The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast - Joel Klatt predicts the 12-Team Playoff Bracket and makes his National Champion Pick

Episode Date: August 22, 2024

FOX Sports’ lead college football analyst Joel Klatt makes his predictions for the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket and plays out the matchups in each round before naming his National Champion for this season. Klatt begins by giving his Conference Title game predictions in the Power Conferences before revealing his seeds in the first 12-team format. He discusses which Big Ten and SEC teams he thinks will occupy top spots as well as a surprise team potentially going undefeated this season. He explains why he believes Georgia and Texas will be seeing a lot of each other this season as will new Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Oregon. Klatt also considers whether to put power programs like Alabama and Michigan into his field or if they will take a step back this season and miss the cut. After naming his First Round, Quarterfinal, Semifinal and Title game matchups, Klatt gives his pick for the National Champion in 2024. Tickets for Live show in Madison, Wisconsin on September 12th:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joel-klatt-show-tickets-995516967047?aff=oddtdtcreator Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

good is this going to be? This is going to be incredible. I can't wait. You can't wait. Let's get the season here as quickly as possible. College football has never been better. Interest has never been higher. Believe that we are at the dawn of the golden age of college football. It was an epic day of college football. It was one of those days where you fall in love with the sport all over again. Hey, what's up everybody? Welcome into the Joel Clatch Show. We are presented by Hampton by Hilton, big show today. I'm going to preview the college football playoffs. So I'm going to give you a 12 team format. I'm going to give you my predictions for the 12 teams and then play it all the way out through to a national championship. So it's a prediction episode of the Joel Clat Show. Cannot wait for this one. It should be really fun. Now, before we get there, there's a few things that we've got to chat about. Number one is if you're listening to this, wherever you get your podcast, make sure to go like us, rate and review us, please. That always helps. the podcast, and we would very much appreciate it. And if you're watching on YouTube, thank you very much.

Become a subscriber, getting the comments down below. I like to jump in some of those episodes and converse with some of you down in the comments below. So make sure to subscribe and then rate review wherever you get your podcast. The next thing is that Madison Live Show, remember we made the big announcement on Monday on the program. And spots are already filling up, actually quite quickly, pleasantly surprised. and make sure you go and you get yourself registered to get a ticket.

Because remember, the event is free. It's in Madison right before that Wisconsin-Alabama game. We're going to be on Thursday night from the Majestic Theater two days before the game. It is limited as far as how many people we can get into the event space. So you've got to make sure you go and reserve your ticket. It is free, but make sure you go and reserve that. We'll have a link down in the YouTube. channel description. We're going to have a link on the podcast. We're going to have a link on all of our

social media so you can go follow that at Joel Klatz show. Now with all of that out of the way, let's get into the 12 team playoff. Here we go. The first one in history, folks, the bracket looks beautiful. And I can't wait for it. I think that all of us have been waiting for something like this for a long time. And here it is. And now we finally get to start filling it out and start predicting what we're going to get and what we're going to see this year in college football. Again, I've said this for a long time. I can't wait to see how many games mean more in terms of the playoff in November and how many programs and fan bases.

How many of you will be more engaged in November? That's why this is the dawn of the golden age of college football is because we are going to be in our sport, the one that we love, engaging with fans even more all the way until the end of the season, and it's because of that bracket right there. Now, is it going to always be this bracket? I'm not sure, and we'll get into that in later shows during the course of the year. But right now we've got 12, and I could not be more excited about it. In order to fill this out, I think that the first thing that we've got to do is talk about

the top four seeds, yes, but those top four seeds are going to be a product of conference championship games. So let's start this prediction episode with who I think is going to be playing in each conference championship game in those Power 4 conferences. We start with the Big 10. The Big 10, I think, is going to be Ohio State and Oregon in that game. Oregon only plays Michigan and Ohio State as far as ranked opponents in the regular season. We know, I mean, I have Ohio State ranked number one to begin with. So I've got Ohio State and Oregon. I've got Ohio State winning that game and winning the Big 10. In the SEC, I've got Georgia and Texas. Now, there's a couple of other teams that

could sneak into that situation where they're getting a top two seed and playing in Atlanta for the SEC championship game. I think Missouri's schedule is favorable. They could be right there. Ole Miss is certainly right there. And you never know what Oklahoma could do if they actually get on a run through that difficult slate that they have in particular in November. But I've got Georgia and OU and I've got Georgia with that talented roster returning quarterback and Carson Beck and the best coach in college football and Kirby Smart winning the SEC over Texas. In the Big 12, I've got Utah playing, wait for it, Kansas. If you really look at what Kansas is and what their schedule is,

there is a good chance that Kansas is going to be a top two seed in the Big 12. Now, death taxes in Utah football, I'm going to ride with Utah. You know that about me. Kyle Whittingham is an excellent coach. And when Cam Rising is their starting quarterback, what do they do? They win the conference and they go play in a big bowl. That's what they did in the Pack 12 with a couple of Rose Bowl births. And that's why I've gotten the Big 12.

