# Way-Too-Early CFP Preview: Who Makes the Semifinals & Wins The National Championship

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/espn-college-gameday-5641986/way-too-early-cfp-preview-who-makes-the-semifinals-wins-the-national-championship
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/espn-college-gameday-5641986/way-too-early-cfp-preview-who-makes-the-semifinals-wins-the-national-championship.md
Podcast: [ESPN College GameDay](https://stenobird.com/podcast/espn-college-gameday-5641986)
Published: 2026-08-27T10:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP4786760547.mp3
Audio file: https://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/traffic.megaphone.fm/ESP4786760547.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3228

## Resource

Rece Davis, Pete Thamel, and Dan Wetzel set the stage for the College Football Playoff picture. They discuss whether the 12-team format is the sweet spot, identify how many teams have a legitimate shot to win the national championship and then make their early CFP predictions on unexpected teams to crash the field, who makes the semifinals and who could win it all.   0:00 - Welcome 0:30 - Preseason AP Poll vs. CFP reality 6:00 - Who’s in, who’s out of the CFP? 8:30 - Is a 12-team CFP the sweet spot? 20:50 - How many teams can win it all? 34:41 - The unexpected teams to crash the cfp are… 41:52 - CFP semifinals: Early picks for who’s in 43:43 - Penn State cocaine trafficking ring exposed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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## Transcript

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