The Pate State / Playoffs

The Playoffs

The playoff picture, four ways: the bracket as it stands, Josh's bracket, the machine's — and a predictor to run your own season.

If the Season Ended Today

Two Brackets. One January.

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season

The full 12-team field, seeded from the JP Poll — both sides of the bracket funneling to the champion in the middle. First the AI Predictor's path, then Josh's. Both are locked and graded publicly.

AI

The AI Predictor's Bracket

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season
First Round
9Notre Dame
8LSU
AT BATON ROUGE
12Indiana
5Texas
AT AUSTIN
Quarterfinals
1Georgia
8LSU
SUGAR
4Boise State
5Texas
FIESTA
Semifinal
1Georgia
5Texas
COTTON
National Championship
5Texas
2Ohio State
JAN 18 · MIAMI
AI PREDICTOR'S CHAMPION
Texas
Semifinal
2Ohio State
6Oregon
ORANGE
Quarterfinals
2Ohio State
7Penn State
ROSE
3Clemson
6Oregon
PEACH
First Round
10Alabama
7Penn State
AT STATE COLLEGE
11Miami
6Oregon
AT EUGENE
JP

Josh's Bracket

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season
First Round
9Notre Dame
8LSU
AT BATON ROUGE
12Indiana
5Texas
AT AUSTIN
Quarterfinals
1Georgia
8LSU
SUGAR
4Boise State
12Indiana
FIESTA
Semifinal
1Georgia
12Indiana
COTTON
National Championship
1Georgia
2Ohio State
JAN 18 · MIAMI
JOSH'S CHAMPION
Georgia
Semifinal
2Ohio State
6Oregon
ORANGE
Quarterfinals
2Ohio State
7Penn State
ROSE
3Clemson
6Oregon
PEACH
First Round
10Alabama
7Penn State
AT STATE COLLEGE
11Miami
6Oregon
AT EUGENE

The Committee of the Citizens

Current Playoff Rankings

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season
SEEDTEAMNOTE
01GeorgiaSEC champ · bye
02Ohio StateBig Ten champ · bye
03ClemsonACC champ · bye
04Boise StateG5 champ · bye
05TexasHosts first round
06OregonHosts first round
SEEDTEAMNOTE
07Penn StateHosts first round
08LSUHosts first round
09Notre DameAt No. 8
10AlabamaAt No. 7
11MiamiAt No. 6
12IndianaAt No. 5

FIRST FOUR OUT: Michigan · Utah · Tennessee · Texas Tech — SEEDED FROM THE JP POLL + CONFERENCE STANDINGS · UPDATES SUNDAY NIGHTS

🏆 THE CITIZENS' BRACKET CHALLENGE

Free for Every Citizen · Two Windows, One Champion

Build Yours. Beat Everybody.

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season

Call the field before anyone kicks off, then prove it again when the real bracket drops. Scored all season, standings live on the porch, receipts forever.

Window 1 — August

The Preseason Bracket

Pick your 12, seed your byes, crown a champion — locked at Week 1 kickoff. +10 for every team that makes the field, +25 for an exact seed, +100 if your champ wins it all.

Window 2 — December

The Real Bracket

Selection Sunday, the field is set — fill out the actual bracket, round by round. Points double as you go: 10 · 20 · 40 · 80. Your August foresight plus your December nerve, one combined score.

The Payout

Real Prizes

Monthly leaders: merch + a shoutout on the show. Top 10 combined: signed Pate Report. The champion watches the National Championship with Josh — and goes on the Wall of Champions, forever.

Start Now — 30 Seconds

Josh's Playoff Picks

Where Josh Has It

Josh's bracket, on the record since August: Georgia over Ohio State in the final — with Indiana winning at Texas in the first round and crashing all the way to the Cotton Bowl semifinal.

Hear the Full Argument

The AI Predictor's Board

Where the AI Predictor Has It

The AI Predictor has Texas upsetting Georgia in the Cotton Bowl semifinal and beating Ohio State for the title. Josh vs. the AI Predictor gets settled in January — both brackets are locked and graded publicly.

Run Your Own Projection ↓

Your Turn

Run the AI Playoff Predictor

Preseason preview — live data arrives with the season

Set the Scene

Predictor arrives with the season.

Who's In? See the Playoff Picture.

THE BRACKET, THE RANKINGS, JOSH'S PICKS — AND AN AI TO RUN YOUR OWN

Open the Playoffs Page →