2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket: Projected Field & Format

CFP Bracket projection based on first Committee Rankings released November 4, 2025. Will be updated weekly through Selection Sunday on December 7, 2025.

The College Football Playoff committee dropped its first rankings of the 2025 season on November 4, and Ohio State claimed the top spot. The Buckeyes lead an unbeaten trio with Indiana at No. 2 and Texas A&M at No. 3.

The 2025-26 season marks year two of the expanded 12-team playoff. After the first rankings release, only four FBS teams remain undefeated. The committee made it clear that the Big Ten and SEC are ruling college football this year.

One major format change from last year: the four highest-ranked teams get first-round byes, period. Conference championships don’t guarantee a bye anymore. This fixes last year’s wonky seeding that saw all four bye teams lose their opening games.

First-round games will be played on campus on Dec. 19-20. Quarterfinals take place at bowl sites on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, followed by the semifinals at the Fiesta and Peach Bowls on Jan. 8-9. The national championship is set for Jan. 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

First CFP Rankings – Top 25

Here are the complete College Football Playoff rankings released November 4, 2025:

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Current CFP Bracket Based on First Rankings

Using the committee’s first rankings, here’s how the playoff bracket would look today:

Projected Conference Champions:

• SEC: Georgia
• Big Ten: Ohio State
• ACC: Virginia
• Big 12: BYU
• Group of Five: Memphis

Projected 12-Team Field (Based on CFP Rankings):

1. Ohio State (Big Ten champion) – BYE
2. Indiana (at-large) – BYE
3. Texas A&M (at-large) – BYE
4. Alabama (at-large) – BYE
5. Georgia (SEC champion)
6. Ole Miss (at-large)
7. BYU (Big 12 champion)
8. Texas Tech (at-large)
9. Oregon (at-large)
10. Notre Dame (at-large)
11. Virginia (ACC champion)
12. Memphis (Group of Five champion)

Projected First-Round CFP Matchups

Based on the first CFP rankings, here are the projected first-round matchups:

Key Storylines From First Rankings

Big Ten and SEC Dominate
The committee sent a clear message. The Big Ten and SEC claimed six of the top seven spots and nine of the top 15. The Big Ten placed seven teams in the rankings while the SEC landed nine.

Texas A&M Controls Its Destiny
The Aggies sit at No. 3 as the SEC’s only unbeaten team. They face tough road tests at Missouri this week and at Texas on Black Friday. Win out and they’re guaranteed a top-four seed.

Indiana’s Historic Season
The Hoosiers earned the No. 2 ranking, their highest ever in any major poll. At 9-0, they’re crushing opponents by an average of 33 points per game.

BYU vs. Texas Tech Showdown
The No. 7 Cougars visit No. 8 Texas Tech this Saturday in the first top-10 Big 12 matchup since 2021. College GameDay will be in Lubbock for this massive clash that could determine the Big 12 champion.

CFB Championship Odds After First Rankings

The betting markets shifted after the committee revealed its rankings:

Who Gets First-Round Byes?

Under the new format, the top four teams in the final CFP rankings get byes. Conference championships don’t guarantee a bye anymore. Based on the first rankings, here’s who would earn those coveted spots:

How the 12-Team College Football Playoff Works in 2025-26

The format stays mostly the same as last year, with one crucial change. The 12 teams include the five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee, plus the seven highest-ranked remaining teams.

The big difference? The four highest-ranked teams overall get first-round byes, not just conference champions. This means Notre Dame could earn a bye if they’re ranked high enough. It also prevents a situation where a lower-ranked conference champion gets a bye over stronger teams.

The bracket structure:

• No. 12 at No. 5
• No. 11 at No. 6
• No. 10 at No. 7
• No. 9 at No. 8

Winners advance to face the top four seeds in the quarterfinals. The bracket doesn’t reseed. It follows a fixed path to the championship game.

The quarterfinals rotate among four New Year’s Six bowls. This year it’s the Cotton, Orange, Rose, and Sugar Bowls. The Fiesta and Peach Bowls host the semifinals on Jan. 8-9.

The national championship game moves to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.

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Last Year’s Inaugural 12-Team Playoff Bracket

For context on how wild the playoff can get, here’s what happened in the first-ever 12-team bracket:

Ohio State’s run from the 8-seed to the title proved that getting a bye isn’t everything. The Buckeyes knocked off Tennessee at home, then beat Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame to claim their first championship since 2014.

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CFP Frequently Asked Questions

When Are the Next CFP Rankings Released?

The committee releases updated rankings every Tuesday through December 2. The next rankings drop on November 11, followed by updates on November 18, November 25, and December 2. The final bracket and seedings will be revealed on Selection Sunday, December 7, 2025.

Where Are the College Football Playoffs This Year?

The first-round games take place on the campus of the higher-seeded team on Dec. 19-20, 2025. The quarterfinals rotate among the Cotton, Orange, Rose, and Sugar Bowls on Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026.

The semifinals are at the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl on Jan. 8-9, 2026. The national championship game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.

When Are the College Football Playoffs?

The first-round games kick off on Friday, Dec. 19 and Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. The quarterfinals are on Dec. 31, 2025 and Jan. 1, 2026.

Both national semifinal games (the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl) will be played on Jan. 8-9, 2026. The 2025-26 College Football Playoff concludes with the National Championship Game at 7:30 pm ET on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami.

How Do Teams Qualify for the College Football Playoff?

Under the 12-team format, the field consists of the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven highest-ranked teams as determined by the CFP selection committee.

There are no limits on teams per conference. The Big Ten or SEC could theoretically place five or six teams if they’re ranked high enough. The selection committee continues to rank teams using the same protocols as before.

Who Won Last Year’s National Championship?

Ohio State defeated Notre Dame 34-23 to win the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta. The Buckeyes became the first 8-seed to win it all, proving that first-round byes aren’t necessary for a title run.

It marked Ohio State’s first national championship since 2014 and validated Ryan Day after years of criticism. The Buckeyes ran through Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame in succession.

When Is the College Football Playoff Expanding Again?

While the playoff stays at 12 teams for 2025-26, expansion talks are already heating up. The Big Ten has floated proposals for 24 or even 28 teams starting as early as 2026.

Under one proposal, the Big Ten and SEC would each get seven automatic bids. Most analysts think this is too aggressive, but expect the playoff to grow beyond 12 teams within the next few years.

Who Is on the College Football Playoff Selection Committee?

The 13-member committee for 2025-26 includes several changes from last year:

*Denotes committee chair.

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