On a late December stretch of college football, the first round of a twelve-team playoff produced four winners and a sharpened field of eight, a reminder that every expanded tournament eventually reduces itself to a few hard truths. Alabama's comeback in Norman, from seventeen points down to a road victory that had never before been achieved in this format, stands as the quiet marker of the weekend. Across Texas, Mississippi and Oregon, the other results carried their own weight, pointing toward quarterfinals on December 31 and January 1 and, beyond them, a national title game set for January
Alabama Stuns Oklahoma on the Road as Miami, Ole Miss and Oregon Advance in CFP First Round
The first road playoff win in the 12-team era
Mark
Why does Alabama's win carry so much weight?
Mimi
It's the first road playoff win in the 12-team era. Alabama trailed by 17 early at Oklahoma and still won 34-24.
Luke
Worth being exact there: it's a first in a format that is only a couple of seasons old, so the record is real but the sample is small.
Mark
Miami's win was much closer.
Mimi
10-3 at Texas A&M, settled by a turnover forced in the final minute.
Luke
The reporting gives us the final-minute turnover but not the details of how it happened, so I wouldn't read more into it.
Mark
And Ole Miss without Lane Kiffin?
Mimi
They beat Tulane 41-10. The source says his absence hardly mattered.
Luke
That's the writer's judgment, backed by the margin. It doesn't tell us why Kiffin wasn't there.
Mark
What comes next?
Mimi
Ohio State-Miami, Texas Tech-Oregon, Indiana-Alabama and Georgia-Ole Miss on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
Luke
And the title game date is listed as Jan. 20, so I'd confirm it before planning around it.
Der Puls
- Alabama climbed out of a 17-point hole in Norman and won 34-24, the first road win of the 12-team playoff era.
- Miami forced a late turnover to protect a 10-3 upset of Texas A&M at Kyle Field.
- Ole Miss rolled Tulane 41-10 in Oxford, and Oregon overcame 34 points from James Madison to win 51-34.
- Eight teams remain, with Ohio State and Indiana waiting on byes and set to face the first-round winners in the quarterfinals starting December 31.
On a late December stretch of college football, the first round of a twelve-team playoff produced four winners and a sharpened field of eight, a reminder that every expanded tournament eventually reduces itself to a few hard truths. Alabama's comeback in Norman, from seventeen points down to a road victory that had never before been achieved in this format, stands as the quiet marker of the weekend. Across Texas, Mississippi and Oregon, the other results carried their own weight, pointing toward quarterfinals on December 31 and January 1 and, beyond them, a national title game set for January 20.
The first game of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, played Friday, December 19 in Norman, Oklahoma, looked lost for a long stretch. No. 9 Alabama trailed No. 8 Oklahoma by 17 points early, then fought back to win 34-24 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It was the first road win in a playoff game since the format expanded to twelve teams, and it set the tone for a weekend that carried the regular season's drama into the postseason.
On Saturday, No. 10 Miami won at Kyle Field in College Station, beating No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3. The game turned late, when Miami forced a turnover in the final minute to hold its lead. In Oxford, No. 6 Ole Miss played without former coach Lane Kiffin on the sideline, and it made little difference, as the Rebels beat No. 11 Tulane 41-10 to set up a New Year's Day meeting with SEC rival Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Later, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, No. 5 Oregon beat No. 12 James Madison 51-34, a result that was closer than the final margin suggests.
The quarterfinals open Wednesday, December 31, with Ohio State facing Miami in the Cotton Bowl. On January 1, Texas Tech meets Oregon in the Orange Bowl, Indiana plays Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and Georgia faces Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. The semifinals follow on January 8 and 9, and the national championship game is set for January 20. The question now is whether the visiting winners can carry their momentum against the top seeds, Indiana and Ohio State, who both earned first-round byes.
The first game of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff, on Friday, Dec. 19 in Norman, Oklahoma, began badly for the team that went on to win it. No. 9 Alabama fell behind No. 8 Oklahoma by 17 points early, then climbed back and won 34-24 at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It was the first time in the 12-team playoff era that a team won a playoff game on the road.
That result set the tone for the weekend. Twelve teams began the playoff and eight remain. The expanded format has now run through a first round that, by CBS Sports' account, carried over the drama of the regular season.
On Saturday, Dec. 20, No. 10 Miami won at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, beating No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3. The game was decided late: Miami forced a turnover in the final minute to protect its lead. The Hurricanes now meet No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
In Oxford, Mississippi, No. 6 Ole Miss played at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium without former coach Lane Kiffin on the sideline. That made little difference to the result. The Rebels beat No. 11 Tulane 41-10 and advanced to a Sugar Bowl meeting with SEC opponent Georgia on New Year's Day.
The last first-round game came at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, where No. 5 Oregon beat No. 12 James Madison 51-34. James Madison scored 34 points in defeat, but the Ducks were dominant enough to move on to the Orange Bowl against No. 4 Texas Tech.
The quarterfinals open on Wednesday, Dec. 31, with Ohio State against Miami at 7:30 p.m. Eastern in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. On Thursday, Jan. 1, the day starts with Texas Tech against Oregon in the Orange Bowl at noon at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. At 4 p.m., No. 1 Indiana plays Alabama at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, with a spot in the semifinals at stake. The night game is Georgia against Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl at 8 p.m. at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. All four are on ESPN.
The semifinals follow that week: the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and the Peach Bowl on Friday, Jan. 9, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, both at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. The national championship game is listed for Monday, Jan. 20.
The road team went 4-0 in neither sense of the word at home: Alabama and Miami won away, while Ole Miss and Oregon won as hosts. What to watch next is whether the visiting winners can carry that momentum against the top two seeds, Indiana and Ohio State, both of which received first-round byes.
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