College Football Playoff First Round: Alabama’s Comeback Headlines a Lopsided Opening Weekend
If the College Football Playoff’s debut 12-team format was supposed to bring chaos, drama, and bracket-busting moments, the first round mostly missed the mark-except for one game that delivered in a big way.
Alabama’s 34-24 comeback win over Oklahoma was the lone thriller in an otherwise one-sided opening weekend. The Crimson Tide clawed back from a 17-0 hole in Norman, flipping the script in a way that might have Michigan rethinking its coaching shortlist and Oklahoma wondering how it all unraveled so quickly.
The rest of the field? Let’s just say it was a tough showing for the underdogs and a quiet day for upset-watchers.
1. Alabama’s Comeback Was the Real Showstopper
Down 17-0, Alabama looked completely out of sync. The offense was sputtering, the defense couldn’t get a stop, and the whole team resembled the group that got run over by Florida State back in August.
But then, something clicked. The Crimson Tide found their rhythm, and Oklahoma never recovered.
From a fourth-down touchdown pass that saw the Sooners miss three tackles, to a muffed punt snap that led to a field goal, to a pick-six by Zabien Brown-Alabama turned a nightmare start into a dominant finish. Oklahoma’s final 10 possessions?
Five punts, two missed field goals, one turnover, one touchdown, and one mismanaged end-of-half sequence. That’s not how you survive in the Playoff.
2. Early Doubts Were Loud-and Then Silenced
At 17-0, you could feel the hot takes flying. Kalen DeBoer to Michigan?
Quarterback Ty Simpson’s draft stock crashing? Ryan Williams struggling to catch anything?
It was all fair game. But Alabama’s second-half surge reminded everyone why they’re still a threat in this tournament.
The Tide didn’t just survive-they sent a message.
3. Oklahoma’s Collapse Was a Total Team Effort
It wasn’t just one mistake that doomed the Sooners-it was a cascade. A dropped snap by the punter, blown tackles on a fourth-down touchdown, two missed field goals, and a pick-six.
The clock mismanagement before halftime didn’t help either. Oklahoma had Alabama on the ropes and let them off the hook in every possible way.
4. Miami Wins Ugly-but It Still Counts
A 10-3 win over Texas A&M won’t make any highlight reels, but Miami did enough to move on. Quarterback Carson Beck, who missed last year’s CFP with Georgia due to injury, managed the game efficiently, finishing 14-of-20 for 103 yards and tossing the game-winning 11-yard score to Malachi Toney with under two minutes left.
Beck is now 35-5 as a starter. That’s not flashy, but it’s winning football.
5. Rueben Bain Is a Name to Watch
While Miami’s offense was grinding it out, defensive lineman Rueben Bain was making a case to be the first non-quarterback selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Three sacks in a playoff game? That’s how you build a top-10 resume.
6. Texas A&M’s Season Ends With a Whimper
After an 11-0 start, the Aggies dropped their final two games-first to Texas, which cost them a shot at the SEC title game, and now to Miami. The offense turned it over three times and managed just 89 yards on 35 carries.
That’s 2.5 yards per attempt. Coach Mike Elko has some serious questions to answer this offseason, especially with a soft non-conference slate (UTSA, Utah State, Samford) and a league résumé padded by wins over teams likely to have new coaches in 2026.
7. Group of Five Teams Get a Harsh Reality Check
Tulane and James Madison earned their spots in the CFP, but the gap between them and the top-tier programs was on full display. Tulane was handled 41-10 by Ole Miss, and Oregon ran past JMU 51-34 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score suggests.
Oregon led 34-6 at halftime and racked up 514 yards of offense, averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Tulane’s best shot came early when they cut the deficit to 14-3 and forced a punt-but they couldn’t capitalize. Ole Miss pulled away from there, leading 27-3 after three quarters.
8. Tulane and JMU Struggled on the Big Stage
The Green Wave and Dukes had magical seasons, but on the national stage, they were outmatched. Tulane was outscored 86-10 in two games against Ole Miss this season.
JMU simply couldn’t slow down Oregon’s high-powered offense. These weren’t just losses-they were reminders of the challenges Group of Five teams face when stepping into the CFP spotlight.
9. Coaching Carousel Watch: What’s Next for Michigan?
With DeBoer’s Alabama squad still alive, Michigan’s coaching search remains in limbo. Arizona State’s Kenny Dillingham signed an extension, taking him off the board.
Could Jedd Fisch, currently at Washington and formerly with the Jaguars, be the next man up in Ann Arbor? That’s a storyline to watch.
10. Did the Committee Get It Right?
Alabama and Miami both had their skeptics heading into the Playoff-three losses for the Tide, two for the Hurricanes. But their wins, especially Alabama’s, gave the committee some cover.
That said, Tulane and JMU’s blowout losses might have Notre Dame fans wondering what could’ve been. The committee’s job isn’t easy, but the results from this round were mixed at best.
11. Lane Kiffin’s Parting Shot
LSU head coach Lane Kiffin summed up the JMU-Oregon game in one word on social media: “Riveting.” It was classic Kiffin-sarcastic, but not wrong.
The Ducks jumped out to a 27-3 lead and never looked back. Oregon looked every bit the powerhouse they were expected to be, and Kiffin’s Rebels, now led by coordinators Pete Golding and Charlie Weis Jr., took care of business against Tulane.
12. Looking Ahead: Can the Semis Deliver the Drama?
If the first round was chalky, the hope is that the quarterfinals bring the fireworks. Ohio State (vs.
Miami) and Indiana (vs. Alabama) will likely be favored, but the matchups of Oregon-Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl and Ole Miss-Georgia in the Sugar Bowl have real potential.
Early lean? A final four of Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, and Georgia-but if Alabama keeps flipping switches like they did in Norman, don’t count them out just yet.
Bottom Line: The first round of the expanded CFP didn’t quite live up to the hype-unless you were watching Alabama-Oklahoma. But with the heavyweights now set to clash, the best football of the postseason might still be ahead.