Chris "The Bear" Fallica, a well-known sports analyst, has released his best bets and predictions for the upcoming 2025 college football and soccer seasons. Fallica, who has nearly three decades of experience covering sports, including college football, NFL, soccer, and more, recently shared his insights and wagers.
College Football Predictions
Several sources offer insights into potential college football outcomes for the 2025 season. Fallica's expert picks include win total wagers, identifying teams he believes will either exceed or fall short of their projected win totals.
One of Fallica's favorite bets in college football this season is Penn State to make the CFP. He believes that even with detractors of Drew Allar, Penn State is returning to the College Football Playoff behind a powerful running game and elite defense, even without Abdul Carter. Fallica notes that their schedule includes both Oregon and Ohio State, but the Oregon game is at State College, giving PSU an advantage. He concludes that a 10-2 record and a CFP berth for Penn State is a solid prediction.
Beyond specific team predictions, there's discussion about conference champions and playoff contenders. RJ Young and Michael Cohen, FOX Sports college football writers, have made their conference championship picks. Young predicts Ohio State vs. Michigan for the Big Ten title game, emphasizing the significance of this matchup and the potential for it to lead to a College Football Playoff national championship game. He also highlights the excitement surrounding the possibility of these two rivals meeting in a championship atmosphere on a neutral field.
Other potential contenders include Alabama and Texas. An inexperienced starter, Ty Simpson, is quarterbacking Alabama, but with quality backup options in Austin Mack and Keelon Russell.
Regarding specific Week 0 matchups, Kansas State is a consensus pick to win against Iowa State. Bruce Marshall, a legendary Vegas handicapper, is recommending a bet on Fresno State (+12.5) at Kansas.
College Soccer Predictions
As the 2025 Division I college soccer season approaches, predictions and previews are emerging. The women's season kicks off on August 14, followed by the men's teams a week later.
In women's soccer, North Carolina is the reigning national champion, claiming their 23rd title in 2024. However, the landscape of college soccer is constantly shifting, with teams moving "up, down, or sideways" in the rankings.
Several teams are expected to rise in the rankings, including Stanford and Southern California. Stanford, despite losing a player to Southern California, retains its core and boasts six players called up to national team camps. Southern California, after a quarterfinal penalty kick shootout loss in 2024, is aiming for a strong comeback in 2025. Mississippi State made significant moves in the transfer portal, adding seven players and securing Jonathan Garbar as coach.
For men's soccer, the Vermont Catamounts, the reigning NCAA National Champion, hold the No. 1 preseason ranking. Marshall, the national runner-up from last season, enters at No. 2, followed by Ohio State, Denver, and SMU in the Top 5.
Several teams have been actively recruiting and reloading their rosters for the 2025 season. Louisville's men's soccer program has added 14 new signings.
