College Bowl Picks 2025-26 Predictions For Bracket, Top Matchups After Poll Release

The two power-conference matchups in the College Football Playoff first round will likely be the best games of the opening round.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Oklahoma Sooners play on December 19 in a rematch of a game that was decided by two points on November 15.

On December 20, the Texas A&M Aggies and Miami Hurricanes square off in a SEC-versus-ACC showdown.

Miami should have plenty of motivation to prove it was a playoff-worthy team, while A&M attempts to prove its worth after losing its undefeated campaign on Thanksgiving weekend.

No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma

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Alabama-Oklahoma is one of two rematches in the CFB Playoff first round.

The other one between the Ole Miss Rebels and Tulane Green Wave is expected to be a blowout in Ole Miss' favor, like it was in September.

The Crimson Tide and Sooners were separated by two points on November 15 in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama's offense put up the better numbers in the 23-21 loss, but it turned the ball over on three occasions.

Oklahoma's defense limited Alabama's offensive outburst to the second quarter, where the Tide scored 14 of their 21 points.

The Sooners defense has been the team's calling card all season, so if it is more successful slowing down Ty Simpson and Co., it should propel the home side to a victory.

The other factor to consider for December 19 is the injuries that have piled up on Bama's offense. Running back Jam Miller and tight end Josh Cuevas both missed the SEC Championship Game.

Kalen DeBoer said Miller is the "farthest along" of the injured players, while Cuevas "is on his way to a return", per Colin Gay of the Tuscaloosa News.

Even if Miller and Cuevas can play on December 19, they won't be at 100 percent, and as we saw in the SEC Championship Game, the Bama offense is limited without some of its top playmakers.

The banged-up Bama offense going up against a stout Oklahoma defense could produce a world of trouble for the Crimson Tide in the all-SEC matchup.

Prediction: Oklahoma 21, Alabama 16

No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M

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Texas A&M is in the most trouble of the first-round hosts.

The Aggies displayed plenty of flaws in November. They needed a heroic comeback at home to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks and then fell to the Texas Longhorns two weeks later.

A&M quarterback Marcel Reed threw multiple interceptions in those games. He was also picked off twice by the LSU Tigers and once by the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Reed's turnover issues in A&M's higher-profile games in a huge concern going into a first-round matchup with a Miami defense that gave up 41 points in its last four games.

Miami's defense was never a bad unit, but it played its best football in November to put the Hurricanes into position for an at-large spot.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck is far from perfect. He threw six of his 10 interceptions in his team's two losses.

Texas A&M's defense was not as sharp as Miami's unit in the regular season. It allowed at least 17 points to all four of its ranked opponents.

Miami has the defensive edge, and if Beck limits his turnovers, the Hurricanes can come away from College Station with a win.

Prediction: Miami 31, Texas A&M 28