The 2025-26 College Football Playoff Schedule starting this week with the first four games on the site. The expanded 12 series continues for the second year, and these standards include exciting comebacks, Cinderella stories, and great performances as teams battle for spots in the quarterfinals against the top four (No. 1 Indiana, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Texas Tech, who received the first-round).
All games are elimination tournaments. The winners advance to the New Year's/Sunday quarterfinals in the major bowls (Cotton, Orange, Rose, Sugar). Below is the full first round schedule with TV channels, streaming options, and our quick predictions.
2025 College Football Playoff Schedule (December 19-20)
Here's to 2025 Football first round schedule for you. The games are being held on the 19th and 20th of December next weekend.
Friday, December 19, 2025
- 8:00 PM ET – Number 9 Alabama (10-3) in number 8 Oklahoma (10-2)
- Location: Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
- TV: ABC/ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo
- Announcers: Chris Fowler (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst)
Saturday, December 20, 2025
- 12:00 PM ET (Noon) – Number 10 Miami (FL) (10-2) in number 7 Texas A&M (11-1)
- Location: Kyle Field, College Station, TX
- TV: ABC/ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app, Fubo
- 3:30 PM ET – Number 11 Tulane (11-2) in number 6 Ole Miss (11-1)
- Location: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS
- TV: TNT / truTV
- Streaming: Max (HBO Max), Sling
- 7:30 PM ET – Number 12 James Madison (12-1) in number 5 Oregon (11-1)
- Location: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR
- TV: TNT / truTV
- Streaming: Max (HBO Max), Sling
(Note: Times and channels are confirmed as of December 15, 2025. Check ESPN or official sources for any last-minute updates.)
Free Printable CFP First Pick'em Guide
Take us down free print'em sheets for the first round matches:
These sheets include space for the score, spread (if you want to add ATS), and the score for the final score.
Quick Predictions & Options
Here our staff picks every game (live winners surgical):
- Alabama in Oklahoma – Alabama win close one. The Crimson Tide overcame a road game at Normal to get the win. Predicted score: Alabama 27, Oklahoma 24.
- Miami at Texas A&M – Texas A&M dominant at home. The Aggies' defense stymied Miami's offense, holding them against Ohio State. Predicted score: Texas A&M 31, Miami 20.
- Tulane and Ole Miss – Ole Miss roll The Rebels' dominant offense proved too much for Group Five champion Tulane in this matchup. Predicted score: Ole Miss 38, Tulane 17. Before the coaching staff decided to come back to help, we thought Tulane could cover some of our previous posts, but now they've turned the other way.
- James Madison in Oregon; Oregon survive. The Ducks avoid a major upset against the stacked Dukes from the Sun Belt, but it's as close as expected. Predicted score: Oregon 34, James Madison 24.
Overall, we see all but one of the local favorites moving forward.
More CFP & Bowl resources on SportsBrackets.net
The bowl season is in progress; Stay tuned for updates, results, and more as we head to the National Championships on January 19th in Miami!
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