USC Receives Disappointing College Football Playoff Prediction
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Georgia, Kirby Smart Receive Disappointing News On Elite 5-Star Target
Georgia, Kirby Smart Receive Disappointing News On Elite 5-Star Target. Mark Bowman announced he’s passing on Georgia and instead committing to the USC Trojans. On3 Industry Rankings has Bowman as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 tight end and No. 15 player in the nation. He’s also coming off his best season for Mater Dei High School, putting up some impressive numbers with 32 receptions for 435 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games.
One of the biggest reasons the Georgia Bulldogs are consistently competing for national championships is their ability to entice some of the most sought-after recruits out of high school.
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Their 2026 class is especially impressive, featuring names such as five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, four-star safety Jordan Smith, four-star wide receiver Vance Spafford and four-star safety Zech Fort.
Signs were pointing to them landing another huge player, too, because in an article for On3 posted on May 13, Steve Wiltfong and Chad Simmons both predicted the Bulldogs would receive a commitment from tight end Mark Bowman out of Santa Ana, California.
However, those predictions never became a reality and on Friday, Bowman announced he’s passing on Georgia and instead committing to another program with a tradition of winning, the USC Trojans.
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It’s certainly an exciting update for USC as On3 Industry Rankings has Bowman as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 tight end, the No. 2 player in California and the No. 15 player in the nation.
He’s also coming off his best season for Mater Dei High School, putting up some impressive numbers with 32 receptions for 435 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games.
He comes in and adds a huge boost for the Trojans’ already impressive recruiting class, which features an FBS-leading 27 total commitments and ranks No. 1 in the nation, per On3.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.Nick Wagner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Despite the setback, Smart still has his eyes set on some other talented tight end recruits, with the On3 recruiting prediction machine making Georgia the frontrunner to get four-star Brayden Fogle (27.9%) and among the favorites to land five-star Kaiden Prothro (22%).
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Related: Nation’s No. 3 Recruit Names Top School as Commitment Decision Nears
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
USC Receives Disappointing College Football Playoff Prediction
USC is predicted to play on Dec. 30 in a disappointing bowl predictions. Brett McMurphy of On3/Rivals picked USC to face Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats are heading into ’25 fresh off a 9-4 season and familiarity with Riley. USC has gone 8-5 and 7-6 since its 11-3 campaign that resulted in the 2022 Cotton Bowl appearance. This also hands USC a fourth straight bowl appearance for Riley.
USC reinstalled new momentum heading into the 2025 season. The influx of new faces on the roster and a favorable schedule points to a far improved campaign for Lincoln Riley and company. Which includes College Football Playoff hype.
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Except one national college football columnist doesn’t envision USC cracking the final 12-team bracket. In fact, USC is predicted to play on Dec. 30 in a disappointing bowl predictions.
Despite the constant changes and renewed enthusiasm, Brett McMurphy of On3/Rivals picked USC to face Kansas State in the Alamo Bowl. The Wildcats are heading into ’25 fresh off a 9-4 season and familiarity with Riley.
The incoming fourth-year USC head coach faces KSU annually in the Big 12 during his run with the Oklahoma Sooners. He gets reacclimated with Chris Klieman here in San Antonio.
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
This shockingly becomes USC’s first appearance in the Alamo Bowl if the prediction comes true. The bowl contest used to pit Pac-12 against the Big 12. But now welcomes in Big Ten representatives.
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This also hands USC a fourth straight bowl appearance for Riley. He’d join two-time National Champion winner Pete Carroll in becoming the last USC coach to hit that postseason mark. Carroll is also the last head coach in USC history to take the Trojans to four bowl games in his first four seasons at the helm.
Riley still faces a make-or-break 2025. His Trojan teams have declined on the winning side since his first season. USC has gone 8-5 and 7-6 since its 11-3 campaign that resulted in the 2022 Cotton Bowl appearance.
Related: USC Commit Names Off Two All-Pro Influences Who Helped Sway His Decision
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
USC, Lincoln Riley Expected To Receive Huge Recruiting News on Sunday
The USC Trojans hold the top class in the country as they prepare for the 2025 college football season. The star-studded 2026 class features a nation’s leading 27 commits, 11 more than the next closest programs in Penn State and Syracuse. USC is expected to receive some good news from four-star Shaun Scott this weekend. The highly-coveted defender will reveal his pledge on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on On3.
Questions abound for the Trojans on the field after a disappointing 7-6 season in the Big Ten. Yet, looking beyond, the future appears to be stockpiled with talent for Riley and Co.
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The star-studded 2026 class features a nation’s leading 27 commits, 11 more than the next closest programs in Penn State and Syracuse, with two five-star and 15 four-star recruits.
The Trojans are also in play for multiple uncommitted prospects, and are expected to receive some good news from four-star Shaun Scott this weekend.
Scott (6-foot-3, 230 pounds) serves as a versatile edge rusher and linebacker for high school powerhouse Mater Dei in Santa Anna, California. He is rated as the No. 28 EDGE and the No. 30 player in the state, per 247Sports composite rankings.
USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley.Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
USC has long been the favorite to land Scott and is currently predicted to earn a commitment, according to On3’s Scott Schrader and Max Torres. Schrader has the Trojans over Texas, which hosted Scott during junior day earlier this year.
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Scott, who holds 23 offers ahead of his senior year, announced his commitment date on Saturday afternoon.
The highly-coveted defender will reveal his pledge on Sunday at 5 p.m. ET.
Scott would be the second Mater Dei product to join the Trojans’ 2026 class, also including four-star defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui. Additionally, Scott would become the 16th USC commit from the state of California.
Even without a pledge from Scott, USC’s lead in the high school ranks is a commanding one. The pieces added in the 2026 cycle should provide a talented base to work with.
Related: College Football Powerhouse Emerges As New Leader For Elite Five-Star Prospect
Related: Updated Preseason College Football Rankings Feature New No. 1 Team
Every Big Ten football team’s 2025 bowl projection following spring practice
Several teams are projected to reach bowl games in the 2025 season, including Michigan State, Indiana, and Wisconsin. While those top programs are the main story, several of the teams that missed a bowl game last season enter critical situations in 2025. On the other hand, Indiana is just looking to continue its momentum from last year’s run and cement itself as a perennial bowl contender. While that record is far below the broader expectations of the Luke Fickell era, it would be impressive given the context of the season. This potential result would build strong momentum entering a make-or-break 2026 season. The team should be about establishing a strong floor. But it becoming a. perennial bowl team would mark terrific program health after a disappointing 2024 season. It’s never too early to predict how the season will conclude. The company should be able to sneak into a bowl bid, with a light nonconference slate and several winnable Big Ten games. It should be hard to see that the team is unlikely to repeat its CFP run.
Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon are expected to contend for the College Football Playoff again in 2025, while Illinois is also projected to make the playoffs.
Teams like UCLA and Washington are predicted to have breakthrough seasons in 2025, while traditional powers like Michigan and USC aim to improve upon their 2024 performances.
Penn State is considered the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten, with key returning players and crucial matchups against Oregon and Ohio State.
While more than 100 days remain before the 2025 college football season kicks off, it’s never too early to predict how the season will conclude.
The Big Ten sent 12 of its 18 member programs to bowl games in 2024. Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon and Indiana’s trips to the College Football Playoff highlighted that group. Of course, the Buckeyes finished the season by hoisting the national championship trophy.
Those top three programs will look for repeat performances in 2025, each entering with some form of CFP expectations. On the other hand, Indiana is just looking to continue its momentum from last year’s run and cement itself as a perennial bowl contender.
While those top programs are the main story, several of the teams that missed a bowl game last season enter critical situations in 2025. Michigan State, UCLA and Wisconsin all finished 2024 at 5-7, just one win shy of a bowl trip. The Spartans and Bruins each enter 2025 needing a spark in year two under new head coaches, while Wisconsin is looking for any positive momentum, now in year three under Luke Fickell.
Earlier this month, we made full win-loss record predictions for each Big Ten team after spring practice. With those totals recorded, here are our bowl predictions for the projected postseason-eligible teams:
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Michigan State Spartans
Projected Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: GameAbove Sports Bowl vs. Miami (OH)
Michigan State should be able to sneak into a bowl bid, with a light nonconference slate and several winnable Big Ten games. While six wins is below the program’s overall expectation under Jonathan Smith, this would be a step in the right direction after a disappointing 2024 season.
Get more (Michigan State) news, analysis and opinions on Spartans Wire
Indiana Hoosiers
Projected Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs. BYU
Indiana’s 2025 season should be about establishing a strong floor. The team is unlikely to repeat its CFP run regularly. But it becoming a perennial bowl team would mark terrific program health. The Hoosiers do again have a manageable schedule in 2025, so six or seven wins shouldn’t be hard to attain.
Wisconsin Badgers
Projected Record: 6-6 (4-5 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Syracuse
Wisconsin going 6-6 against its gauntlet schedule would mark a major victory. While that record is far below the broader expectations of the Luke Fickell era, it would be impressive given the context of the season. This potential result and bowl trip would build strong momentum entering a make-or-break 2026 season.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Projected Record: 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah
P.J. Fleck has established Minnesota’s floor at bowl eligibility, as the program has reached the postseason in six straight non-COVID seasons. The team is still looking for its first double-digit-win breakthrough since the 2019 season. Given the current Big Ten landscape, it’s hard to see that happening in 2025.
Iowa Hawkeyes
Projected Record: 7-5 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Music City Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Write Iowa in for seven or eight wins and a good bowl game. The team should be an interesting watch in 2025 with top Football Championship Subdivision transfer Mark Gronowski at quarterback. The team could find itself needing wins over USC, Nebraska and Wisconsin to reach double-digit wins.
Get more (Iowa) news, analysis and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire
UCLA Bruins
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: LA Bowl vs. Boise State
UCLA is one of our big breakthrough picks entering 2025. The team’s form toward the end of the 2024 season informs that pick, as does its addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. An 8-4 finish and good bowl trip would mark a major success in year two under DeShaun Foster.