and then the ACC, I'm going to have an old historic rivalry, and I can't wait for it, a rematch of Florida State and Miami in the ACC championship game. There's something about Miami this year, and it's their quarterback. Cam Ward, I think, has the chance to be the best player in the ACC, maybe the best quarterback in the conference, and you've got to ride with quarterbacks in particular when you're talking about conference championship games.

So I like Miami to win. win the ACC and get a first round by. Now, if those four teams win and you kind of play out the season as you might play out the season, here's the seeds that I'm giving them. I had Ohio State as my number one ranked team. I'm going to put them at number one in the playoff. I think their schedule is more favorable than Georgia's schedule. I could see Georgia stubbing their toe at some point along the road.

Remember all of those difficult road games that they have. So even as an SEC champ, I think that they might have. one more loss than Ohio State, and they would be number two in the country. And then three, I've got Utah and four. I've got Miami. Those are my top four seeds. Those are your programs getting a buy in the very first 12-team college football playoff. There you go.

By the way, I have been accused partly because there's an incredible YouTube out there of John Bison suplexing me when we played Miami. when I was a player. I've been accused of hating Miami. How do you like them apples? Four seed. Huh? What do you think? Hurricanes? I'm on your side this year. Okay. Who do we got in the next four? This next four, to me, I think that you've got to start looking at schedules. I know people don't like when I say that, but it's like, but that's the reality. That's the reality. This is still a sport that rewards wins. Now, I think there's a chance we're going to reward. and maybe the committee will reward quality wins more so.

But there's a schedule out there that you can play out. And if they get past week one, and what I think is probably their most difficult game because of the location, the unknowns, if they get past week one, I think this program could go 12 and 0. What do you mean, Joel? Like, you already have the top four seats.

Yeah, they don't have a conference championship game, and that's Notre Dame. I think Notre Dame has a real shot to go 12 and 0. And in that case, they would be the number 5 seed. And that's where I will put them in my first bracket right here. Marcus Freeman is a heck of a coach. I think their hardest game is that A&M game in week one. They only play three true road games all season.

They're going to go two and a half months without a true road game before they play USC in the finale. And I think there's a good chance that they're playing USC as a solidly in the playoff team. and a win and you're going to get a five-seed and a home game in that first round. Riley Leonard, Mike Denbrock, the new offensive coordinator, I believe in Notre Dame. I understand they lost their left tackle. I get that. But look at their schedule and I think that they can overcome that. Number six seed, I've got Texas.

Sark and the Longhorns play Georgia. Listen, I think that there's a chance that they beat Georgia and split with them in the regular, like beat them in the regular season at home and then lose to them in the SEC championship game. What I'm saying is that what we've seen from Texas in the past is that they will have some bump in the road at some point. They've got to play at Michigan. They've got to play Oklahoma in Red River. They've got to play at Texas A&M.

And they've got to host Georgia. So even if they were to beat Georgia and play with them and lose that title game, there's a loss somewhere along that path. I just think it's going to be too difficult to go through that. even with yours back and the roster that they have. The loss of C.J. Baxter is big. They've recruited very well. Jaden Blue, by the way, he averaged six yards per carry.

So I'm not quite as nervous about that. And I do believe that Texas has the potential to have the best offensive line in America. That will help their run game even with the loss of C.J. Baxter. And then they obviously have Uers there as well. The team that loses in the Big Ten championship game, Oregon, I've got them as the seven seed. They'll be hosting a first round playoff game. The ducks are in firmly in the playoff. I had them just behind Texas.

I think people are going to look at the schedule that Texas plays and reward them with that sixth seed. Notre Dame would be undefeated. Your next seed would be Oregon. Again, they're only two ranked opponents on their schedule as of right now are Michigan and Ohio State. Those are two biggies. I mean, huge ones. host Ohio State, I could see a scenario in which there are only two losses on the year

are to Ohio State twice. And so in that model, I look up and I'm like, they're probably the seven seed. That's where they go. I'm a big believer in Dan Lannning. I am a big believer in Dylan Gabriel having a better year this year at Oregon than he had last year at Oklahoma, because I think that the system at Oregon is going to fit him better. Look at what Bo Nix is doing in the preseason with the Denver Broncos. He's a point guard. The ball is out on time and he's accurate. That's the way Dylan Gabriel wants to operate.

