The first round of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff is officially in the books, and the “road warriors” have made their mark. For the first time in the 12-team era, road teams found significant success, with Alabama and Miami both winning on the campus of their higher-seeded opponents.
The field has now been cut from 12 down to the Elite Eight. Here is your preview of the Quarterfinal matchups set for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The Quarterfinal Matchups
The top four seeds—Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech—are coming off their bye weeks and will now face the winners of the first-round “on-campus” games at historic bowl sites.
| Game | Matchup | Date & Time (ET) | Venue |
| Cotton Bowl | (10) Miami vs. (2) Ohio State | Dec 31, 7:30 PM | AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX) |
| Orange Bowl | (5) Oregon vs. (4) Texas Tech | Jan 1, 12:00 PM | Hard Rock Stadium (Miami, FL) |
| Rose Bowl | (9) Alabama vs. (1) Indiana | Jan 1, 4:00 PM | Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) |
| Sugar Bowl | (6) Ole Miss vs. (3) Georgia | Jan 1, 8:00 PM | Caesars Superdome (New Orleans, LA) |
Game Previews & Storylines
(2) Ohio State vs. (10) Miami — Cotton Bowl
The Buckeyes are looking to bounce back from their narrow Big Ten Championship loss to Indiana. They face a Miami team that just played a defensive masterclass, upsetting Texas A&M 10-3 in College Station.
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The Angle: Can Miami’s defense, which just forced a game-sealing turnover against the Aggies, withstand the onslaught of Ohio State’s skill players? The Buckeyes opened as a 10-point favorite, the largest spread of the round.
(4) Texas Tech vs. (5) Oregon — Orange Bowl
Texas Tech is the surprise of the season, representing the Big 12 as a top-four seed. They face an Oregon team that looked unstoppable in a 51-34 win over James Madison.
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The Angle: This is a clash of styles. Tech relies on a rugged defense and timely playmaking, while Oregon wants to turn this into a track meet. Oregon is a slight 1.5-point favorite despite being the lower seed.
(1) Indiana vs. (9) Alabama — Rose Bowl
In a sentence few thought they’d ever read: No. 1 Indiana is a 7-point favorite over Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers are the only undefeated team left in the country, while Alabama is fresh off a stunning comeback win in Norman, rallying from 17 down to beat Oklahoma.
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The Angle: It’s “Old Guard” vs. “New Blood.” Alabama has the playoff experience, but Indiana has the physicality that bullied the Big Ten all year.
(3) Georgia vs. (6) Ole Miss — Sugar Bowl
This is an all-SEC rematch of a mid-October classic that Georgia won 43-35. Ole Miss dominated Tulane 41-10 in the first round and looks to have found their rhythm even without Lane Kiffin (who departed for LSU).
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The Angle: Can the Rebels’ offense, led by Trinidad Chambliss, finish drives this time? Against Georgia’s “No-Fly Zone” secondary, red-zone efficiency will be the difference between an upset and another Bulldog victory.
What Comes Next?
The winners of these games will advance to the Semifinals:
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Fiesta Bowl (Jan 8): Winner of Cotton Bowl vs. Winner of Sugar Bowl.
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Peach Bowl (Jan 9): Winner of Orange Bowl vs. Winner of Rose Bowl.
The National Championship will take place on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
