Indiana Projected to Miss College Football Playoff in New On3 Bowl Predictions

Brett McMurphy, formerly of the Action Network and now of On3, released his first full list ofbowl projections and playoff matchup predictions for the 2025 season.

On3's Brett McMurphy has the Hoosiers missing out on the College Football Playoff, instead facing off against South Carolina in the ReliaQuest in Tampa, Florida.

The Hoosiers had the most magical 2024 season under Curt Cignetti in his first year with Indiana. A lot of people said it was a fluke or that they didn't have tough enough competition andthat they didn't deserve to be in the College Football Playoff.

Indiana finished as the No. 10 team in the nation in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll in 2024.

They also return three All-American's on defense, retained their whole entire coaching staff minus Tino Sunseri and bring in a ton on offense including Fernando Mendoza, Roman Hemby and Pat Coogan, not to mention return wide outs Omar Cooper Jr and Eljah Sarratt.

Skies the limit for the Indiana Hoosiers in 2025.

The ReliaQuest Bowl paired Michigan versus Alabama in last seasons game with Michigan beating the Crimson Tide in an upset.

Indiana and South Carolina are both pre-season contenders to possibly make the CFB Playoff. South Carolina finished the season strong with a 9-4 record and Indiana made their first CFP berth under Curt Cignetti leading the Hoosiers to an 11-2 record, eventually losing to Notre Dame in the first round.

Year two of the Cignetti era starts on Aug. 30 when Indiana hosts Old Dominion. 

Here’s how McMurphy predicts the College Football Playoff bracket:

First Round (Dec. 19-20)
No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Texas
No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 LSU
No. 11 Utah at No. 6 Clemson
No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Alabama

No. 5 Texas
No. 4 Ohio State
No. 3 Georgia
No. 2 Penn State
No. 1 Notre Dame

McMurphy predicts that the Georgia Bulldogs will win the National Championship for the 2025-26 season.