, full bowl slate after Week 7

Week 7 of the 2025 college football season was filled with big-time matchups, rivalries, shootouts and everything in between. In response, rankings across the board have been overhauled.

Notably, Indiana defeated Oregon at home in a top-10 clash in the Big Ten Conference. No. 6 Oklahoma fell to unranked Texas in the Red River Rivalry. No. 1 Ohio State went on the road and beat a ranked Illinois team convincingly. No. 8 Alabama survived a trip to No. 14 Missouri 24-21.

Additionally, No. 15 Michigan lost 31-13 to unranked USC and No. 25 Florida State was defeated 34-31 by Pitt on their home field. In the Big 12, unranked Utah and Colorado teams defeated No. 21 Arizona State and No. 22 Iowa State teams, respectively to round out the Top 25 action.

In turn, CBS Sports has shaken up their predictions for the College Football Playoff. Here are the updated projections from CBS Sports, along with a projection list of every bowl game:

College Football Playoff First Round Game #1

No. 12 USF at No. 5 Indiana

Indiana is surging up playoff predictions and after defeating Oregon on the road on Saturday, and CBS Sports believes they’ve done enough to host a first-round playoff game. The Hoosiers don’t play another ranked team during the regular season, so it’s possible they can enter the postseason undefeated.

USF has dominated its competition following its hiccup at Miami during Week 3. In the three games since, they’ve averaged 60.0 points per game and found themselves back in the AP Top 25.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

No. 11 Georgia Tech at No. 6 Ole Miss

The Rebels held off Washington State 24-21 during Week 7. QB Trinidad Chambliss continued his strong start to the season, throwing for 253 yards and was responsible for all three of Ole Miss’ touchdowns on the afternoon.

Georgia Tech continued its undefeated start to the season as well, defeating Virginia Tech 35-20 on Saturday. The win improved the Yellow Jackets to 6-0 for the first time since 2011 and only the second time in the past 59 seasons.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

No. 10 Georgia at No. 7 Oregon

These two college football heavyweights both have one loss this season — both to top 10 teams and both on their home turf. Georgia lost to Alabama between the hedges last month, while Oregon suffered its first defeat of the seat at home vs. Indiana on Saturday.

Georgia has bounced back with consecutive wins over Auburn and Kentucky. Oregon will have their opportunity against Rutgers on the road during Week 8.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

No. 9 USC at No. 8 Texas A&M

Texas A&M, alongside Ole Miss, is one of two undefeated teams left in the SEC. The Aggies are also undefeated at home, most recently defeating Florida 34-17 this weekend.

Oregon’s loss allows USC to creep into the Big Ten championship race behind Ohio State and Indiana. At 5-1, the Trojans still have several opportunities to prove themselves against quality opponents — namely ranked Notre Dame, Nebraska and Oregon teams.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl

No. 1 Miami vs. TBD

Miami did not play during Week 7, but have one of the more impressive resumes in the country so far. Over half of their opponents have been against teams ranked in the AP Top 25 — and have won each of those matchups. They’re currently 5-0 through seven weeks.

Coming up, Miami boasts a favorable schedule that should see them favored in each matchup. If that’s the case, they’ll enter the ACC Championship game undefeated. A win in Charlotte would make the Hurricanes hard to pick against as the top overall seed in the College Football Playoff.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

No. 2 Ohio State vs. TBD

The Buckeyes haven’t lost a game in nearly a full calendar year and improved to 6-0 on the season after defeating No. 17 Illinois 34-16 on the road. Ohio State once again looks like a national championship contender in 2025.

Looking ahead, Ohio State’s schedule doesn’t look like it once did. Penn State is unranked with a .500 record and just fired its head coach. Michigan fell out of the AP Top 25 after a loss to USC on Saturday.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

No. 3 Alabama vs. TBD

The Crimson Tide continued to roll through the toughest portion of their schedule with a 27-24 win over Missouri on the road this past weekend. They’re now 5-1 and have three-straight ranked wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt and now the Tigers, in that order.

It’s not over just yet for Alabama. They host No. 11 Tennessee this weekend, and still have games vs. LSU and Oklahoma down the stretch.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl

No. 4 Texas Tech vs. TBD

Texas Tech has yet to be tested this season. The Red Raiders have slowly climbed up the rankings all season long, and have found themselves ranked No. 7 following Week 7.

They’ve outscored their opponents 291-73 this season, and there’s no indication Texas Tech will slow down anytime soon. All eyes will be on the Red Raiders’ Nov. 8 matchup against BYU — the only other undefeated team in the Big 12.

CBS Bowl Projections after Week 7

Date TBA

Bahamas Bowl (TBD)
TBD
TBD
Miami (OH) vs. Louisiana Tech

Saturday, Dec. 13

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
San Diego State vs. Washington

Tuesday, Dec. 16

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Connecticut vs. Jacksonville State

Wednesday, Dec. 17

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
James Madison vs. Toledo

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
East Carolina vs. Georgia Southern

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
Troy vs. FIU

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Memphis vs. Mississippi State

Monday, Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
Buffalo vs. Utah State

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
North Texas vs. Old Dominion

New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
UTSA vs. Arkansas State

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
Hawaii vs. Temple

Friday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Minnesota vs. Ohio

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Baylor vs. Iowa

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
Louisville vs. Fresno State

Saturday, Dec. 27

Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
NC State vs. Navy

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
Duke vs. Maryland

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Pittsburgh vs. Tulane

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Notre Dame vs. BYU

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Boise State vs. Western Michigan

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
UNLV vs. Texas State

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Clemson vs. Oklahoma

Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
TCU vs. Auburn

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Appalachian State vs. Bowling Green

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
Kansas vs. California

Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Northwestern vs. LSU

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
Utah vs. Iowa State

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Michigan vs. Tennessee

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
SMU vs. Washington State

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Texas vs. Nebraska

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Illinois vs. Arizona State

Friday, Jan. 2

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Army vs. Cincinnati

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Houston vs. Vanderbilt

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Florida State vs. Missouri

Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Virginia vs. Arizona