David Pollack Picks Upset in First Round of College Football Playoff
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The College Football Playoff is almost here, starting Friday night and continuing through Saturday.
The first game of the tournament features the No. 8 seed, the Oklahoma Sooners (10-2), against the No. 9 seed, the Alabama Crimson Tide (10-3). Earlier this season, the Sooners faced the Crimson Tide and won 23-21, despite being outgained 406-212. A key factor in Oklahoma’s victory was its ability to force Alabama into three turnovers, including a pick-six. These turnovers directly contributed 17 of Oklahoma’s 23 points.
The betting line for this game has shifted several times, but currently, FanDuel Sportsbook has Oklahoma as a 1.5-point favorite at home. Despite this, college football analyst David Pollack announced on his podcast, “See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack,” that he is picking the Crimson Tide to win in the rematch.
“I don’t want to pick this game by any stretch of the imagination,” Pollack said. “If I’m being honest, I have no clue. So, it’s not like I’m going to go out on a limb. I said I wasn’t picking against Alabama the rest of the season; I picked Oklahoma to beat them last time. They outgained them by 200 yards; they lost the turnover battle 3-0. I think that turnover battle swings in pendulums… I’ve got Roll Tide. I think Bama gets a win in the playoff.”
The outcome of the game will largely depend on how well Alabama protects quarterback Ty Simpson. In the first game, he threw for 326 yards and one touchdown, but he also had one interception and was strip-sacked once. The Sooners recorded four sacks, even though they were without their star pass rusher, R Mason Thomas, who missed nearly the last four games of the season due to an injury sustained during the second defensive drive against Tennessee. He is expected to return this weekend.
With both teams entering the College Football Playoff carrying lessons from their regular-season matchup, the margin for error will be slim in Norman. Oklahoma’s defense will again look to create chaos, while Alabama aims to prove that efficiency and execution can overcome past mistakes. As kickoff approaches, the rematch sets up as a test of whether history repeats itself or finally swings the other way.
Oklahoma will take on Alabama at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday on ABC/ESPN.
Related: Brent Venables Reveals Injury Update on R Mason Ahead of College Football Playoff
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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