Athlon Sports Projects Miami Hurricanes to Make the College Football Playoff

Many college football analysts are high on the Miami Hurricanes entering the 2025 college football season, and one national publication projects Mario Cristobal's squad to earn its first berth to the College Football Playoff.

Athlon Sports released its bowl game predictions for every postseason tilt, including the 12-team Playoff, and the publication has the 'Canes as the No. 11 seed in the field.

This is how the publication has the first round of the CFP stacking up:

No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Boise State
No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Miami
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Oregon
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Alabama

The first round features several of last year's teams, with Miami, LSU and Alabama entering the field this year. Athlon Sports has Miami facing Carson Beck's former team, Georgia. The publication has the Bulldogs beating the 'Canes and advancing to the quarterfinals to play No. 3 Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

Miami opens its season at home against Notre Dame on Sunday, August 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium (ABC). It will mark the 28th meeting between the two programs, with the Fighting Irish owning a record of 18-8-1 in the all-time series against the Hurricanes.

Read More Miami Hurricanes Football News On SI:

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