Seattle vs New England in Super Bowl LX Hold Final Selections

NFL Draft 2026 – ‘The Raiders are ‘On the Clock’!
 Jets, Cardinals, Titans & Giants, Hold Top 5 Selections

 2026 NFL Draft Selection Order

The NFL Conference championship games have finalized the top 30 selections in the frist round of the NFL Draft 2026. It will be Seattle vs New England in Super Bowl LX after winning confereence titles.  Neither team even made the playoffs after the 2024 season.

With the closure of the regular season schedule and the early playoff games, the NFL Draft order has been established for the top 30 non-playoff teams. Four teams hold a 3-14 record with the Raiders landing the 1st overall selection on the weaker strength of schedule.  The Jets, Cardinals and Titans hold the next three selections with each club at 3-14. These clubs started multiple QBs in 2025 after several injuries and poor performances forced weekly changes at the position. Of the top five teams, only the Giants with rookie Jaxson Dart and Titans with rookie QB Cam Ward have bona fide starters set for the coming years.

The Giants are next at the 5th pick at 4-13 and within reach of trading up for an earlier selection. It is the usual suspects in the top ten with several pretenders like the Chiefs and Bengals both falling below the .500 mark with weak 2025 performances.

The bottom 12 playoff positions will be decided by playoffs results. The Super Bowl teams will hold the 31st and 32nd positions.  The strength of schedule % will determine the final positions of all tied teams. The SOS is based on all of each team’s opponents record. Each succeeding round, the tied teams will rotate up within their tied bracket.

First Round Draft Order

#           Team                                     W-L record          

1           Las Vegas                             3-14

2           NY Jets                                  3-14

3           Arizona                                  3-14

4           Tennessee                            3-14

5           NY Giants                              4-13

6           Cleveland                             5-12

7           Washington                          5-12

8           New Orleans                         6-11

9           Kansas City                           6-11

10           Cincinnati                              6-11

11           Miami                                     7-10

12           Dallas                                    7-9-1

13           LA Rams (Atlanta)               8-9

14           Baltimore                              8-9

15           Tampa Bay                           8-9

16           NY Jets (Indianapolis)        8-9

17           Detroit                                    9-8

18           Minnesota                             9-8

19           Carolina                                8-10

20           Dallas (Green Bay)              9-8-1

          Playoff Teams

21           Pittsburgh                              10-7

22           LA Chargers                         11-6

23           Philadelphia                         11-6

24           San Francisco                      12-5

25           Chicago                                 12-6

26           Houston                                 12-5

27           Cleveland (Jacksonville)    13-5

28           Buffalo                                   13-5

29           LA Rams                               13-5

30           Denver                                   14-3

  Super Bowl Opponents

31           New England                        14-3

32           Seattle                                   14-3

All ties in record are broken by current strength of schedule.  Then head to head determines order.
Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all currently do not have 1st-round selections from prior deals.

March 11, 2026
The 2026 League Year and Free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts

Playoffs – Divisional, Conference & Super Bowl games determine final 8 positions

A teams’ opponent’s W-L record will determine all tie situations. Teams that are still tied will flip though none necessary this year. Playoff teams will shuffle according to their postseason results to determine the final top 32 selections. Super Bowl game will determine final two positions.

 Team tie-breaking procedure for the NFL Draft
If two or more clubs are tied in the selection order, the strength-of-schedule tie breaker is applied, subject to the following exceptions for playoff clubs: The Super Bowl winner is last and the Super Bowl loser next-to-last. Any non-Super Bowl playoff club involved in a tie shall be assigned priority within its segment below that of non-playoff clubs and in the order that the playoff clubs exited from the playoffs. Within a tied segment a playoff club that loses in the Wild-Card game will have priority over a playoff club that loses in the Divisional playoff game that in turn will have priority over a club that loses in the Conference Championship game. If two tied clubs exited the playoffs in the same round, the tie is broken by strength of schedule. If any ties cannot be broken by strength of schedule, the divisional or conference tie breakers, when applicable, are applied. Any ties that still exist are broken by a coin flip.

Indiana is King of College Football

CFP Championship Game – Indiana Beats Miami 27-21

  Jan. 20, 2026 – Miami Gardens, Fl

Frank Coyle / Head scout

The Indiana Hoosiers beat the Miami Hurricanes for their first national championship in college football history. It was a win for the ages as they completed a magical 2025 season going undefeated with a strong victory over the Hurricanes 27-21.

