College Football Playoff 2025: Schedule, Format and Ranking Process

The 2014 season saw the start of the College Football Playoff era. Four teams were chosen to compete in the playoffs for the first ten years, which included two semifinal matches and a national championship match. Here is the updated, extended format to be aware of beginning in the 2024–25 season:

The top five conference champions received automatic bids from the selection committee, and 12 teams will be chosen to compete in the playoffs.
The top four playoff spots and a first-round bye will go to the top four-ranked teams, regardless of whether they are conference champions.
- 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

Cotton, Fiesta, Orange, Peach, Rose, and Sugar are the six bowls that alternate between the quarterfinals and semifinals. The national title game will take place on a Monday night at least a week after the semifinals, which will take place around the New Year’s holiday. The first two years’ CFP schedule 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. The members are listed here.

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 frequently do they release the rankings?

The members of the Selection Committee will meet once a week to produce rankings. The ranks of the committee will be revealed on ESPN. The schedule for 2025–2026 is as follows:

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.”

How does the voting process work?

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.”

When and where do the games take place?

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