2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket, 1st-Round Opening Odds, Early Best Bet

"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? 

Related, FINAL CFP RANKINGS: ALABAMA GETS IN, NOTRE DAME LEFT OUT, MIAMI REPRESENTS THE ACC

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. 

2025-26 College Football Playoff First Round Opening Lines 

Friday, December 19 

9-seed Alabama Crimson Tide vs. 8-seed Oklahoma Sooners, 8 p.m. ET

• Moneyline (ML): ALABAMA (-120) | Oklahoma (+100)
• Spread: Crimson Tide -1.5 (-110) | Sooners +1.5 (-110)
• Total — 41.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)

Saturday, December 20

12-seed James Madison Dukes vs. 5-seed Oregon Ducks, noon ET 

• ML: James Madison (+1100) | Oregon (-2100)
• Spread: Dukes +21.5 (-110) | Ducks -21.5 (-110)
• Total — 51.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)

11-seed Tulane Green Wave vs. 6-seed Ole Miss Rebels, 3:30 p.m. ET

• ML: Tulane (+625) | Ole Miss (-950)
• Spread: Green Wave +16.5 (-110) | Rebels -16.5 (-110)
• Total — 55.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)

10-seed Miami Hurricanes vs. 7-seed Texas A&M Aggies, 7:30 p.m. ET 

• ML: Miami (+145) | Texas A&M (-175)
• Spread: Hurricanes +4 (-110) | Aggies -4 (-110)
• Total — 52.5 — Over (-110) | Under (-110)

Early Best Bet: Alabama (-120) over Oklahoma

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. 

The Oklahoma Sooners host the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first round of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. (Photo credit: David Leong-Imagn Images)

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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