Dan Mullen predicts the College Football Playoff

ESPN college football analyst and former Florida Gators and Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Dan Mullen predicted who he thinks will win the College Football Playoff.

Mullen additionally released a preseason top 25 and predicted every Power Five conference. He thinks the conference champion of the SEC, Pac-12, Big 12 and Big Ten will all make the College Football Playoff.

An offer for UGA fans

For the best local Athens news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Athens Banner-Herald.

$1 for 3 months

Buy Bulldogs Tickets

Who does Dan Mullen have making the College Football Playoff? Who does he predict to win the national championship?

Michigan Wolverines

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Mullen has Michigan returning to a third consecutive College Football Playoff. Mullen has a great deal of confidence in this Wolverines team. Michigan returns star running back Blake Corum and quarterback J.J. McCarthy.

Get more Michigan news, analysis and opinions on Wolverines Wire

Texas Longhorns

Tim Warner/Getty Images

Texas has the talent to return to the College Football Playoff. There’s no doubting the Longhorns’ potential, but can Texas overcome a road trip to Alabama and a tough Big 12 schedule? Dan Mullen thinks so. He has Texas and Oklahoma as his top two Big 12 teams.

Get more Texas news, analysis and opinions on Longhorns Wire

Georgia Bulldogs

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Mullen projects Georgia to win the SEC over the Alabama Crimson Tide. He has the Bulldogs as his No. 1 preseason team. Mullen thinks the back-to-back national champions make the College Football Playoff for a third straight season.

USC Trojans

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Dan Mullen loves USC coming into the 2023 college football season. He has the Trojans winning the Pac-12 and making the College Football Playoff behind a monster season from Caleb Williams.

Get more USC news, analysis and opinions on Trojans Wire

College Football Playoff

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Mullen has USC beating Georgia to advance to the national championship. Given USC’s limitations on defense, it would take an incredible effort from Caleb Williams to beat the defending back-to-back national champions.

Additionally, Mullen predicts that Michigan will defeat Texas and then go on to win the national championship against USC. Wolverine fans would love that.

Mullen's prediction via social media

I think we will get 4 conference champions in the playoffs this year. pic.twitter.com/ZtfdLwgrc3

— Dan Mullen (@CoachDanMullen) August 30, 2023