Pete Thamel predicts Texas as No. 1 overall seed in College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff may have expanded to 12 teams for the upcoming season — but only one of those 12 can be the No. 1 overall seed when it’s all said and done.

During ESPN’s College GameDay podcast, Pete Thamel and Rece Davis revealed who they believe will be the CFP’s top team when the final bracket is released. Davis had the Georgia Bulldogs, while Thamel believes it’ll be Texas in their first year in the SEC thanks to who they have under center.

“Quinn Ewers is one of the five best quarterbacks in college football, probably one of the five best players in college football,” Thamel told Davis. “I really think that he made a significant leap from year one to year two, and I expect another one this year. He’s playing behind — and you know how much we love offensive lines here, Rece. He’s playing behind an offensive line that returns for starters … I just feel like there’s a preponderance of talent on offense.

“[They have] a favorable enough schedule — I think they catch Michigan at a good time (Week 2) to really take off on that. And then that isn’t, obviously, going to help them win the SEC championship, but I feel like that is going to give them confidence and really help them launch a season the same way going to Tuscaloosa into Week 2 last year really helped Texas.”

Ewers is going to need to perform at an all-time high level this fall. While Georgia may have the tougher schedule, the Longhorns still have to travel to Michigan, battle Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry and finish the regular season on the road at Texas A&M — all the while playing brand new competition in their new conference.

While comparing their picks, both Thamel and Davis agreed that Georgia does have the tougher schedule between the two teams — which includes a road trip to Texas — during the upcoming regular season.

Of course, Georgia hasn’t lost a single regular season game since before their back-to-back national championship-winning seasons and have put together a 42-2 record over the past three seasons. Their strength of schedule hasn’t mattered in the past, and Davis doesn’t see it affecting the Bulldogs down the stretch in 2024.

Thamel believes their up to the task. However, only time will tell for the Longhorns and for now, they’re focused on playing the team in front of them — Colorado State in the season opener in just over two week’s time.

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