No. 9 Alabama and No. 10 Miami proved the committee right with victories in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The Crimson Tide beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24. The Hurricanes beat No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3. That offset a pair of blowouts in the late games Saturday. No. 6 Ole Miss beat No. 11 Tulane 41-10, and No. 5 Oregon routed No. 12 James Madison 51-34.
Did straight seeding help? Last year, the average margin of victory in the first round was 19.3 points per game. This year, it was 16.3 points per game. Can the Crimson Tide or Hurricanes keep that run going in the quarterfinal round?
Give the committee credit for once. The quarterfinal round has representation from all four Power 4 conferences. The Big Ten and SEC have three teams apiece. The Big 12 and ACC have one team each. Seven of the eight teams remaining ranked in the top 12 in scoring defense this season.
Who has the best path to the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8) and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Jan. 9)? The CFP national championship game is Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
CFP quarterfinal matchups
| DATE | BOWL | MATCHUP | TIME | TV |
| Dec. 31 | Cotton Bowl Classic (quarterfinal) | No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Capital One Orange Bowl (quarterfinal) | No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (quarterfinal) | No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal) | No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
Here is our look at our CFP rankings ahead of the quarterfinal matchups.
Ranking the 8 teams in the College Football Playoff
1. Indiana Hoosiers (13-0)
The Hoosiers were the only team in the FBS that ranked in the top five in scoring offense (41.9 ppg.) And scoring defense (10.8 ppg.) Under second-year coach Curt Cignetti. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza leads Indiana into its first Rose Bowl appearance. He averaged 218.5 passing yards with a 60.3% completion percentage, two TDs and two interceptions against top-five teams in Ohio State and Oregon. The Hoosiers also have a dominant rushing attack and a defense that piled up 8.6 tackles for loss per game. It is another chance for Cignetti to quiet the critics with a victory against a SEC powerhouse in Alabama.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1)
The Buckeyes are the defending national champions and have the most-talented roster in the College Football Playoff under coach Ryan Day – one that had seven players that were named first-team All-Americans. Julian Sayin averaged 195.8 passing yards with a 70.5% completion percentage, seven TDs and two interceptions in four games against ranked teams this season. Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate had more time to rest injuries ahead of the Cotton Bowl against Miami, and the defense did not allow more than 16 points per game this season. Ohio State outscored four CFP opponents 145-75 last season.
SN AWARDS: 2025 All-America team | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year
3. Georgia Bulldogs (12-1)
Georgia has an opportunity to win its third national title in five seasons under Kirby Smart, and they get a rematch with Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs had 501 yards of total offense in a 43-35 victory against the Rebels on Oct. 18. The defense came around in the final month of the season – allowing 10 points or less in Georgia's final four games.
MORE: Updated CFP bracket, schedule scores
4. Oregon Ducks (12-1)
The Ducks were in top form in Dan Lanning's second playoff appearance in a shootout against James Madison. Dante Moore passed for 313 yards, four TDs and two interceptions in an impressive performance. Oregon had a 34-6 lead at halftime, but the defense had a few breakdowns in the second half. The Ducks pushed into an Orange Bowl matchup with Texas Tech that is arguably the best game of the quarterfinal round. Oregon is playing at a high level. Will that experience on this stage pay off?
5. Texas Tech Red Raiders (12-1)
Texas Tech – the Big 12 champion under coach Joey McGuire – is the most intriguing team in the quarterfinal round. Behren Morton is a veteran quarterback who had 22 TDs and four interceptions, and he was injured in the Red Raiders' lone loss against Arizona State on Oct. 18. The defense – led by Unanimous All-American linebacker Jacob Rodriguez – ranked third in the FBS in scoring defense at 10.9 points per game. The Ducks have been on this stage more, but that does not mean Texas Tech cannot win this game.
6. Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3)
Is this too high? We don't think so. The Crimson Tide are close to a touchdown underdog against Indiana in the Rose Bowl. Alabama should be going in with confidence. The Crimson Tide are 8-3 against ranked teams under second-year coach Kalen DeBoer. We've been harping on the running game, and with good reason. Alabama has been held to less than 100 rushing yards seven times this season, and they are 3-4 in those games. Ty Simpson needs run support to attack the Hoosiers' defense. Still, Alabama will go into that game with the confidence necessary to take on Indiana.
7. Ole Miss Rebels (12-1)
Lane Kiffin's presence was not required. Ole Miss hammered Tulane 41-10 and surived injury scares to Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy in Pete Golding's debut. Chambliss had 282 passing yards, 36 rushing yards and three total TDs. Ole Miss ran with Georgia in the first meeting, and the Sugar Bowl setting will be a cool moment for the program. Can Ole Miss keep that rolling against the Bulldogs? It's a tough draw to get through Georgia and potentially Ohio State, and that still makes Ole Miss a long-shot moving forward.
8. Miami Hurricanes (11-2)
The Hurricanes beat No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round of the CFP; meaning the ACC will not be left out of the quarterfinal round this time. How disruptive can the defense be against Ohio State around All-American edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr., who had three of the Hurricanes' seven sacks against the Aggies. Carson Beck is a one win away from a potential chance at facing Georgia, too. Running back Mark Fletcher had 172 rushing yards against Texas A&M. He needs to be a factor behind the offensive line to have a chance at pulling an upset against the Buckeyes.
MORE: Miami fully brings back 'The U' with gutty victory