Four games headline the 2025 First Round of the College Football Playoff
The No.9 Alabama Crimson Tide squares off with the No.8 Oklahoma Sooners in a rematch of an earlier regular season game, in which the Sooners defense got the “takeaways” by a margin of 3-0 and came away victorious, 23-21, at Bryant-Denny. The Sooners also defeated the Tide in 2024 in Norman, 24-3. So Alabama feels like it has a lot to prove, and this is the Playoff, so the matchup is even more intense. Jam Miller and Josh Cuevas are expected back at running back and tight end, respectively for Alabama. Their losses have had a pretty significant impact on the team, so Kalen and the team will welcome them back in the fold.
The Sooners have that tenacious defense, but the Tide’s defense is strong, too, so it’s a battle of attrition in Norman Friday Night at 7 P.M. CT on ABC/ESPN. Three other win or else firsrt round playoff games feature No. 10 Miami @ No.7 Texas A&M, in another key heavyweight matchup. No.11 Tulane plays @ No.6 Ole Miss with Pete Golding calling the shots on the sideline for the Rebels. Then the nightcap Saturday features No.12 James Madison @ No. 5 Oregon.
Here’s a look at the action along with predictions.
Week 15 Record, Championship Saturday:
SU: 3-3, Overall, 160-51, 76%; ATS: 2-4, 96-115, 45%; Over/Under: 3-3, 108=103, 51%
One Game Friday, three Saturday. All times are Central
Friday
No.9 Alabama (10-3) @ No.8 Oklahoma (10-2)
Memorial Stadium, Norman, 80,126
7 P.M.
ABC/ESPN
Chris, Kirk, Holly, Laura
Sooners by 1 ½, O/U 41 ½
I like the Tide to be ready this time, but for this game to be extremely hard fought, a Thrilla in Manilla like-game. I’ll take the Tide defense to get one more takeaway than the Sooners. It’s not really who’s better; it’s more about who survives. I’ll take the Crimson Tide to advance, barely, which is expected in a hard-nosed, defensive contest like this, and face No.1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day, Thursday, 1/1/26, at 3 P.M. CT on ABC/ESPN.
Alabama 17, Oklahoma 14
Saturday
No. 10 Miami (10-2) @ No.7 Texas A&M (11-1)
Kyle Field, College Station, TX., 102,733
11 A.M.
ABC/ESPN
Sean, Gregory, Molly, Taylor
A&M by 3 ½, 48 ½
I’ll take the Aggies at home before 102,700+ fans at Kyle Field to advance to the quarters and face No.2 Ohio State Wednesday, 12/31/25, at 6:30 P.M. CT, in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. A&M-Miami will be a black belt battle as well.
Texas A&M 24, Miami 20
No. 11 Tulane (11-2) @ No.6 Ole Miss (11-1)
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxvegas, 64, 038
2:30 P.M.
***TNT/TBS/HBO Max/ truTV***
Tess, Jess, Katie, Quint
Rebs by 17 ½, 57 ½
I like what I’m hearing from Coach Golding. Tulane’s put together a nice season, but Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and his team are too much for the Green Wave to handle. With a victory, the Rebels will advance to play Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on Thursday, New Year’s Day, 1/1/26, at 7 P.M. CT on ESPN. That’ll be a rematch of a game in Athens earlier this season, which Georgia won,. 43-35.
Ole Miss 35, Tulane 17
No. 12 James Madison (12-1) @ No.5 Oregon (11-1)
Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR., 60, 000
6:30 P.M.
***TNT/TBS/HBO Max/truTV***
Bob, Louis, Kris, Stormy
Oregon by 21 ½, 47 ½
I like Dan Lanning to have his team ready to deliver in the Playoff this year. They are an underdog threat to go the distance. With the victory, Oregon will play No. 4 Texas Tech in the Capital One Orange Bowl on Thursday, New Year’s Day, 1/1/26, at 11 A.M. CT on ESPN.