The Hoosiers were not affected by the Miami advantage of playing on their home field for the title game. They have overcome numerous obstacles this season on their way to the national title. They have been the doormat of college football annually, losing the most games in history. Their performance this year stands alone as the most amazing campaign with a perfect season 16-0. They were the first team to achieve 16-0 at this level.

It all changed with the hiring of HC Curt Cignetti in 2024 who began the incredible rebuilding process. The signing of Cal transfer QB Fernando Mendoza was a key addition which transcended them to national power this season. Cignetti built a disciplined, smart team club with sound systems and few mistakes. The team radiates discipline and poise and rarely turns the ball over or get few penalties. That has been the difference in several big games the past two seasons. Mendoza completed a story book 2026 performance, winning the Heisman Trophy in December, beating Ohio State for the Big Ten title and sweep in the CFP series to win the crown. Mendoza made an amazing 4th quarter play on fourth down when he ran a 12-yard QB drew and broke several hard hits to dive into the endzone with the game winning TD. Their aggressive defense completed the victory with a game ending interception of QB Carson Beck by corner Jamari Sharpe with seconds remaining deep in their territory. It completed the most incredible long shot champion in college football history. Indiana now has a national title in football to sit next to their basketball championships. Hail to the Hoosiers!

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Jan. 19, 2026
    Frank Coyle/ Pro scout

Top 28 Positions in Place for First Round After Divisional Round Weekend

The first-round draft order posted below is complete through the top 28 selections. The Raiders hold the 1st overall selection at 3-14 despite winning their final game vs the Chiefs. The Giants won their final two games including their finale vs the Cowboys which pushed them to the 5th overall selection. There are four teams at 3-14 and they will rotate up in the ensuing rounds.

The remaining four teams include the two conference bye teams, Seattle and Denver who will host the title games this weekend. The LA Rams and New England were both at or near the top of their conferences throughout the season. The NFL got the four best clubs for the conference championship.

Here is the current first-round draft order following the Divisional round over the weekend. Tie breakers are broken first by strength of schedule, then by head to head matchups.

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Team                    W-L record

1          Las Vegas                     3-14

2          NY Jets                         3-14

3          Arizona                         3-14

4          Tennessee                    3-14

5          NY Giants                     4-13

6          Cleveland                      5-12

7          Washington                   5-12

8          New Orleans                 6-11

9          Kansas City                  6-11

10         Cincinnati                      6-11

11         Miami                           7-10

12         Dallas                           7-9-1

13         LA Rams (Atlanta)         8-9

14         Baltimore                      8-9

15         Tampa Bay                   8-9

16         NY Jets (Indianapolis)    8-9

17         Detroit                           9-8

18         Minnesota                     9-8

19         Carolina                        8-10

20         Dallas (Green Bay)        9-8-1

21         Pittsburgh                     10-8

22         LA Chargers                  11-7

23         Philadelphia                   11-7

24         Cleveland (Jacksonville) 13-5

25         Chicago                        12-7

26         Buffalo                          13-6

27         San Francisco               13-6

28         Houston                        13-6

Remaining Playoff Teams

29         LA Rams                       14-5

30         New England                 16-3

31         Denver                          16-3

32         Seattle                          16-3

All ties in record are broken by current strength of schedule.

Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all currently do not have 1st-round selections from prior deals.

March 11, 2026
The 2026 League Year and Free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts

Draft Insiders’ All-Pro Teams

   Frank Coyle & Staff

NFL Awards

Offensive Player of Year – Matthew Stafford – Rams
Defensive Player of Year – Myles Garrett – Browns

Rookie Offensive Player of Year – QB Jaxson Dart – Giants
Rookie Defensive Player of Year – LB Carson Schwesinger – Browns

Coach of the Year – Mike Vrabel – Patriots

Draft Insiders’  – All-Pro Teams

First Team

Offense

Quarterback
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Running Back
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta

Fullback
Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco

All-Purpose Back
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco

Wide Receivers
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati

Draft Insiders’ Pro Prospect Positional Rankings – Top 300 Players for the NFL Draft 2026 – available now
Special Deluxe Package available – January Newsletter – Underclassmen, Three Round MD – Top 150 Player Rankings