That's the way he will be allowed to operate at Oregon, whereas OU was a little bit more of a downfield passing team, not necessarily in system, but certainly in personnel with the guys that they had on the outside at wide receiver. So Gabriel, I think, fits at Oregon better. they've got a lot of weapons. They've recruited at a high level, and they're my seven seed in the playoff. All right, let's get to the eight seed, and this is where it starts to get interesting here. And this is where I've got a couple of teams here at eight and nine that have the benefit of what I would

categorize as not a soft schedule, but it's certainly softer than some of their compatriots in these conferences. At number eight, I'm going to go with Penn State. Penn State's most difficult game is certainly hosting Ohio State. That's November 2nd, just a couple of days before the election, by the way. James Franklin has missed out on a playoff berth six out of the last eight years because there hasn't been a 12-team playoff. I have been over this. I talked about this on Monday about their expectation,

and their expectation for me is taking a step forward. In those six years that they would have made a 12-team playoff out of the last, last eight, on average, their ranking in the final rankings was nine and a half. If I'm expecting a step forward, I'm putting them at eight, and that's where they are. I could see a scenario where there's a tiebreak situation between Penn State and Oregon to try to get into the Big Ten championship game. We'll see, for me, I think Oregon's going to be there, and I think Penn State is going to be right there as well.

And number nine, similarly, a team that has a softer schedule than some of the other teams in their conference is Ole Miss. Ole Miss is incredibly talented and they're headlined by their quarterback Jackson DART. They'll be my nine seed. Darts in his third year with Lane Kiffin and they've got a very good receiving core and that offense you know is going to put up points. My concern with Ole Miss is that they haven't done it. They haven't gotten over the hump very similarly to Penn State.

Penn State has been elite in a lot of respects. They couldn't beat and haven't been able to beat Michigan and Ohio State. Well, Ole Miss is the same way. been able to get over the upper echelon of their conference in the SEC. But the schedule is favorable. They could be 6 and 0 heading into LSU in October. They only have three ranked teams on the schedule. They've got that road game at LSU that I just referenced.

Home games against Oklahoma and Georgia. You know, like to me, you lose one or even just two of those games. And out of the SEC, I think people are going to be like, yeah, Ole Miss is going to be in and they're going to be my nine seed. You're probably wondering yourself, you're like, Joel, you still have to get the group of five, the fifth champion in there. And there's a couple of maybe more than a couple of huge programs out there that are clearly now going to miss the playoff.

And this is the exercise, folks. Once Notre Dame is in, you start to realize that these spots are few and far between. All right? Number 10. I believe in Kalin DeBore. I think Alabama is going to be the 10 seed. He is a great coach. It's a roster that is loaded with elite talent.

I know, I know, I don't just believe, I know that Kalin DeBoer will get the best out of his quarterback. Jalen Milrow is going to have a solid year. I am nervous a bit about their defense. You can't lose the godfather. Nick Sabin, you can't lose a safety like Caleb Downs, and just replace him. So that's why I don't have them in the SEC championship game,

and that's why I have them as the 10 seed. Their schedule does them no favors in their first year without Sabin. They've got that road game at Wisconsin, which will be there for. Remember, sign up and get your tickets for the Majestic Theater. I heard that we're going to have our first and most extravagant live Joel Clatch show ever, and yes, that's taking place. So weird that that's like middle of the show plug, but make sure to go get your tickets. They've got that game followed by a home game against Georgia. Georgia's always going to be

tough. And then the second half of the season is going to be incredibly difficult. They've got to go to Knoxville. We know exactly what happened the last time they did that. The goalposts ended up in the river. They've got to go to LSU. They've got to go to Oklahoma and then they still have home games against Missouri and Auburn. That's an incredibly difficult schedule. But what did I start this out with? I believe in Kalin DeBoer. I believe in Alabama. And so they're number 10. I got a group of five and one more left.

At number 11, I think Michigan gets into the playoff. Michigan's floor is nine wins. Now, as nine wins going to get them in, I'm not totally sure. I'm not totally sure. I think Michigan is going to have to knock off one of the following three during the course of the year. Texas, Oregon, or Ohio State. They've got to beat USC, and if you're thinking about those four games, if they split them and go two and two, they are in the playoff.

