After correctly picking the national champion in each of the last two seasons, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy has officially made his pick for 2025, and it forecasts a season of dominance and ultimate heartbreak for the Clemson Tigers.
McElroy is predicting Clemson will reach the national championship game, only to fall in a rematch with the Texas Longhorns.
"Mark it down, we are taking the Texas Longhorns in 2025," McElroy declared Thursday while unveiling his full playoff bracket.
A Rematch-Heavy Road to Miami
Despite having Clemson as his preseason No. 1 team, McElroy's projection has the Tigers navigating a gauntlet of familiar foes to get to the final.
- ACC Champions: He first picks Clemson to defeat Miami for the conference title.
- No. 2 Seed: The win earns the Tigers a first-round bye as the No. 2 seed in the playoff.
- Quarterfinal: A second-straight matchup against Miami, this time in the Orange Bowl, with Clemson winning again.
- Semifinal: A blockbuster showdown against his alma mater, No. 3 seed Alabama. In a testament to his belief in the Tigers, McElroy picks Clemson to win.
"Clemson just has so many pieces back... elite quarterback, elite weapons at wide receiver and just a few more known commodities than Alabama at this point," McElroy explained. "I’ll take Clemson over Bama in the semifinals."
Déjà Vu in the Championship
McElroy's predicted run for the Tigers ends in the title game with a familiar result. He foresees a rematch of last season's first-round playoff classic against Texas, with the Longhorns once again coming out on top.
"It just wasn't enough [last year]," McElroy said. "I don't think it will be enough in this scenario as well... I'm just way too enamored with some of the star power that this Texas team has."