Alabama Advances in 2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket Update

In a wild first round of the College Football Playoff, the Alabama Crimson Tide pulled off an incredible comeback to take down the Oklahoma Sooners. Down 17-0 early, Alabama clawed back and ended up with a 34-24 win, making them the first team to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals in the new 12-team setup.

Next up? The Crimson Tide are staring down a tough matchup with top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers, who are led by Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. That game lands on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl—talk about a classic setting.

Alabama’s Remarkable Comeback

Alabama showed some real grit in Norman, shaking off a 17-point hole to tie things up by halftime. Their second quarter was huge—they outscored Oklahoma 17-7 and just kept rolling from there.

The third quarter saw Alabama pull ahead with a 10-0 run, and they never looked back. The final was 34-24, but it almost felt bigger than that.

Defense was the difference. After Oklahoma’s early fireworks, the Sooners just couldn’t get much going. Alabama’s adjustments shut them down, and John Mateer and company never found a rhythm again.

First Round Recap

With this win, Alabama became the first team to win a road game in the 12-team playoff format. That’s a bit of a milestone, considering last year every home team won in round one.

The rest of the first round still has three games set for Saturday, December 20:

• No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M (Noon ET, ABC)
• No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss (3:30 p.m. ET, TNT)
• No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT)

Upcoming Quarterfinal Matchups

The quarterfinals are shaping up to be a blast. Everyone left is fighting for a shot at the semis, and the games are stacked up for Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1:

• Miami/Texas A&M winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• James Madison/Oregon winner vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET, ESPN)
• No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Tulane/Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Georgia (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Alabama vs. Indiana: A Clash of Titans

People are buzzing about Alabama’s quarterfinal against Indiana. The Hoosiers haven’t just been good—they’ve been dominant, giving up more than 10 points only once in their last six games.

That defense? It just held Ohio State to 10 in the Big Ten title game. Pretty impressive, honestly.

Indiana’s the favorite, but Alabama’s no pushover. They’ve gone 5-2 against Top 25 teams, splitting with both Oklahoma and Georgia. If they start slow again, though, it could get ugly—Indiana’s not a team you want to spot a lead.

Key Players to Watch

There are a handful of guys you just can’t take your eyes off as the playoff rolls on. For Alabama, the defense is the story—they were the spark in the comeback against Oklahoma.

But let’s not forget the offense, especially when the pressure’s on. They’ll need to show up big.

Indiana’s got Fernando Mendoza steering the ship, and he’s been nothing short of electric all year. That Heisman wasn’t a fluke. Their defense is stingy, too, and they’ll have to keep it up to slow down Alabama’s attack.

What to Expect Moving Forward

The playoff’s already given us some wild moments, and it feels like things are just heating up. The quarterfinals should be tense, high-stakes affairs—everyone’s chasing that last ticket to the semis and, maybe, a shot at the title.

Semifinals are set for Thursday, January 8, and Friday, January 9. The national championship wraps it all up on Monday, January 19. Every snap, every call, every little thing will matter from here on out. Should be a heck of a ride to the finish.

Conclusion

Alabama pulled off a wild comeback against Oklahoma. Now they’re set to face the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers in the quarterfinals.

The first round of the College Football Playoff is wrapping up. Fans are buzzing about which teams will grab those last semifinal spots.

Want more details on the playoff bracket and matchups? Check out the Bleacher Report.