The first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff didn’t exactly deliver fireworks in the opening round. Blowouts were the theme - SMU got steamrolled by Penn State, Tennessee couldn’t keep up with Ohio State, and even the “closest” game, Notre Dame vs.
Indiana, was a 10-point final that wasn’t nearly that tight until garbage time. The average margin of victory?
A lopsided 19.3 points. That kind of start had critics ready to call the new format a bust.
But let’s pump the brakes. One rocky opening round doesn’t mean the system is broken.
In fact, the 2025 bracket is shaping up to be a much better showcase of what this expanded playoff can be. And the biggest reason?
The bracket itself got a much-needed fix.
Last year, automatic byes for top conference champions created some awkward matchups. Teams ranked third and fourth in the country ended up playing in the first round because they weren’t among the top-seeded conference champs.
That led to a brutal Texas vs. Clemson first-round clash - a No. 3 vs.
No. 16 matchup in name only.
This year’s layout is far more balanced, and it shows in the matchups. Take Texas A&M vs.
Miami - a No. 7 vs. No. 10 showdown that’s got real heavyweight energy.
Both teams have flashed championship-level potential and are built to win in the trenches. This one’s not just a playoff game - it’s a statement opportunity for two programs trying to climb into that elite tier.
Then there’s the Alabama-Oklahoma rematch. The Sooners stole a two-point win in Tuscaloosa back in November by forcing three turnovers.
Now they meet again, with Alabama looking for revenge and Oklahoma trying to prove it wasn’t a fluke. These are two of the most talented rosters in the country.
Oklahoma brings one of the stingiest defenses in the nation, while Alabama is, well, Alabama - loaded with blue-chip talent and postseason pedigree.
Elsewhere, James Madison faces a tall task against Oregon, but don’t write it off just yet. Advanced metrics like SP+ suggest this one could stay within two touchdowns. That’s not nothing - especially considering how far the Dukes have come in a short time.
And then there’s Tulane vs. Ole Miss - a rematch with plenty of intrigue.
Ole Miss dominated the first meeting 45-10, but a lot has changed since then. Tulane’s quarterback Jake Retzlaff had one of his worst games in that loss, but the staff has since figured out how to better utilize his skill set.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss is navigating life after Lane Kiffin, who’s now at LSU. Both teams are in transition, which makes this one harder to predict - and a lot more interesting.
Sure, there’s always a chance one of these games turns into a blowout. But the Group of Six teams - Tulane and James Madison - are more complete now than they were in September. They’ve grown, adjusted, and in many ways, found their identity.
And let’s not overlook the broader landscape. The talent gap at the top of college football isn’t what it used to be.
Thanks to NIL and the transfer portal, it’s harder than ever to build those juggernaut superteams that used to dominate the four-team era. The numbers back it up - in 2022, the SP+ gap between the No. 5 and No. 10 teams was nine points.
This year? It’s under four.
That’s a massive shift. The upper middle class of college football is catching up, and it’s making the playoff picture a whole lot more interesting.
Last year’s lopsided first round wasn’t just about format flaws - it was also about one team in particular. Ohio State, arguably the most talented roster in the country, dropped the ball against Michigan and tumbled to the No. 8 seed.
That loss threw the entire bracket out of whack. This year, there’s no similar scenario.
The seeding is cleaner, the matchups are tighter, and the potential for drama is much higher.
So as the 2025 College Football Playoff kicks off, there’s real reason for optimism. Alabama vs.
Oklahoma is a blue-blood brawl. Texas A&M and Miami bring elite quarterback play and physical fronts.
Tulane and Ole Miss each have dynamic quarterbacks and a lot to prove. And even James Madison vs.
Oregon has the makings of a game that could surprise people.
The 12-team format is still new, still evolving. But if this year’s first round delivers the way it’s shaping up to, it’ll be a strong rebuttal to the early doubters.
Last year’s flaws weren’t systemic - they were situational. And this year, the situation looks a whole lot better.