The College Football Playoff is finally here with four first round games set to take place this weekend. Five of the eight teams playing are making their first-ever CFP appearance, as all eight will be fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Last season’s first round matchups all ended in double-digit victories, so let’s hope for some more competitive and exciting games this time around in these on-campus matchups. Here are three storylines to watch in this weekend’s College Football Playoff first round games.
Can Oklahoma’s defense play hero ball again vs Alabama?
It’s no secret that Oklahoma’s defense has been the backbone of the Sooners all season. The offense has struggled to find consistent success since John Mateer’s early return from hand surgery, but Brent Venables’ defense has helped pick up the slack and carry Oklahoma into the College Football Playoff.
One of the big wins that helped secure a playoff spot and home game came back in Week 12 against this same Alabama team. Despite being outgained by 194 yards, the Sooners pulled out a victory in Tuscaloosa thanks to three forced turnovers by their defense.
Oklahoma has been winning with defense all season, and it will need to rise to the occasion once again on the biggest stage this team has faced this year if the Sooners want to beat Alabama for a second time. The last time Kalen DeBoer and the Tide visited Norman, Oklahoma held Alabama to just three points and forced three turnovers in an upset that kept Alabama out of the playoff last season.
Can Carson Beck and Miami handle Kyle Field?
With Carson Beck at quarterback, a guy who has earned a reputation for struggling in big games and high-pressure moments, traveling to Kyle Field, one of the most intimidating environments in college football, this feels like a potential recipe for disaster for Miami.
That said, Beck has been steady for much of the season and finished the year playing some of his best football. He had two impressive road performances to close the regular season, throwing for a combined 587 yards and seven touchdowns against Virginia Tech and Pitt to help the Hurricanes sneak into the playoff.
However, those environments are nothing in comparison to what Beck will face in College Station along with a talented Mike Elko Texas A&M defense. It will be fascinating to see how the veteran QB performs in his first-ever College Football Playoff start. This matchup has all the makings of a classic, with an atmosphere that can only be found in college football.
Can either Tulane or James Madison keep it close?
Tulane and James Madison have taken plenty of criticism for being in the playoff, but it's not their fault for being here. With all the negative outside noise surrounding these teams, they should enter these matchups playing hungry and loose. It would not surprise me to see one of them come out hot and find themselves in a close game.
Tulane did lose by 35 to Ole Miss earlier in the season, but this is college football where anything is possible. This will also be the Rebels first game without head coach Lane Kiffin, which introduces several unknowns for both the players and the coaching staff.
James Madison has been on the winning end of several blowouts this season, but in their lone matchup against a Power Conference opponent, they suffered a 14-point loss to Louisville. However, that was a close game that JMU was very competitive in as it was tied heading into the fourth quarter. Also, starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III, whose legs are a massive part of the Dukes’ offense, was not fully healthy for that one. Still, Louisville is nowhere near the challenge James Madison will face on Saturday night against the Oregon Ducks. With all the blowouts we saw in last year’s first round and point spreads of 17.5 for Tulane/Ole Miss and 21.5 for JMU/Oregon, let’s just hope one of these underdogs can keep it close and put on an entertaining, competitive game.