I think Sharon Moore understands who he is, and he understands who his program is. They've got great running backs and an elite defense. So they're going to be Michigan, and they're going to be very difficult to face. Their floor is nine wins, and let's not put it past Michigan, picking off one of those teams that I just mentioned, getting to 10 wins. And while they wouldn't be in the Big 10 championship game in this model, I do believe that they go to the college football playoff.

That leaves the group of five champion or whatever we're calling it now, and that's Boise State for me. Highest ranked champ out of the Mountain West. The other teams that I considered here are Liberty, but their schedule is so soft, I mean, so soft that if they don't go undefeated, they're not getting in. They won't be the highest ranked champion. It is ridiculously soft.

considered Memphis here, but a big opportunity for Boise State. I'm a big fan of their running back. Ashton Gentry, I believe is how you pronounce his name. Gentie, forgive me, Gen T. He's a really good player. He's the only back in the country with a thousand rush yards and 500 receiving yards coming back. So he's a dual threat. You know how I love those versatile guys out of the backfield. They did decide to start Matt. Madsen over former number one recruit and transfer Malachi Nelson. Remember who transferred in from USC? That was a bit interesting. And then Spencer Danielson, he's the head coach up there, took over for a fired Andy Avalos,

still led them back to a Mountain West title last year. So that's who I've got in at number 12. So that's the big discussion. There are your 12 teams. Let's take one more look at it because here we go. That is a filled out bracket. And now we got to start having winners and losers. Let's go. It's winners and losers time. Let's start. with the five seed hosting. And by the way, this acts is almost like a de facto conference championship game for Notre Dame, right? So everybody else has to play that 13th game.

They get their 13th game. It just happens to be in the playoff. That's why they're fine with this model where they're never going to be in the top four and get a buy. Notre Dame hosting Boise State. Notre Dame's undefeated. They get them at home and Notre Dame wins the game. Next up, number six, Texas and Michigan.

This is a rematch and yet it's a different location. Okay, so regardless of what happens in that week two matchup, which I can't wait for, by the way, I think Texas at home with that pressure and that quarterback Quinn Ewers, they get it done in Texas beats Michigan and then we'll face Utah in a 6-3 matchup. So Texas wins in the first round. They're on to the college football playoff quarterfinals. Then in the 7-10 game, guys, who doesn't want to see this? Dan Lannning having to face Kalin DeBore? We got it twice last year.

I mean, this is an epic matchup right here. I cannot wait for some sort of matchup like an Alabama going to Oregon, Michigan going to Texas. This is going to be incredible. Alabama goes to Oregon. Oregon is ridiculously talented. I know Alabama is as well,

but at home, I think that that environment, quite honestly, surprises Alabama. I know they're not, listen, I'm not suggesting they don't play in great environments because they do. The SEC is chocked full of difficult and incredible environments. I said surprised them. I think Eugene will surprise them. Autson Stadium is phenomenal. I think Oregon wins that game and they go on to the quarter final. And then you've got Penn State hosting a college football playoff game. This is actually, to be honest with you, When I first thought of the playoff, and I originally thought to myself,

I want teams to host playoff games. You know the location that I thought of first? Number one location, happy belly. I was like, I want to see a playoff whiteout as, like as much as I need my next breath of air. That environment is amazing. Ole Miss goes to Penn State. That's going to be a phenomenal game. I think that the home team wins, and I've got Penn State going on.

to the quarter final and they'll face Ohio State. So this is what it looks like then in that next round. All right. In that next round, here's what we've got. You've got the quarterfinals where Ohio State plays Penn State, Georgia plays Oregon, Texas plays Utah, Notre Dame, and Miami. Now, judging based on how they've written the language in terms of bull tie-ins,

I believe that what you would have is Ohio State, Penn State, in the Rose Bowl, Miami, Notre Dame in the Peach Bowl, Georgia, Oregon, and the sugar, and Utah, Texas, in the Fiesta. That's the way that I believe that this would play out. Okay. Now, not guaranteeing that, but that's the way I believe this would play out. So Rose Bowl, Ohio State, Penn State, and All Big Ten Rose Bowl, Ohio State, Ohio State beats Penn State for the second time. They go on to the college football playoff semifinal. In the two seven game, which I've got in the Sugar Bowl, Georgia and Oregon, now Dan, Land, Manning has to face his old mentor in Kirby Smart. I believe Georgia is just too good. They're just too talented.

