2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket Revealed: Which Underdog Could Shock the Nation in Round One?

Twelve teams in the College Football Playoff? Seriously? When I first scrolled through the 2025-26 CFP lineup, my mind immediately screamed, “Do we really need this many?” Eight might make sense, but twelve? After all the noise about resumes, the inclusion of squads like James Madison Dukes and Tulane Green Wave feels a bit like inviting your second cousin to the wedding—sure, it’s nice, but is it really the big dance? Here we are, diving into year two of this expanded format, spotlighting top dogs like Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech who snagged first-round byes. And, with the higher seeds hosting, the traditional New Year’s Six bowls now double as quarterfinal and semifinal battlegrounds. So, what do the sportsbooks say about this twelve-team carnival? Let’s unpack the bets, the revenge angles—like Alabama’s fiery rematch against Oklahoma—and the subtle coaching dramas simmering under the surface. It’s a spicy stew of college football chaos, and I gotta tell ya, it’s as fascinating as it is perplexing. LEARN MORE.

“Are we sure we need 12 teams?” was the first thing I thought when I saw the opening lines for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff (CFP). You can talk me into eight teams, maybe. Honestly, after all the whining about resumes, and then seeing the field, they should go back to four teams. I mean, how good is your football tournament if the James Madison Dukes and Tulane Green Wave are in it?

It’s the second season of the 12-team CFP. The four most-deserving teams, who earned first-round byes, include the Big Ten champion (1-seed) Indiana Hoosiers and the team they beat in the conference title game, the reigning national champion (2-seed) Ohio State Buckeyes, the SEC champion (3-seed) Georgia Bulldogs, and the Big XII champion (4-seed) Texas Tech Red Raiders.

The higher seeds host first-round games, with the CFP quarterfinals and semifinals serving as the traditional New Year’s Six: Cotton, Orange, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, and Peach Bowls. However, if we’re really doing this 12-team thing, we might as well see what the sportsbooks think. With that in mind, here are the opening moneylines, spreads, and totals for the first round of the CFP.

This is a Revenge Game for the Crimson Tide, who lost to the Sooners 23-21 in Norman November 15. Even though they lost, ‘Bama won the box score. The Crimson Tide converted 11 more first downs (23-12), outgained Oklahoma by nearly 200 yards (406-212), and possessed the ball for nearly 10 minutes longer (34:28-25:32). But Alabama lost because it had a -3 turnover differential.

While neither head coach is a proven winner with their respective programs, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer lost in the 2023 CFP national championship at his previous job, the Washington Huskies. Also, there is no shame in ‘Bama losing to Georgia in the 2025 SEC title game after beating the Bulldogs earlier this season. Ultimately, Alabama is a tier above Oklahoma, regardless of the venue.

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