Tight End
Trey McBride, Arizona

Left Tackle
Garett Bolles, Denver

Left Guard
Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis

Center
Creed Humphrey, Kansas City

Right Guard
Quinn Meinerz, Denver

Right Tackle
Penei Sewell, Detroit

Defense

Edge Rushers
Myles Garrett, Cleveland
Brian Burns, New York Giants
Will Anderson Jr., Houston

Interior Linemen
Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee
Zach Allen, Denver

Linebackers
Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville
Jordyn Brooks, Miami

Cornerbacks
Derek Stingley Jr., Houston
Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia

Slot cornerback
Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia

Safeties
Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore
Jessie Bates III, Atlanta

Special Teams

Placekicker
Brandon Aubrey, Dallas

Punter
Jordan Stout, Baltimore

Kick Returner
Ray Davis, Buffalo

Punt Returner
Marcus Jones, New England

Special Teamer
Devon Key, Denver

Long Snapper
Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville

Second Team
Offense

Quarterback
Drake Maye, New England

Running Back
James Cook, Buffalo
Fullback
Patrick Ricard, Baltimore

All-Purpose Back
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit

Wide Receivers
George Pickens, Dallas
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit
Nico Collins, Houston

Tight End
Kyle Pitts, Atlanta

Left Tackle
Trent Williams, San Francisco

Left Guard
Joe Thuney, Chicago

Center
Aaron Brewer, Miami

Right Guard
Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta

Right Tackle
Darnell Wright, Chicago

Defense

Edge Rushers
Micah Parsons, Green Bay
Danielle Hunter, Houston
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit

Interior Linemen
Leonard Williams, Seattle
Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh

Linebackers
Jack Campbell, Detroit
Ernest Jones IV, Seattle

Cornerbacks
Patrick Surtain II, Denver
Devon Witherspoon, Seattle

Slot cornerback
Jaycee Horn, Carolina

Safeties
Kevin Byard, Chicago
Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers

Special Teams

Placekicker
Will Reichard, Minnesota

Punter
Michael Dickson, Seattle

Kick Returner
Kavontae Turpin, Dallas

Punt Returner
Chimere Dike, Tennessee

Special Teamer
Del’Shawn Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers

Long Snapper
Andrew DePaola, Minnesota

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Jan. 13, 2026

Frank Coyle/ Pro scout

Top 24 Positions in Place for First Round After Wild Card Weekend

The first-round draft order posted below is complete through the top 24 selections. With the Texans win over the Steelers Monday night, only the final eight positions remain in question. The Steeler loss most likely is the final game of veteran QB Aaron Rodgers career. He had an amazing career which ranks with any passer in NFL history. He took an average Steeler team to the AFC North title and kept them in most games despite average talent on their offense.

The Raiders hold the 1st overall selection at 3-14 despite winning their final game vs the Chiefs. The Giants won their final two games including their finale vs the Cowboys which pushed them to the 5th overall selection. There are four teams at 3-14 and they will rotate up in the ensuing rounds.

Here is the current first-round draft order following the Texans win Monday night over the Steelers.
Tie breakers are broken first by strength of schedule, then by head to head matchups.

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Team                    W-L record

1          Las Vegas                     3-14

2          NY Jets                         3-14

3          Arizona                         3-14

4          Tennessee                    3-14

5          NY Giants                     4-13

6          Cleveland                      5-12

7          Washington                   5-12

8          New Orleans                 6-11

9          Kansas City                  6-11

10         Cincinnati                      6-11

11         Miami                           7-10

12         Dallas                           7-9-1

13         LA Rams (Atlanta)         8-9

14         Baltimore                      8-9

15         Tampa Bay                   8-9

16         NY Jets (Indianapolis)    8-9

17         Detroit                           9-8

18         Minnesota                     9-8

19         Carolina                        8-10

20         Dallas (Green Bay)        9-8-1

21         Pittsburgh                     10-8

22         LA Chargers                  11-7

23         Philadelphia                   11-7

24         Cleveland (Jacksonville) 13-5

Remaining Playoff Teams

25         Chicago                        12-6

26         Buffalo                          13-5

27         San Francisco               13-5

28         Houston                        13-5

29         LA Rams                       13-5

30         New England                 15-3

31         Denver                          14-3

32         Seattle                          14-3

All ties in record are broken by current strength of schedule.
Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all currently do not have 1st-round selections from prior deals.

