The first College Football Playoff game tips off tonight with Alabama at Oklahoma. Fans have already submitted thousands of brackets in challenges across sites like NCAA.com and ESPN. Early data shows clear favorites to win the national championship on Jan. 19 in Miami Gardens.
Here are the most popular national champion picks as of December 19 (based on NCAA Bracket Challenge entries and other public polls).
Top Champion Picks
- Indiana (28-30%)
The No. 1 seed Hoosiers lead most public brackets. A strong regular season, the top seed, and a first-round bye make Indiana the consensus favorite. Many pick them to reach the title game from the easier side of the bracket. - Ohio State (24-26%)
The No. 2 seed Buckeyes sit close behind. Another bye helps, and voters trust the talent level even after an up-and-down finish. Ohio State often gets picked to beat Indiana in a potential semifinal. - Georgia (20-22%)
The No. 3 seed Bulldogs round out the top three. The defending champs (in many minds) have playoff pedigree and a favorable path with a bye. - Texas Tech (12-15%)
The No. 4 seed Red Raiders get solid support thanks to the bye and home-field potential in later rounds. - Oregon (8-10%)
The No. 5 seed Ducks draw votes as a high-powered offense capable of running the table if they handle James Madison tonight.
Lower seeds like Alabama, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M each get single-digit percentages. Cinderella picks for Tulane, Miami, or James Madison sit under 1%.
What Tonight’s Game Means
A win for Alabama or Oklahoma shifts the bracket dramatically. An Alabama road victory opens a clearer path for bye teams on that side. An Oklahoma home win keeps more chaos potential alive.
One upset tonight could drop thousands of perfect brackets right away. Check the live tracker after the game.
Ready to lock in your champion?
Who is your national champion pick heading into tonight’s kickoff? Share in the comments.
Track perfect brackets live here: NCAA Perfect Bracket Tracker
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