Today’s College Football Playoff Matchups: Intriguing Battles and Key Players

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is heating up. By the end of Saturday, the eight quarterfinalists will be set.

Five teams have already clinched their spots—Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech, and Alabama. The stage is set for an action-packed day of football.

Fans are buzzing, waiting to see who else will join these powerhouses in the race for the national championship. Today’s matchups? They’re loaded with drama, excitement, and probably a surprise or two.

Let’s take a closer look at these games and what might unfold.

Saturday’s Must-Watch CFP Matchups

Today’s CFP games feature a mix of first-time participants and seasoned contenders. Each team has its own storylines and key players to keep an eye on.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the games you probably don’t want to miss.

Miami Hurricanes vs. Texas A&M Aggies

Time/TV: Saturday, noon ET, ABC/ESPN

Why Watch: This one might be the most intriguing of the opening-round quartet. Both the Aggies and Hurricanes are making their debut in the 12-team field, thanks in large part to big September wins over Notre Dame.

Miami’s QB Carson Beck has been on big stages before during his time at Georgia. He’s talented, but he’s also shown he can make critical mistakes.

If Beck is dialed in, WR Malachi Toney could have a field day against an Aggies secondary that’s been shaky at times. On the flip side, Texas A&M’s DE Cashius Howell will be looking to throw Beck off his game.

Aggies’ QB Marcel Reed can be streaky, but he’s got a bunch of talented playmakers around him like WRs K.C. Concepcion and Mario Craver. The Hurricanes will counter with defensive threats like DE Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor.

Why It Could Disappoint: Both teams have enough firepower to keep it interesting, but if turnovers start piling up, this could get out of hand fast.

Ole Miss Rebels vs. Tulane Green Wave

Time/TV: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV

Why Watch: This is the second playoff meeting of teams that already faced off in the regular season. The first time, Ole Miss ran away with it 45-10.

But Tulane’s been hot lately, racking up double-digit wins in their last four games, including the American championship against North Texas. Tulane’s QB Jake Retzlaff spreads the ball around—he’s got at least five receivers with 23 or more catches.

He’ll need all of them to keep things moving against a tough Ole Miss defense led by DT Will Echoles. On offense, Ole Miss leans on QB Trinidad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy, who torched Tulane last time.

Tulane’s defense, often overmatched, relies on S Jack Tchienchou to be everywhere at once.

Why It Could Disappoint: Sequels don’t always deliver. If Tulane stumbles early, this could start to look a lot like their first meeting.

Oregon Ducks vs. James Madison Dukes

Time/TV: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, TNT/truTV

Why Watch: The Sun Belt champion Dukes have a mountain to climb in their playoff debut, taking on Oregon far from home. JMU’s not exactly complaining, though.

Their backfield duo—QB Alonza Barnett III and RB Wayne Knight—has been effective, converting nearly 48% on third down and chewing up the clock. Breaking through Oregon’s defense, led by LB Bryce Boettcher, is another story.

Oregon’s offense, with QB Dante Moore and RB Noah Whittington, is just as good at controlling the ball. The Ducks will need to keep an eye on JMU’s disruptive DE Sahir West.

Why It Could Disappoint: It’s not a rematch, but the first few possessions might decide everything. If Oregon jumps out early, this could be over before halftime.

Key Players to Watch

There are a handful of players who could totally change the game today:

• Carson Beck (Miami QB): Has big-game experience but sometimes makes costly errors.
• Malachi Toney (Miami WR): Could torch the Aggies’ secondary if Beck is sharp.
• Cashius Howell (Texas A&M DE): Wants to mess up Miami’s plans in the backfield.
• Marcel Reed (Texas A&M QB): Has plenty of weapons to work with.
• Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor (Miami DEs): Defensive anchors for the Hurricanes.
• Jake Retzlaff (Tulane QB): Needs all his receivers to show up against Ole Miss.
• Will Echoles (Ole Miss DT): Big presence in the middle for the Rebels.
• Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss QB and RB): Main cogs in the Rebels’ offense.
• Jack Tchienchou (Tulane S): The guy who always seems to be around the ball for Tulane.
• Alonza Barnett III and Wayne Knight (JMU QB and RB): JMU’s effective backfield tandem.
• Bryce Boettcher (Oregon LB): Key piece for the Ducks on defense.
• Dante Moore and Noah Whittington (Oregon QB and RB): Keep Oregon’s offense on schedule.
• Sahir West (JMU DE): JMU’s disruptive force up front.

What’s at Stake

The quarterfinals are almost here, so today’s matchups matter a lot. Winners will move on to join Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech, and Alabama in the next round.

That means they’re one step closer to the national championship. For first-timers like Miami and Texas A&M, making it through would be huge—maybe even a bit surreal.

Oregon’s been here before and probably expects to keep rolling. But you never know, right?

For more details on today’s matchups, check out the full preview on USA Today.