The 2025 college football season has concluded its regular season and conference championships, and the 12-team College Football Playoff field is set. The new expanded format promises more high-stakes football, with first-round games played on campus sites!
The Top Seeds and First-Round Byes
The top four conference champions receive a first-round bye and will host their Quarterfinal games in the New Year’s Six bowls.
| Rank | Team | Conference | Record | Quarterfinal Host Bowl |
| 1 | Indiana Hoosiers | Big Ten Champion | 13-0 | Rose Bowl |
| 2 | Ohio State Buckeyes | Big Ten At-Large | 12-1 | Cotton Bowl |
| 3 | Georgia Bulldogs | SEC Champion | 12-1 | Sugar Bowl |
| 4 | Texas Tech Red Raiders | Big 12 Champion | 12-1 | Orange Bowl |
Key Storylines for the Top Seeds:
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Indiana at No. 1: After a historic, undefeated season capped by a Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State, the Hoosiers take the top spot. Can they handle the pressure and the two-week layoff before facing a winner of the first-round games?
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SEC Power: Georgia is aiming for another title and gets a home-field advantage in the Sugar Bowl, but they face a potentially brutal path, drawing the winner of a massive first-round game.
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The Big 12’s Moment: Texas Tech winning the Big 12 and securing the No. 4 seed gives the conference a coveted first-round bye and a berth in the Orange Bowl.
First-Round Matchups (On-Campus Sites)
The first round features Seeds 5-12 playing at the home stadiums of the higher-seeded teams. These games are being played on December 19th and 20th.
| Matchup | Date & Location | Winner Advances to… |
| (12) James Madison at (5) Oregon | Dec 20, Autzen Stadium (Eugene, OR) | Quarterfinal vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Orange Bowl) |
| (9) Alabama at (8) Oklahoma | Dec 19, Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (Norman, OK) | Quarterfinal vs. No. 1 Indiana (Rose Bowl) |
| (11) Tulane at (6) Ole Miss | Dec 20, Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (Oxford, MS) | Quarterfinal vs. No. 3 Georgia (Sugar Bowl) |
| (10) Miami (FL) at (7) Texas A&M | Dec 20, Kyle Field (College Station, TX) | Quarterfinal vs. No. 2 Ohio State (Cotton Bowl) |
Detailed Matchup Previews
(9) Alabama Crimson Tide at (8) Oklahoma Sooners
Date: Friday, December 19th | Location: Norman, OK
This is arguably the marquee matchup of the first round. Two of college football’s most storied programs meet in a high-stakes, elimination-game rematch from earlier this season (Oklahoma won 23-21 in Tuscaloosa).
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The Angle: Revenge vs. Home Field. Alabama enters after a tough loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship but secured a playoff spot despite three losses. The Crimson Tide are looking for revenge, but they must overcome the hostile crowd in Norman, where Oklahoma is undefeated this year.
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Key Players: Alabama’s success hinges on Quarterback Ty Simpson and his highly-touted receiving corps. For Oklahoma, QB John Mateer has been dealing with injuries, making the Sooners’ defensive backfield, led by playmaker Eli Bowen (who had a pick-six in the teams’ first meeting), the true X-factor.
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Path Ahead: The winner faces the undefeated No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl.
(12) James Madison Dukes at (5) Oregon Ducks
Date: Saturday, December 20th | Location: Eugene, OR
The biggest spread of the first round features a Group of Five Cinderella taking on a powerhouse with championship aspirations.
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The Angle: Power vs. Pluck. James Madison, the Sun Belt champion, makes its first-ever CFP appearance but faces an immediate test in the explosive Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium, one of the toughest venues in the country. JMU’s defense, though highly rated in the Sun Belt, will be challenged by Oregon’s elite speed.
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Key Players: Oregon’s offense is helmed by QB Dante Moore and features a dual-threat running back attack with Noah Whittington and freshman Jordon Davison. For JMU, dual-threat QB Alonza Barnett III and RB Wayne Knight must control the clock and keep the ball away from the Ducks’ offense.
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The Coaching Transition: JMU head coach Bob Chesney was recently announced as the next head coach for UCLA, adding an emotional, “lame-duck” element to the Dukes’ historic game.
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Path Ahead: The winner advances to face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl.
(11) Tulane Green Wave at (6) Ole Miss Rebels
Date: Saturday, December 20th | Location: Oxford, MS
This is another intriguing rematch that comes with an SEC vs. Group of Five flare. Ole Miss crushed Tulane 45-10 back in September.
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The Angle: Coaching Carousel Chaos. Both teams will be led by different head coaches than they were two weeks ago! Ole Miss is now led by defensive coordinator Pete Golding after Lane Kiffin departed for LSU, while Tulane coach Jon Sumrall is staying through the playoff before leaving for Florida.
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Key Players: Ole Miss’ historic 11-win season was built on a balanced offense led by QB Trinidad Chambliss and the school’s all-time single-season rushing touchdown leader, RB Quinshon Judkins. Tulane, the American Conference champion, relies on its strong offensive line and the running ability of transfer QB Jake Retzlaff.
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Path Ahead: The winner will earn a date with the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl.
(10) Miami (FL) Hurricanes at (7) Texas A&M Aggies
Date: Saturday, December 20th | Location: College Station, TX
A battle of two talented, yet inconsistent, Power Four teams fighting to make a statement in the new playoff format.
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The Angle: SEC vs. ACC Talent Showdown. Texas A&M is hosting after an 11-1 regular season that ended with a tough loss, while Miami fought its way into the bracket with strong late-season wins. Both teams have elite recruiting talent but have struggled with consistency.
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Key Players: Miami’s defense showed incredible strength in the latter half of the season, particularly against the run. Texas A&M’s offense will try to pound the ball and use the immense home-field advantage of Kyle Field to overwhelm the Hurricanes.
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Path Ahead: The winner gets to challenge the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.
The “BCS” Controversy Lives On
Even with the 12-team CFP, the spirit of the old BCS debate over “who got screwed” is alive and well, largely centered on the committee’s subjective ranking: The 10-2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish were the last team out (No. 13), leading to intense debate over whether their resume was stronger than a three-loss Alabama team.
This expanded playoff promises an intense December and January of football, with every game being a do-or-die scenario!
