The 2025 College Football Playoff is about to kick off its 1st round under the now-familiar 12-team format. This is only the 2nd year the CFP has used this structure, and so far, it’s been a hit, though there will always be grumblings of allowing more teams in.
The top 4 seeds, Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech, as you’re aware, all get a well-earned week off. The rest are suiting up for win-or-go-home showdowns this weekend. The games will be played on Friday, December 19, and Saturday, December 20, across 4 electric college campuses.
The best part is that each matchup has its own flavor — old-school powerhouses, conference newcomers, Group of Five upstarts, and more than a few revenge angles. These are the 4 games you can’t miss this weekend.
Friday night opens with probably the biggest game of the week as #9 Alabama visits #8 Oklahoma. These two met back in November, with Oklahoma squeezing out a gritty 23-21 win in a physical game that featured more defense than either fanbase is used to.
Alabama finished 10-3 on the season, with a solid season capped by a strong showing in the SEC title game. Of course, many college football enthusiasts were crying over the fact that a 3-loss team is in the bracket, but then again, this is new territory.
Their offense, led by Ty Simpson, hasn’t been quite as explosive, but it’s been efficient. Simpson led the SEC in touchdown passes with 26, and his connection with Germie Bernard, who has 762 yards and 7 TDs, has been key in big moments. Alabama’s run game, while limited in overall yards, features Jam Miller, who gets the tough ones.
Oklahoma, in its first SEC season after leaving the Big 12, went 10-2. Their offense hasn’t always clicked this year, but the defense has done its job and kept them afloat. Senior QB John Mateer is a dual-threat who does just enough through the air with his 2,578 yards and can move the chains with his legs if he has to. He’ll need to avoid turnovers against an Alabama secondary that’s played better down the stretch.
This is the tightest betting line of the weekend as the bookmakers can see this one going either way. Alabama is a slight favorite at -1.5 points, but with Oklahoma owning the head-to-head win and home-field advantage, this feels like a coin flip. The over/under is just 40.5, which tells us this might be another low-scoring affair.
If Alabama can protect Simpson and avoid costly penalties, they’ve got the edge and can move on to round 2, but if Mateer finds room to run and Oklahoma’s defense holds the red zone, it could be 2 straight wins over Bama for the Sooners and would clearly send a message.
This one could get wild as #10 Miami, fresh off an ACC title, heads to College Station to face #7 Texas A&M. Both teams have shown that they can score, both teams have QBs who can hurt you in a hurry, and both are trying to prove they belong in the national conversation.
Miami’s offense is absolutely humming. Led by veteran QB Carson Beck, a Georgia transfer last offseason, the Hurricanes are throwing the ball all over the field. Beck has been ridiculously efficient, completing nearly 75% of his passes with 27 TDs to his name. He’s backed by Mark Fletcher Jr., a bruising back who can soften defenses, and Malachi Toney, a 970-yard receiver who stretches secondaries thin.
Texas A&M is 11-1 and was one slip-up from a top-4 seed. They’ve been excellent all season behind QB Marcel Reed, who’s thrown 26 TD passes and added 6 more with his legs. RB Rueben Owens II, a freshman who averaged 5.5 YPC, gives the Aggies a physical edge, while slot man KC Concepcion has become Reed’s go-to guy in the red zone.
Bookmakers see A&M as a 3.5-point favorite at home, with a huge total of 51.5. That makes sense as neither team really plays shutdown defense, and both offenses are capable of putting up 30+ on any night, no matter who they’re up against.
If the Aggies can find a way to control the clock and get their run game rolling early, they’ll be hard to beat. But if Beck gets hot and Miami turns this into a shootout, the Canes could crash the SEC party.
#11 Tulane already won the American Athletic Conference, and now they’re trying to shock the SEC with a playoff win over #6 Ole Miss in Oxford. The bad news is that Ole Miss beat Tulane 45-10 earlier this season, and they only improved since then. The Green Wave will need a miracle — or at the very least some serious growth since that September blowout.
