The second edition of the 12-team College Football Playoff is set to commence on Friday night in Norman, where the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners will host the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide in one of the four exciting First Round matchups this season. The other games include No. 5 Oregon versus No. 12 James Madison, No. 6 Ole Miss facing No. 11 Tulane, and No. 7 Texas A&M battling No. 10 Miami.
In the inaugural season of First Round home games within the College Football Playoff last year, all four hosting teams emerged victorious, with an average margin of 19.25 points separating the winners from their opponents. The closest contest was a 27-17 win by No. 7 Notre Dame over No. 10 Indiana, which saw the Hoosiers mount a late push by scoring 14 of their points in the final quarter.
ESPN analyst Greg McElroy highlighted the benefits of playing at home during an episode of ‘Get Up,’ emphasizing its significance in these early rounds of the playoff. While acknowledging that home-field advantage can be beneficial, he noted the pressure that comes with expectations. “It’s hard to communicate on offense,” McElroy explained, adding that a slow start can provoke restlessness among fans, leading players to feel pressured. Consequently, he stressed the necessity for home teams to start strong.
McElroy also remarked on the competitive nature of this year’s matchups, suggesting that road teams could pose a serious challenge. He indicated that with this year’s Power-Four matchups—featuring Alabama vs. Oklahoma and Miami vs. Texas A&M—road teams “really have a fighting chance.”
Two of the first-round contests will be rematches from the regular season. On September 20, No. 13 Ole Miss convincingly defeated Tulane with a score of 45-10. Under former coach Lane Kiffin, the Rebels showcased the significant advantage of playing in front of their home crowd, which was filled with over 65,000 fans.
The anticipated clash between Oklahoma and Alabama is particularly notable as these teams faced off earlier in the season on November 15, where the Sooners narrowly secured a 23-21 victory in Tuscaloosa, marking a challenging debut for Alabama’s coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide also contended with a stark loss against Oklahoma last season, where they were overwhelmed 24-3 in Norman.
As this year’s College Football Playoff unfolds, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how these matchups will play out, especially with heightened competition and the exhilarating atmosphere of playoff football at stake.