Joel Klatt Reveals Shocking Reason Only 9 College Football Teams Have Real Shot at National Title

Oh, the beauty of college football—where tradition meets chaos, and the top dogs scramble for glory on fields far from the glitz of the pros. With Ohio State snagging the crown in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, the burning question is: who really has a shot at hoisting that crystal ball in 2025? FOX Sports’ own Joel Klatt took a hard, swift look at the latest Coaches’ Poll and didn’t blink—he’s pegged nine teams with legit championship potential. That’s right, nine—not the usual three or four powerhouses we’ve come to expect. Between Texas, Georgia, Alabama, and the rest of the elite, it seems the landscape is morphing faster than a halftime locker room pep talk. But here’s a twist: NIL deals are shaking up the SEC’s mojo, opening doors wider than ever for contenders. So, can a stadium’s charm—or lack thereof—impact the title chase? Or is it pure talent and a little football magic? Dive in and find out if this revamped playing field really levels the turf or just adds more drama to the hunt. LEARN MORE.

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The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff saw Ohio State emerge as the national champion. But how many teams are truly in contention for the title in 2025?

For FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt, the answer appears to be nine.

Appearing on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, the college football analyst was shown the latest Coaches’ Poll and asked to give his list of nine teams that can win the national title this season.

After a quick look at the poll, Klatt asserted that the nine teams at the top were all his picks. That list consists of Texas, Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Clemson, Oregon, Alabama and LSU.

“Those top 9 teams. If things go the right way they could easily play for or win the national championship,” Klatt said.

"Those top 9 teams. If things go the right way they could easily play for or win the national championship."@colincowherd and @joelklatt discuss which CFB teams can win it all this season pic.twitter.com/dQyD6mGkoF

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 5, 2025

Cowherd was inclined to agree with Klatt, pointing out that NIL deals have made it easier than ever for more teams to get into contention than ever before. The two agreed that in years past there were maybe only 3-4 teams that could realistically win a title prior.

Klatt did also note that the advent of NIL has “magically” begun reducing the strength of the SEC overall.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 02: FOX color commentator and analyst Joel Klatt during the Big Ten Championship Game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Iowa Hawkeyes on December 02, 2023 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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As for the particular teams that Klatt mentioned, he’s probably right on the money as far as the picks go. It would be extremely surprising if any team other than that top nine wound up winning the national title.

Texas, Georgia, Alabama and LSU are expected to rule the SEC this year while Ohio State, Penn State and Oregon will probably run the Big Ten (unless a team like Illinois or Michigan surprises everyone).

Clemson will probably surpass Miami in the ACC while Notre Dame can keep doing their own thing. As for the at-large bids, only time will tell.

Are those the only teams that can realistically win the national team?