Expert predicts surprising outcomes in 2024-25 College Football Playoff bracket

The 2024-25 College Football Playoff begins on December 20th, featuring No. 4 Arizona State, which has won six straight games, including a Big 12 Championship. They will face either No. 12 Clemson or No. 5 Texas in the Peach Bowl. SportsLine expert Eric Cohen predicts No. 6 Penn State will narrowly defeat No. 11 SMU, 27-23, in their first-round matchup. Penn State has a strong offense and home-field advantage, but the game is expected to be close due to cold weather. Cohen also forecasts surprising outcomes for teams like Texas, Notre Dame, and Georgia, with five lower-seeded teams expected to advance. His detailed score predictions are available on SportsLine.