College Football Playoff picks: Predictions against the spread, odds, betting lines for first-round games
Get expert picks and predictions for the first-round games of the College Football Playoff
Debate over the teams selected for the College Football Playoff hasn't fully subsided yet. In fact, it could intensify depending on the first-round results. But as the fallout from Selection Sunday continues, the focus finally shifts to CFP action on the field.
By Saturday night, the 12-team field will be cut to eight and the quarterfinal matchups will be set.
The first round opens Friday night with No. 8 Oklahoma hosting No. 9 Alabama in an SEC rematch of a game the Sooners won 23-21 earlier this season. The second chapter of the chess match between Oklahoma's defensive-minded coach Brent Venables and Alabama's offensive-minded coach Kalen DeBoer should make for a compelling opener.
Saturday's slate is highlighted by a noon Eastern kickoff between No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami, as the Hurricanes hit the road looking to validate their inclusion after securing the final at-large berth over Notre Dame. Miami will face a stiff test against Texas A&M's raucous "12th Man" crowd at Kyle Field.
The day's final two games feature Group of Five teams attempting to defy long odds. In the afternoon, No. 11 Tulane travels to No. 6 Ole Miss seeking to avenge a 45-10 loss to the Rebels in September. The nightcap pits No. 5 Oregon against No. 12 James Madison in a David vs. Goliath matchup between the well-funded Ducks and a Dukes program in just its fourth season at the FBS level.
Here are the CBS Sports expert predictions for each of the first-round matchups.
No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma
Friday 8:00 p.m. on ABC/ESPN, fuboTV (try for free): Alabama should have beaten Oklahoma the first time, but turnovers -- and the lack of a rushing attack -- doomed the Tide. I'm not expecting drastic changes for the Tide's offense overnight, but they're healthier and have the better quarterback. Oklahoma is an underdog at home for the first time this season and the total (40.5) is the lowest in any CFP game ever. The under has hit in Alabama's last five games and Oklahoma is 10-2. I'm not sure I'd touch the total, but I just don't see Alabama losing to a team for the second time. Pick: Alabama -1 -- Brandon Marcello
No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M
Saturday noon on ABC/ESPN, fuboTV (try for free):The matchup between Texas A&M and Miami is a true heavyweight battle. Both teams have the upside to win the national championship if things break right, and the first round will be an important stress test. Miami quarterback Carson Beck has the experience edge, but Texas A&M's offense has an explosive component that will prove to be the difference in College Station. Pick: Texas A&M -3.5 -- Shehan Jeyarajah
No 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Tulane
Saturday 3:30 p.m. on TNT/Max: Tulane is better than the 35-point whupping it received back in September. And with all the change and drama Ole Miss has experienced in the last month, it is easy to see how this result will be closer. But even with all that said, I don't see how Tulane pulls off the upset in Oxford. The team is fired up to play for new head coach Pete Golding. Ole Miss fans have been waiting for a moment like this their whole lives and the Rebels are simply too talented for Tulane to keep up. Take the Rebels. Pick: Ole Miss -17.5 -- John Talty
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 12 James Madison
Saturday 7:30 p.m. on on TNT/Max: A staple of the Dan Lanning era at Oregon is that when the Ducks are decidedly more talented than their opponent, they leave no doubt of it on the scoreboard. James Madison is far better than the trio of non-conference foes that Oregon pounded into the dirt by a combined score of 169-23, but is it really much stronger than the Big Ten bottom-dwellers that stood no chance against this powerhouse, either? The Dukes fell by two touchdowns in their lone regular-season matchup against a Power Four team, and this one should be even more lopsided than the 28-14 loss to Louisville. Pick: Oregon -21.5 -- Carter Bahns
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