The pairings, networks and times for the College Football Playoff will be revealed on the selection show, Sunday 9 a.m. PT on ESPN.
**Previous editions of this story listed incorrect time and network information for Oregon's playoff schedule. The No. 5 Oregon Ducks will host James Madison at Autzen Stadium on Saturday December 20 on TNT and HBO Max.
The Ducks are a 20.5-point favorite. Should they win, they will travel to the Orange Bowl to take on No. 4 Texas Tech on January 1, 9 a.m. PT from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, televised on ESPN. Autzen Zoo regrets the error.**
At the Tennessean, the venerable Nashville newspaper publishing from 1801 West End Avenue, owned by the Gannett conglomerate, sports reporter Nick Gray posted the odds to win the College Football Playoff:
2026 National Championship Odds, from BetMGM
Ohio State — +225
Indiana — +300
Georgia — +750
Oregon — +900
Notre Dame — +900
Texas Tech — +1000
Texas A&M — +1500
Alabama — +2000
Ole Miss — +3000
Miami (FL) — +6600
Oklahoma — +6600
Duke — +20000
Tulane — +50000
Though it won't be official for two hours, (The internet can't wait until then, preferring to endlessly speculate on everything.) Oregon is likely to be the No. 5 seed, hosting James Madison in the first round.
If they win that game they will face Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day at Hard Rock Stadium, placing the two teams from the West in an early morning game in the Southeast.
**Update: Inexplicably, the committee assigned Oregon and Texas Tech to the Orange Bowl at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN January 1 instead of the Cotton Bowl, where it would have drawn a bigger and more raucous crowd. Provided, of course, the Ducks handle business against JMU.**
Odds for the first-round game against James Madison have not been released yet, but the Ducks will be about a three-touchdown favorite.
Oregon played at Texas Tech in 2023, winning a four-quarter thriller 38-30 behind 359 yards passing from Bo Nix and Jeffrey Bassa's 45-yard interception return for a touchdown in the final minute.
The Red Raiders are vastly improved since then, Big 12 Champions at 12-1 after soaking BYU 34-7 Saturday. Linebackers David Bailey, Romello Height and Jacob Rodriguez lead a defense that bludgeoned the conference with 39 sacks. In the title game linebacker Ben Roberts snared two interceptions.