In my estimation, Georgia is a national title caliber team. They win, they go to the college football semifinals. Texas and Utah, as much as I love Utah, and as much as I would give Utah the benefit of the doubt, if they could host this game, which they should be able to, can we please get rid of these bowl games in the quarterfinals? Listen, I digress. I digress. In a bowl environment, you look at that,

and I'm like, in the Fiesta Bowl, Utah and Texas, Texas is going to win that game. They're more talented. And even with Cam Rising, I like Quinn Ewers and I like Sark and I like that offensive line. So Texas wins, they go to the semifinals. And then you've got a Notre Dame Miami. Can we get the shirts back?

Can we get the shirts back? Can we get a Catholic? I'm not going to say it. You know what I was going to say. Maybe the shirts will come. back. I don't know, because this would be epic in a college football playoff quarterfinal to see Notre Dame play Miami. This would be in a peach bowl, I believe. I like Notre Dame in this matchup. I think Notre Dame would go on and go to the college football playoff semifinals.

There's something that I really believe in with Miami, but then when it gets to this point, do we really trust Mario Cristobal in a quarterfinal? Let's hope he's not in a position to take a knee, if you know what I mean. Right? Now we get to the semifinals, and this is how I think that the semifinals, the way that the language is written, the number one seed would get the choice of where to play.

Okay? So they would be deciding between the Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl. And Ohio State would be sitting there and they'd be like, oh, okay, well, that's interesting. Where do we want to play? And then somebody smart would say, time out. why don't we put Georgia in a more precarious situation? And then another smart person would be like, great idea.

Does it really matter whether we play Notre Dame in Dallas or Miami? The answer is no. It doesn't matter at all for Ohio State. Does it matter if Georgia gets to play in Dallas or Miami against Texas? The answer is yes. So in my model, Ohio State makes their pick based on the other matchup. They say, hey, Georgia, go to Dallas and face Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

And the Orange Bowl is Ohio State and Notre Dame. Orange Bowl, I've got Ohio State winning that. They go on to play for the national championship. And because of that decision, and because of what the crowd would be in Jerry's world, in AT&T Stadium, just a few miles north of Austin, I've got Texas beating Georgia because of the location. It would be their third matchup. I'm giving Sark the benefit of the doubt

and the third matchup that Sark would bring something that was just like unworldly as far as a game plan out. Ewers would be on fire. I think back to that game against Bama a couple of years ago when they didn't even have a team that really should have beaten the Bryce Young Alabama team, and yet they were in line to beat the Bryce Young Alabama team until Bryce Young put a cape on his back and spun out

because Ryan Watts blitz from the, corner and they didn't take a good angle. You remember the game. We were all there. It was a million degrees. Why? Because we kicked it at noon because it's the best time slot in college football. I think that that game would be epic. And I believe that Sark because of the location and what he would have in a third matchup would get past Georgia. And then, and then Quinn Ewers gets to play Ohio State in the national championship game. Yes. Guys, I gave you Dan Laning against Kaelin DeBoer. I gave you Dan Laining against Kirby Smart. I gave you a Texas Georgia matchup three times this one being in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington.

And now in Mercedes down in Atlanta, Ohio State plays Texas. And because Texas let it all hang out, I just don't think that they have enough. And my national champion is going to be Ohio State. I had them as my number one team in the preseason. I have my number one seed in the playoff. and I think that the Buckeyes will go on and win the national championship. But as I walk through that exercise, folks, how good is this going to be? This is going to be incredible.

I can't wait, you can't wait. Let's get the season here as quickly as possible. Remember, rate and review us wherever we get your podcast. Make sure to subscribe on the YouTube channel because we're going to have a lot of content that is exclusive to YouTube during the course of the season. and if you're around Madison and around Wisconsin, make sure to reserve your tickets for the live show. A couple of days before the Alabama Wisconsin game,

that Thursday night live from the Majestic Theater. It's going to start at 7.30, but you've got to reserve your tickets. So go to any place that you've got Joel Klatch show, mainly social media. There'll be links there to reserve your tickets. Big thanks to Hampton by Hilton, who's helping us put that show on. And if you're, by the way, a Bama fan and you're traveling up to Wisconsin, to see jump around, to see Madison, make sure to get your tickets, be there by Thursday night,

and we'll be live at The Majestic. Thanks for listening, everybody. We got a special little something. We're going to drop a special little something in the next couple of days, just a little teaser as we get ready for college football, week zero. Here we go. It's starting, and it can't come soon enough. Have a wonderful week, everybody.