The first round of the College Football Playoff is in the books, and it altered the perception around a couple of controversial bubble teams that endured unseemly struggles in the not-too-distant past. No. 9 seed Alabama and No. 10 seed Miami went on the road and won in hostile environments over No. 8 seed Oklahoma and No. 7 seed Texas A&M, respectively.
In the process, they justified — to a not insiginicant degree — their places in the bracket after both snuck in over a snubbed Notre Dame team. Had either lost, the ire of Notre Dame fans enraged by the Fighting Irish’s exclusion would only have intensified.Â
Instead, frustration for those on the wrong side of the bubble for the 12-team field will be further directed at a system that allowed two Group of Five teams into the field. The struggles of both No. 11 seed Tulane and No. 12 seed James Madison in lopsided losses will only give fuel to the faction of college football’s ecosystem yearning to tweak a format that guarantees access to the five highest-ranked conference champions.
JMU recovered from an early 34-3 deficit to go toe-to-toe with Oregon in the second half of a 51-34 loss, but it never truly threatened the Ducks. Tulane was just as hapless in a 41-10 loss at Ole Miss as it was in a 45-10 loss against the Rebels in September.
Against that backdrop, we are handing out grades evaluating all eight teams that played in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
No. 5 seed Oregon
Grade:Â A-
Result:Â 51-34 win vs. James Madison
Oregon hit peak form offensively while generating a lethal barrage of big plays in a dominant first half. With quarterback Dante Moore dialed in and an improving bill of health for a talented receiver group, the Ducks look primed to be a problem for the rest of the field. The second half was sloppy, but don’t let an unfocused garbage time performance distract from the capacity for greatness the Ducks showed while putting the game out of reach.
No. 6 seed Ole Miss
Grade:Â A
Result: 41-10 win vs. Tulane
Ole Miss looked totally undaunted by the departure of Lane Kiffin, as its offense started and ended with a vengeance. Star quarterback Trinidad Chambliss overcame an injury scare to produce three touchdowns and more than 300 yards of offense as the Rebels cruised into a quarterfinal showdown with Georgia. The Rebels allowed 400 yards, but they produced four fourth-down stops and made everything hard on the Green Wave.
No. 7 seed Texas A&M
Grade:Â C-
Result:Â 10-3 loss vs. Miami
A&M reached Miami territory five times but totaled just three points as the Aggies wasted a strong effort from their defense with an inexplicable failure to score. An A&M fumble recovery near midfield with 7:11 remaining positioned the Aggies perfectly to break a 3-3 tie. Instead, they stalled out and punted. The defense finally broke, allowing a 56-yard Mark Fletcher Jr. run that changed the complexion of a game Texas A&M had ample opportunity to win.
No. 8 seed Oklahoma
Grade:Â C
Result:Â 34-24 loss vs. Alabama
Oklahoma backed Alabama into a corner, only to let the Crimson Tide off the hook with a series of devastating miscues. Previously reliable punter Grayson Miller suffered through a night to forget, and quarterback John Mateer threw a devastating pick six to cap an otherwise encouraging first half. The Sooners’ vaunted defense, which had produced nine turnovers over the previous four games, never forced one against the Crimson Tide.
No. 9 seed Alabama
Grade:Â A-
Result:Â 34-24 win at Oklahoma
Alabama showed a ton of grit in battling back from a 17-0 deficit inside a hostile environment to avenge a November loss to Oklahoma. Receivers Lotzeir Brooks and Germie Bernard made highlight-reel plays in the passing game, and a struggling rushing attack came through in key situations. The defense overcame a poor start and played at an elite level over the final 2.5 quarters. Their effort was highlighted by Zabien Brown’s 50-yard, game-tying pick six late in the first half.
No. 10 seed Miami
Grade:Â B+
Result:Â 10-3 win at Texas A&M
Miami’s defense rose to the occasion in a memorable way by holding Texas A&M to its fewest points in a home game since 2002. The Hurricanes ravaged the Aggies with seven sacks before Bryce Fitzgerald produced a game-saving interception in the final minute. The ‘Canes passing attack was missing, but Mark Fletcher Jr. saved the day with a huge fourth quarter on the ground.Â
No. 11 seed Tulane
Grade:Â D
Result:Â 41-10 loss at Ole Miss
Tulane came up scoreless on two early trips to Ole Miss territory and fell behind 14-0 against a Rebels offense that started hot. The Green Wave steadied the ship and had a chance to make things interesting in the third quarter, but the early deficit proved insurmountable against an SEC foe with superior talent. All told, Tulane’s first seven trips to Ole Miss territory yielded only a field goal before the Green Wave tacked on a garbage time touchdown to cap a disappointing performance.
No. 12 seed James Madison
Grade:Â C
Result:Â 51-34 loss at Oregon
James Madison emerged with just three points from red-zone trips on its first two drives while ceding its minuscule margin for error. Defensively, the Dukes were no match for the Ducks’ explosive attack in the first half, as Oregon shredded JMU with five straight touchdown drives of five plays or less to start the game. Penalties and a blocked field goal attempt only magnified the Dukes’ talent shortfall before they finally settled down and played a competitive second half.