Get more (UCLA) news, analysis and opinions on UCLA Wire
Washington Huskies
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Holiday Bowl vs. SMU
Washington is our second breakthrough pick. The team flashed terrific form at times in 2024, plus now enters 2025 after significant offseason roster upgrades. The Huskies have a tough draw. But if all falls right, they could contend for a CFP trip.
Get more (Washington) news, analysis and opinions on Huskies Wire
USC Trojans
Projected Record: 8-4 (6-3 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Alamo Bowl vs. Iowa State
USC needs to take a step forward in its second year in the Big Ten after going just 6-6 during the 2024 regular season. The team has major questions entering the year, including its defense in year two under coordinator D’Anton Lynn and whether quarterback Jayden Maiava can excel as the full-time starter. USC fans want more than a bowl trip. But an eight-win season would mark a big step forward after last year’s disappointment.
Get more (USC) news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Projected Record: 8-4 (5-4 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. South Carolina
It’s the offseason, which means it’s time to predict a breakthrough season from Nebraska. Another top-20 defense and a second-year surge from quarterback Dylan Raiola would accomplish just that. Wins over tough UCLA and USC teams could be all that stands between the Cornhuskers and a 10-win season. Of course, or the program could just revert back to the Nebraska we’ve seen for the last 15 years.
Get more (Nebraska) news, analysis and opinions on Cornhuskers Wire
Michigan Wolverines
Projected Record: 9-3 (7-2 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Citrus Bowl vs. Ole Miss
Michigan should be a fringe-CFP contender in 2025. The major question comes at quarterback, where true freshman Bryce Underwood is a prime candidate to start. The team’s finish to 2024 — wins over Ohio State and Alabama — has many predicting a breakthrough in 2025. Playoff-wise, that’s more likely to happen once Underwood gains experience under center.
Get more (Michigan) news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire
Oregon Ducks
Projected Record: 9-3 (6-3 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: Sun Bowl vs. Miami
We predict Oregon to narrowly miss the CFP in 2025. It may be a reset year for the team after all of the stars aligned in 2024. With new faces across the field, it’s hard to see the Ducks delivering the same big-game performances that they did against Ohio State (regular-season), Penn State (Big Ten title game) and others.
Get more (Oregon) news, analysis and opinions on Ducks Wire
Illinois Fighting Illini
Projected Record: 10-2 (7-2 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff
Illinois will be included in most preseason College Football Playoff predictions. The team returns nearly its entire team after a 10-win season in 2024. It also faces one of the conference’s lightest schedules. The Fighting Illini are rightfully being crowned as this year’s Indiana.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Projected Record: 10-2 (8-1 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff
Ohio State should take a minor step backward after its national title run. The team lost most of its production to the NFL, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Still, the Buckeyes are too talented to win fewer than 10 games. They should be an annual CFP contender, regardless of their returning production total.
Get more (Ohio State) news, analysis and opinions on Buckeyes Wire
Penn State Nittany Lions
Projected Record: 11-1 (8-1 Big Ten)
Bowl Projection: College Football Playoff (first-round bye)
Penn State should be the preseason favorite to win the Big Ten. The team returns its star quarterback and two star running backs. Games against Oregon and Ohio State will decide the Big Ten regular-season race. Either way, Penn State is a playoff team.
Get more (Penn State) news, analysis and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire
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Florida Receives Disappointing Recruiting News on Thursday
Keenyi Pepe is a four-star prospect and the No. 5 offensive tackle in the On3 Industry Rankings. The offensive tackle attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and is listed at 6-foot-6, 275 pounds. Pepe also held offers from the Oregon Ducks, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma Sooners, Ohio State Buckeyes, and others. Florida is still searching for its first offensive lineman pledge from the 2026 class.
Fresh off his first winning season and bowl win, Napier is building for the future. Sadly, his vision will not include 2026 offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe. On3’s Hayes Fawcett reported Thursday that Pepe picked the USC Trojans over Florida.
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The Miami Hurricanes, Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs were also in the running.
The offensive tackle attends IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and is listed at 6-foot-6, 275 pounds.
The USC commitment means that Florida is still searching for its first offensive lineman pledge from the 2026 class.
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier.© Melina Myers-Imagn Images
Pepe is a four-star prospect and the No. 5 offensive tackle in the On3 Industry Rankings.
He also held offers from the Oregon Ducks, Alabama Crimson Tide, Oklahoma Sooners, Ohio State Buckeyes, and others.
USC prioritized Pepe early in his recruitment, having the offensive tackle on campus for five visits so far. The Trojans have scheduled a sixth as an official visit on June 17.
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He has previously visited Oregon, Miami, Texas, the Oregon State Beavers, Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
Florida still has a chance to change things, with Pepe heading to Gainesville for an official visit on June 6.
The Gators’ 2026 class consists of four-star linebacker Izayia Williams and four-star quarterback Will Griffin.
Florida finished the 2024 season at 8-5 after beating Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl 33-8. It was the second time in his tenure that Napier had taken Florida to the postseason.
The Gators open the 2025 season against Long Island on Aug. 30.
Related: Florida Transfer Expected to Visit Big Ten Program