College Football Playoff 2025-26: Rules, Rankings, Byes and How It All Works

In 2014, the College Football Playoffs were introduced. Four teams made the playoff field for the first ten years, which included two semifinal matches and a national championship game. For the 2024–25 season, the following is the updated, expanded format to be aware of:

12 teams will be selected to the Playoff field, with the selection committee’s five highest-ranked conference champions earning automatic bids
The four highest-ranked teams regardless of conference champion status will receive the top four seeds in the playoff and a first-round bye.
- In the inaugural 12-team playoff in 2024, the four highest-ranked conference champions were seeded 1-4 and each will received a first-round bye
Teams seeded 5-12 will play each other in the first round on the home field of the higher-ranked team

The six bowls that alternate between the quarterfinals and semifinals are Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, and Sugar. Around the New Year’s holiday, both semifinals will take place, and at least a week later, the national championship game will take place on a Monday night. The CFP schedule for the first two years is shown below.

2025-26 College Football Playoff round-by-round schedule

First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
- Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
- One game | Friday, Dec. 19
- Three games | Saturday, Dec. 20
Quarterfinal sites:
- Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
- Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN
- Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Semifinal sites:
- Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
CFP National Championship Game:
- Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 (in Miami, Florida) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Here is everything you need to know about the postseason schedule that was created by Notre Dame’s athletic director and the commissioners of the 11 major college football conferences.

Who makes the rankings for the College Football Playoffs?

The CFP selection committee consists of 13 members. It is made up of individuals who have worked as journalists, coaches, athletes, college administrators, and athletic directors.

A proposal for a new 12-team College Football Playoff was endorsed by a committee of university presidents. The College Football Playoff Board of Managers decided in 2024 to change the 12-team CFP field’s start to a 5-7 format starting with the 2024–25 season.

How often are the rankings announced?

The Selection Committee members will meet weekly to produce rankings. The committee’s rankings will be announced on ESPN. Here’s the schedule for the 2025-26 season:

8-8:45 p.m. | ET Tuesday, Nov. 4
7-8 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Nov. 11
8:30-9 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Nov. 18
7-8 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Nov. 25
7-7:30 p.m. ET | Tuesday, Dec. 2
12-3 p.m. ET | Sunday, Dec. 7 (Selection Day)

How will teams be ranked by the committee?

According to the CFP website: “The selection committee ranks the teams based on the members’ evaluation of the teams’ performance on the field, using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparison of results against common opponents to decide among teams that are comparable.”

What is the voting procedure?

According to the CFP website, it begins like this: “Each committee member will create a list of the 30 teams he or she believes to be the best in the country, in no particular order. Teams listed by three or more members will remain under consideration. At the conclusion of any round, other teams can be added to the group of teams under consideration by a vote of three or more members.”

Where and when are the games played?

In accordance with the CFP, “College Football Playoff Semifinal games rotate among the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Game, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl.”