Tulane is 11-2, and its offense runs through junior QB Jake Retzlaff, who might be the most unique player in the field. He’s thrown for nearly 2,900 yards and 14 TDs, but it’s actually his legs that cause the most chaos on the field — 610 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. No QB in the country has found the end zone on the ground more than this guy.
Still, the talent gap is undoubtedly real. Ole Miss is 11-1, and their offense is just plain nasty. Senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has thrown for 3,000+ yards and added 6 rushing scores. But the heartbeat of this team is clearly Kewan Lacy, the SEC’s leading rusher. With 1,200+ yards and 20 TDs, he’s been absolutely dominant, especially in short-yardage and red zone situations.
Tulane’s defense will need to play the game of its life if they even want to keep it close. They’ll also need a big play or two from guys like Shazz Preston, a deep threat who can flip momentum quickly.
But let’s be real — this is almost the biggest spread of the weekend for a good reason. Ole Miss is favored by 17.5 points, and it’s their game to lose. If they take care of business, they’ll move on to face one of the top 4 teams in the nation. If Tulane can somehow hang around into the 2nd half, though, things could get interesting. Stranger things have happened in the CFP, why should 2025 be any different?
Out west, we’ve got what might be the most intriguing game of the round. #12 James Madison travels to Eugene to take on #5 Oregon. JMU went 12-1 and dominated the Sun Belt. They have the best record in the bracket but got the lowest seed due to schedule strength, and it’s not even close. They are ranked 121st in SOS compared to Oregon’s 16th ranking. That’s just how it goes for Group of Five teams. But don’t sleep on the Dukes.
Their offense is balanced and creative. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III threw for 2,500+ yards and ran for 544 on top of that, scoring 14 rushing TDs along the way. RB Wayne Knight has been an absolute workhorse with 1,263 yards on the ground and another 379 through the air. He’s a do-everything back, and he’ll be a key tool if JMU wants to stay in this one.
Oregon, meanwhile, might be the most dangerous team not in the top 4. At 11-1, they narrowly missed a bye but got the reward of hosting a playoff game at Autzen Stadium, one of the loudest venues in college football and one of the toughest for any other team to compete in.
Sophomore quarterback Dante Moore has been nearly flawless. His 72.5% completion rate leads all playoff QBs, and he rarely makes mistakes. The Ducks also have speed and size at skill positions. Senior RB Noah Whittington averages 6.9 YPC, and TE Kenyon Sadiq is a matchup nightmare with 8 TD catches to his name.
Oregon is favored by a whopping 21.5 points, and most expect them to cruise to the 2nd round like nothing. But keep in mind that JMU has nothing to lose. If they can keep Oregon’s offense on the sideline and control time of possession, they might give the Ducks a scare. More than likely, though, Oregon will lean on its depth and talent to pull away late.
Winners from these 4 games move on to the quarterfinals, which will be played at traditional bowl sites. That means matchups like Georgia or Texas Tech vs. one of these teams could happen in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, or Sugar Bowl.
Here’s how the bracket sets up in the 2nd round—
Indiana (1) vs. the lowest remaining seed
Ohio State (2) vs. the highest remaining seed
Georgia (3) vs. next lowest
Texas Tech (4) vs. next highest
That setup means an Alabama win could potentially lead to a date with Indiana, while a Tulane or JMU upset would send one of those upstarts into the lion’s den against the top seed. No matter what, it’s looking like the 2nd round could possibly blow the 1st round out of the water.
The 12-team format continues to do what it was designed for — give more teams a real shot, hand more action to the fans, and make December football more exciting than ever. With big names like Alabama, Oklahoma, and Miami fighting for survival, and wild cards like JMU and Tulane playing with house money, this round should be loaded with tons of drama.
Every one of these games has its own flavor and storylines. Some are about revenge, some are about validation, and some are David vs. Goliath stories. But all of them are meaningful. No more waiting for New Year’s—playoff football is here, and the stakes are already sky-high.