The first round of the 2025-26 College Football Playoff didn’t just shake up the bracket - it sent a message. Two lower-seeded teams, Alabama and Miami, pulled off gritty, statement wins that not only flipped expectations but also stirred up some deeper conversations about conference strength and late-season momentum.
Let’s start with Alabama. The No. 9 seed Crimson Tide found themselves in a 17-point hole against No.
8 Oklahoma. For most teams, that’s a death sentence in a playoff setting.
But for Alabama? That’s just the start of the fight.
The Tide stormed back to win 34-24, showing the kind of resilience and late-game poise that’s been a hallmark of the program for years. It wasn’t just a win - it was a reminder that Alabama, even as a lower seed, still knows how to rise when the lights are brightest.
Then there’s Miami. The No. 10 seed Hurricanes went into College Station and did something few expected: they beat No.
7 Texas A&M in a defensive slugfest, 10-3. This wasn’t a shootout.
It wasn’t flashy. It was a grind-it-out, punch-you-in-the-mouth kind of win - the kind that travels well in December.
And it wasn’t just a win for Miami - it was a win for the ACC, a conference that’s taken more than a few hits in recent years, both on and off the field.
As ESPN’s Paul Finebaum put it, that Miami win was “a monster win for the ACC.” And he’s not wrong.
In a playoff landscape where the SEC has long been king, seeing an ACC team go into an SEC stadium and come out with a win - especially over a team like A&M - is a big deal. The SEC was always going to lose a team in the Alabama-Oklahoma matchup.
But the Miami upset? That’s the one that stings.
That’s the one that could have ripple effects for how the rest of the postseason - and maybe even the perception of conference strength - plays out.
Finebaum didn’t hold back when assessing the damage for Texas A&M. He pointed to the Aggies’ late-season struggles - including a near-collapse against South Carolina and a rivalry loss to Texas - as signs that this team was already trending in the wrong direction. And now, with a playoff loss at home, the ending feels even more sour.
“You hate to just say ‘OK, A&M losing its last two games, what can you do?’” Finebaum said.
“But that season won’t be remembered very well the way it ended.” Hard to argue with that.
For all the promise A&M showed at times this year, the final stretch was a stumble - and this playoff loss only magnifies it.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss and Oregon took care of business in dominant fashion. The Rebels rolled past Tulane 41-10, and the Ducks lit up the scoreboard in a 51-35 win over James Madison.
Those weren’t just wins - they were statements. Both teams looked every bit like contenders, and they’ll carry serious momentum into the next round.
But the real headlines belong to Alabama and Miami - two teams that came in as underdogs and left as bracket-busters. The Tide reminded us they’re never out of it.
The Hurricanes reminded us that defense, toughness, and belief can still win big games. And the rest of the playoff field?
They’ve been put on notice.