CFP 2025 first round kicks off with Oklahoma vs. Alabama–How to watch for free

The rematch that the college football world has been waiting for is finally here.

A little over a month ago, John Mateer’s Oklahoma Sooners visited Ty Simpson’s Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 15 and walked away with a decisive 23-21 victory.

Now, the clubs are meeting once again tonight at Norman, OK’s OU Memorial Stadium for a do-or-die first-round College Football Playoff matchup that will send the victor to the Rose Bowl for a date with the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.

And, even with the recent loss looming large on their minds, Alabama have even more chips stacked against them.

Ahead of the high-stakes contest, Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer announced that defensive lineman LT Overton is “doubtful for this weekend.” He also missed their 28-7 loss against Georgia in the SEC Championship.

Over the course of the two schools’ histories, the Sooners hold a 5-2-1 record dating back to 1962.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch Oklahoma vs. Alabama on ESPN for free.

Oklahoma vs. Alabama start time:

Oklahoma vs. Alabama is scheduled to kick off today (Dec. 19) at 8 p.m. ET.

How to watch Oklahoma vs. Alabama:

If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to stream the game for free.

DIRECTV is our top pick for watching college football live for free — its five-day free trial includes ESPN (plus many of the other channels you’ll need for the NCAA season). When the trial is over, you’ll pay as low as $49.99/month and gain access to over 90 live channels.

If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription, you can try a Sling Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN. Sling also offers weekend and week-long passes for its Orange plan, which offer between three and seven days of access.

College Football Playoff 2025-26 key dates

• First round (Dec. 19-20)
• Quarterfinals (Dec. 31 and Jan. 1)
  • Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET)
  • Orange Bowl (Jan. 1, 12 p.m. ET)
  • Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, 4 p.m. ET)
  • Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1, 8 p.m. ET)
• Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
  • Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m. ET)
  • Peach Bowl (Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET)
• National Championship (Jan. 19)