March 11, 2026
The 2026 League Year and Free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts

CFP Semifinals

Indiana vs Oregon and Miami vs Ole Miss HeadLine Championship Chase

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinals feature two exciting matchups this week. #10 Miami vs #6 Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 and #1 Indiana vs #5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, with both games airing on ESPN. The winners advance to the National Championship game in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 19, 2026.

Here is Semifinal infomation

Fiesta Bowl  – #10 Miami vs #6 Ole Miss
Date: Thursday, January 8, 2026 – Time: 7:30 p.m. et
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
TV: ESPN

Peach Bowl – #1 Indiana vs #5 Oregon
Date: Friday, January 9, 2026 – Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
TV: ESPN

Monday, Jan. 19

CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
7:30 p.m., ESPN

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Jan. 5, 2025

    Frank Coyle/ Pro scout

Raiders Win Finale Though Retain 1st Overall Selection

The first-round draft order posted below is complete through the top 18 selections. The Raiders hold the 1st overall selection at 3-14 despite winning their final game vs the Chiefs. The Giants won their final two games including their finale vs the Cowboys which pushed them to the 5th overall selection. If they had lost to the Cowboys, they would hold the first overall pick. They are one of four teams at 3-14 and they will rotate up in the ensuing rounds.

Here is the current first-round draft order following the Steelers wild win Sunday night over the Ravens.

Tie breakers are broken first by strength of schedule, then by head to head matchups.

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Team                         W-L record

1          Las Vegas                     3-14

2          NY Jets                         3-14

3          Arizona                         3-14

4          Tennessee                    3-14

5          NY Giants                     4-13

6          Cleveland                      5-12

7          Washington                   5-12

8          New Orleans                 6-11

9          Kansas City                  6-11

10         Cincinnati                      6-11

11         Miami                           7-10

12         Dallas                           7-9-1

13         LA Rams (Atlanta)         8-9

14         Baltimore                      8-9

15         Tampa Bay                   8-9

16         NY Jets (Indianapolis)    8-9

17         Detroit                           9-8

18         Minnesota                     9-8

Playoff Teams

19         Carolina                        8-9

20         Dallas (Green Bay)        9-7-1

21         Pittsburgh                     10-7

22         Chicago                        11-6

23         LA Chargers                  11-6

24         Philadelphia                   11-6

25         Buffalo                          12-5

26         San Francisco               12-5

27         Houston                        12-5

28         LA Rams                       12-5

29         Cleveland (Jacksonville) 13-4

30         New England                 14-3

31         Denver                          14-3

32         Seattle                          14-3

All ties in record are broken by current strength of schedule.

Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all currently do not have 1st-round selections from prior deals.

March 11, 2026
The 2026 League Year and Free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts

CFP Schedule Thru Championship Game

CFP Quarterfinal Games

Wednesday, Dec. 31

CFP Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
#10 Miami vs. #2 Ohio State
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
7:30 p.m., ESPN

Thursday, Jan. 1

CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
#5 Oregon vs. #4 Texas Tech
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Noon, ESPN

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential
#9 Alabama vs. #1 Indiana
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
4 p.m., ESPN

CFP Quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
#6 Ole Miss vs. #3 Georgia
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
8 p.m., ESPN

CFP Semifinals, National championship game
Thursday, Jan. 8

CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
7:30 p.m., ESPN

Friday, Jan. 9

CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
7:30 p.m., ESPN

Monday, Jan. 19

CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
7:30 p.m., ESPN

Remaining Bowl Games

Saturday, Dec. 27

Go Bowling Military Bowl

Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State vs. Clemson
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

UConn vs. Army
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Georgia Tech vs. BYU
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl

Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

North Texas vs. San Diego State
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Virginia vs. Missouri
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC

Kinder’s Texas Bowl

LSU vs. Houston
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN

Monday, Dec. 29

JLAB Birmingham Bowl

Georgia Southern vs. App State
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Tennessee vs. Illinois
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN

Valero Alamo Bowl

USC vs. TCU
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl

Iowa vs. Vanderbilt
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Arizona State vs. Duke
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Michigan vs. Texas
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Nebraska vs. Utah
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN

Friday, Jan. 2

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Rice vs. Texas State
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Navy vs. Cincinnati
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl

Arizona vs. SMU
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Dec. 24, 2025

    Frank Coyle/ Pro scout

Giants & Raiders Meet in the 2026 Draft Bowl

The first-round draft order is posted below with three games to go. Currently, the GMen hold the 1st overall selection at 2-13. They are tied with the Raiders and by chance play this week in Las Vegas. With only two games remaining on the regular season schedule, this game could be the deciding matchup of the year for the top overall selection.

