We’re heading into the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal with four fantastic games set to kick off on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The First Round saw two upsets, as Alabama erased a 17-0 deficit to beat No. 8 Oklahoma in Norman, while the Miami Hurricanes grinded out an ugly 10-3 road win over No. 7 Texas A&M.
Now, we’ve got eight teams left competing for the National Championship. All remaining matchups will be played at neutral site locations at some of the most iconic and historic bowl game venues.
Miami and Ohio State kick off from the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on New Year’s Eve with the Buckeyes laying -9.5. New Year’s Day has a triple header, with Oregon favored -1.5 against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Indiana is a -6.5 point favorite against Alabama at the Rose Bowl, followed by Georgia laying -6.5 against Ole Miss during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome.
Here are my latest power rankings for the upcoming 2026 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more college football betting analysis and free picks.
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College Football Power Rankings: College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
| Ohio State | 1 |
| Indiana | 2 |
| Georgia | 3 |
| Texas Tech | 4 |
| Oregon | 5 |
| Alabama | 6 |
| Ole Miss | 7 |
| Miami (FL) | 8 |
1. Ohio State
The Buckeyes have a winning pedigree and seek their second straight National Championship under head coach Ryan Day. Ohio State’s top-ranked scoring defense is going to be a huge obstacle for opponents, starting with Miami, which only managed to score 10 points during its win over Texas A&M in the First Round.
QB Julian Sayin was a Heisman Trophy finalist due to his accuracy and production as a passer within Ohio State’s loaded offense. Expect Sayin and the rest of the Buckeyes’ offense to be a potent, well-balanced blend that will give any remaining defense fits on the gridiron.
2. Indiana
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza is fresh off winning the Heisman Trophy. Now, he’ll look to lead the Hoosiers to a playoff win over the Alabama Crimson Tide at the Rose Bowl.
Under second-year head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana went undefeated and rattled off multiple comeback wins on the road. Their biggest win came in Eugene against Oregon earlier this season, while they just held Ohio State to 10 points to win the Big Ten Championship Game.
Ranked fourth in scoring offense and second in scoring defense, Indiana is capable of winning its final three games to hoist the program’s first National Championship trophy.
3. Georgia
Georgia is another dominant program that has achieved considerable success under head coach Kirby Smart. Defensively, the Bulldogs are a matchup nightmare, ranked ninth in scoring defense, while limiting their last four opponents to 10 points or fewer.
On offense, QB Gunner Stockton carries a 70.7 percent completion rate and nearly a 5:1 touchdown to interception ratio, while recording eight rushing touchdowns as a ball carrier. RB Nate Frazier is averaging 5.4 YPC, and WR1 Zachariah Branch is capable of making explosive plays anywhere on the football field.
They handed Ole Miss its only loss of 2025 earlier this year. Now, Georgia is set for a rematch against a Rebels team that no longer has Lane Kiffin on the sidelines. Expect another win by the Bulldogs to advance to the College Football Playoff Semifinal.
4. Texas Tech
Playing in the Big 12 means Texas Tech is being undervalued and discounted against No. 5 Oregon ahead of the Orange Bowl. The Red Raiders rank second in scoring offense, averaging 42.5 points per game, while their stout defense is ranked third in points allowed per game at 10.9.
LB Jacob Rodriguez headlines the defense, while QB Behren Morton and running backs Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams have combined for 20 rushing touchdowns with a 5.5 YPC average. Morton has only thrown four interceptions this season and could exploit an Oregon secondary that gave up several explosive plays against James Madison in the First Round.
Texas Tech’s defense is the key factor in the Orange Bowl against the Ducks. Rodriguez and company have held five of their last six opponents under 10 points, including top-ranked BYU twice. Expect a potential upset by the Red Raiders over Oregon in their College Football Playoff debut.
5. Oregon
The Ducks have an edge with head coach Dan Lanning at the helm. He’s a great motivator and has assembled an offense loaded with depth and talent in the backfield and along the perimeter.
QB Dante Moore has made big strides during his first year as a starter for the Ducks. He has been prone to turnovers and miscues, which he’ll have to avoid committing against an elite Texas Tech defense.
Oregon has scored 42 or more points in three of its last four games played. Offense isn’t the issue. The defense has some weaknesses to address, namely on the ground, allowing Washington and James Madison to average 4.7 and 5.3 YPC.
6. Alabama
Alabama’s freshman QB, Ty Simpson, is coming off his best game of the season against Oklahoma. Simpson has thrown for 3,500 yards, 28 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. Against a stout Oklahoma defense, the Crimson Tide’s QB1 delivered a stellar performance, finishing with a pair of touchdown passes and no interceptions.
On defense, head coach Kalen DeBoer’s unit has developed into a formidable lineup. Alabama has held six of its last seven opponents under 3.5 YPC, while the pass defense still has room for improvement.
The Crimson Tide are a +6.5 point underdog against No. 1 Indiana at the Rose Bowl. It’s definitely a game that Alabama can win, containing Indiana’s run game, while giving Simpson enough time to make precision passes to counter a fairly stale rushing attack.
7. Ole Miss
Ole Miss proved it belongs in the College Football Playoff, even without its former head coach, by pummeling Tulane for a second time this season. The Rebels, led by QB Trinidad Chambliss, draw another rematch against No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, catching +6.5 on the point spread.
The only loss of the season came on the road against Georgia, as Ole Miss lost a high-scoring affair, 43-35. Defense has been the issue for the Rebels, allowing 420-440 yards of offense in back-to-back games against Mississippi State and Tulane.
Chambliss is an excellent passer and decision-maker in the pocket. He’s also an effective ball carrier, forcing Georgia into tough decisions on how to contain his dual-threat ability. RB Kewan Lacy is a workhorse, recording 5.0 YPC and 21 rushing touchdowns for Ole Miss in 2025.
Chambliss and Lacy will need to bring their best against Georgia to pull off the upset. Don’t count on Ole Miss to play great defensively, as they haven’t played a top-tier offense like Georgia in nearly two months.
8. Miami (FL)
Miami’s defense won its First Round matchup against Texas A&M. The Hurricanes’ stout front held the Aggies to three points on the road, which they’ll need again to have any chance to upset Ohio State in the Quarterfinal.
QB Carson Beck has had a volatile 2025 campaign. He can be highly productive, but the Hurricanes’ QB1 missed multiple touchdown passes in the red zone against Texas A&M. Beck is also prone to turnovers, which will put Miami behind schedule against the nation’s top-ranked scoring defense.
Miami’s defense under head coach Mario Cristobal is the best unit to lean on if they want to beat Ohio State. Beck and the Miami offense will need to find a way to establish a run game that has failed to generate a ton of production in its last six outings.
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
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