PCFB Playoff Prediction (Week 12)

FIRST ROUND

#12 Memphis (8–2) vs #5 Florida (8–3)

Prediction: Florida wins.
Florida’s speed on the perimeter is too much, and Memphis hasn’t seen SEC-level trenches all year.

#9 Michigan (9–1) vs #8 Tennessee (8–3)

Prediction: Michigan wins.
Michigan controls the line of scrimmage and leans on its defense to grind down Tennessee.

#11 Bowling Green (9–1) vs #6 Wake Forest (9–1)

Prediction: Wake Forest wins.
Bowling Green is a great story, but Wake Forest’s offense is too balanced.

#10 Washington (9–2) vs #7 Penn State (8–3)

Prediction: Washington wins.
Washington’s passing attack overwhelms Penn State late.

QUARTERFINALS

Florida vs #4 SMU (9–1)

Prediction: SMU wins.
SMU’s high-octane offense creates matchup issues against Florida’s secondary.

Michigan vs #1 Texas (11–0)

Prediction: Texas wins.
Texas handles Michigan at the line; the Longhorns’ WRs dominate.

Wake Forest vs #3 Notre Dame (11–0)

Prediction: Notre Dame wins.
ND’s defense forces Wake Forest into turnovers, and the offense methodically controls the game.

Washington vs #2 Clemson (9–1)

Prediction: Clemson wins.
Washington keeps it close early, but Clemson’s defense clamps down in the second half.

SEMIFINALS

#4 SMU vs #1 Texas – Cotton Bowl

Prediction: Texas wins.
Fun in-state matchup, but SMU can’t handle Texas’ physicality.
Texas pulls away late with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

#3 Notre Dame vs #2 Clemson – Orange Bowl

Prediction: Clemson wins.
A classic rematch feel. Clemson’s defensive front creates havoc, and one late turnover from ND becomes the difference.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

#1 Texas vs #2 Clemson

Prediction: Texas wins the national title.
Clemson keeps the game tight for three quarters, but Texas’ explosive playmakers tilt the field.
Final score prediction: Texas 34, Clemson 24.

The Longhorns finish the season undefeated and claim the trophy.

“Texas Tops Clemson to Capture National Championship in Vegas”

Under the neon glow of the Strip and the roar of a packed Allegiant Stadium, the Texas Longhorns completed one of the most dominant seasons in College Football Playoff history, defeating the Clemson Tigers 34–24 to capture the national championship.

It was the conclusion of a wild, expanded playoff that saw upsets, blowouts, and a handful of Cinderella pushes — but in the end, the bracket delivered the heavyweight fight everyone wanted: the resilient, methodical Clemson Tigers against the explosive, undefeated Texas machine.

Texas Survives the Gauntlet

Texas entered the playoff as the top seed and played like it.
After dispatching Michigan in the quarterfinals with a physical, trench-dominating performance, the Longhorns prepared for what many saw as a trap game: a semifinal matchup with in-state rival SMU in the Cotton Bowl.

Instead of stumbling, Texas made a statement.

SMU’s electric offense tested the Longhorns early, but the Texas defensive front took over in the second half. Two crucial sacks and a pair of forced turnovers turned a tight 24–20 contest into a 38–23 win, punching Texas’ ticket to Las Vegas.

Clemson Rediscovers Its Bite

On the other side of the bracket, Clemson proved why it remains one of college football’s most consistent postseason forces.

After handling Washington in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Clemson faced a familiar foe: Notre Dame.
In a bruising Orange Bowl showdown filled with defense, field position, and relentless pressure at the line, Clemson eked out a gritty 27–20 win thanks to a late fourth-quarter defensive stand.

The Tigers didn’t reach the title game with style points — they reached it with toughness.

The Championship: Playmakers vs. Power

From the opening kickoff, the title game delivered contrasting identities:

• Texas: Speed, spacing, explosive plays.
• Clemson: Structure, discipline, defensive pressure.

Clemson struck first with a field goal, but Texas responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive that showcased the full arsenal — tempo, vertical routes, and a perfectly timed quarterback draw.

The teams traded scores through the second quarter, entering halftime tied 17–17, setting up a second half that promised tension.

And then Texas took control.

A third-quarter interception set up a short field and the Longhorns capitalized immediately.
Clemson answered with a long touchdown march of its own, but from that point on, Texas’ defensive line suffocated the Tigers, limiting them to just three points in the final 20 minutes.

The Defining Moment

Early in the fourth quarter, Texas faced a 3rd-and-8 near midfield. Clemson finally brought pressure — and the Longhorns finally made them pay.

A perfectly placed deep sideline throw turned into a 49-yard touchdown, giving Texas a 31–24 lead it would never relinquish. The Tigers’ offense, playing from behind, couldn’t overcome Texas’ defensive speed.

A late field goal pushed the margin to double digits, and the Longhorns closed it out with a kneel-down that will be replayed in Austin for decades.

A Golden Season Ends in Gold

Texas finishes the year undefeated, claiming its first national championship in the expanded playoff era.
The Longhorns proved adaptable, explosive, and battle-tested — a team built for modern football and the expanded bracket chaos.

And in Las Vegas, with confetti raining and the CFP trophy raised toward the lights, a message rang clear:

Texas is officially back — and on top of the college football world.