Here is the current first-round draft order following the 49ers win Monday night over the Colts who were eliminated from the playoffs.
Tie breakers are broken first by strength of schedule, then by head to head matchups.

NFL Draft 2026 – First Round Order

Team                    W-L record

1          NY Giants                     2-13

2          Las Vegas                     2-13

3          Cleveland                      3-12

4          NY Jets                         3-12

5          Tennessee                    3-12

6          Arizona                         3-12

7          Washington                   4-11

8          New Orleans                 5-10

9          Cincinnati                      5-10

10         Miami                           6-9

11         LA Rams (Atlanta)         6-9

12         Kansas City                  6-9

13         Dallas                           6-8-1

14         Baltimore                      7-8

15         Minnesota                     7-8

16         Tampa Bay                   7-8

17         Detroit                           8-7

18         NY Jets (Indianapolis)    8-7

Playoff Teams as of Dec. 24th

19         Carolina                        8-7

20         Pittsburgh                     9-6

21         Dallas (Green Bay)        9-5-1

22         Philadelphia                   10-5

23         Houston                        10-5

24         Chicago                        11-4

25         LA Chargers                  11-4

26         Buffalo                          11-4

27         San Francisco               11-4

28         Cleveland (Jacksonville) 11-4

29         LA Rams                       11-4

30         New England                 12-3

31         Denver                          12-3

32         Seattle                          12-3

All ties in record are broken by current strength of schedule.

Atlanta, Green Bay, Jacksonville and Indianapolis all currently do not have 1st-round selections from prior deals.

March 11, 2026
The 2026 League Year and Free agency signing period begins at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Trading period for 2026 begins at 4:00 p.m. ET, after expiration of all 2025 contracts

Sooners Host Tide in CFP Opening Round

Oklahoma – Alabama Rematch Heads Opening Weekend Serie

The CFP series opens with a rematch of Oklahoma vs Alabama, following their exciting 23-21 Nov game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The game elevated the Sooners into the top ten selections and a home game in the opening round of the playoffs.

Sooner HC Brent Venables has assembled a top flight defense, ranking in the top few clubs in virtually every defensive statistic. This is a veteran group under the direction of Venables who took over defensive calls this season. They lead the nation in TFLs with 115 stops and tied with Texas A&M with 41 regular season sacks. Venables has directed this defensive unit with a front-line rotation to pressure an opponent for 60 minutes.

Bama is coming off their worst performance of the year with a thrashing at the hands of Georgia in the SEC Championship game. Alabama HC Kalen DeBoer has been under pressure since an opening day loss to Florida State. The Tide ran off an eight game winning streak before falling to Oklahoma in mid November. They rode the hot hand of QB Ty Simpson who directed this offense well despite a surprisingly subpar ground game. Simpson will have to have a big performance vs the Sooners who look to pressure the Tide QB from the opening bell.

Look for another close game with the Sooner defense dictating the tempo while Sooner QB John Mateer directs their balanced attack to another victory.

The Sooner/Bama matchup heads a group of four games where the winners play the four teams with byes, Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia and Texas Tech in the Quarterfinal round on the way to the National Championship on Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, FL.

College Football Playoff First Round Games

Friday, December 19, 2025
Matchup / Time / TV / Location

#9 Alabama @ #8 Oklahoma 8:00 PM    ABC/ESPN
Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK

Saturday, December 20, 2025

#10 Miami @ #7 Texas A&M 12:00 PM   ABC/ESPN
Kyle Field, College Station, TX

#11 Tulane @ #6 Ole Miss 3:30 PM         TNT
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS

#12 James Madison @ #5 Oregon 7:30 PM        TNT
Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR