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

CFP Bracket projection following Week 3 results. Will be updated weekly through Selection Sunday on December 7, 2025.

The 2025-26 season marks year two of the expanded 12-team playoff. After Ohio State stormed from the 8-seed to win it all last year, the Buckeyes have strengthened their grip on the top spot through three weeks.

One major format change: the four highest-ranked teams get first-round byes, regardless of conference championships. 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.

The final CFP Rankings will be released on Dec. 7 following conference championship weekend.

Early CFP Playoff Picture

Week 3 brought absolute chaos. Georgia Tech stunned Clemson 24-21 on a last-second field goal. Vanderbilt demolished South Carolina 31-7. Texas A&M pulled off a thriller at Notre Dame 41-40. The playoff picture changed dramatically in just one weekend.

Following the mayhem, here’s how the Week 4 AP Poll shapes the playoff conversation:

Looking to bet on a team to win the National Championship? Check out the best college football betting apps for the CFP.

Key Storylines

Georgia Tech delivered the weekend’s biggest stunner. Aidan Birr drilled a 55-yard field goal as time expired to beat Clemson 24-21. That’s the longest kick in program history, and it dropped Clemson completely out of the rankings at 1-2.

Texas A&M’s huge road win at Notre Dame changes everything. Marcel Reed found Nate Boerkircher for the game-winner with 13 seconds left in a 41-40 thriller. The Aggies rocketed to No. 10 while Notre Dame fell to 0-2 and barely held on at No. 24.

The coaching carousel is spinning early. UCLA fired DeShaun Foster and Virginia Tech dismissed Brent Pry after 0-3 starts. Both schools got blown out at home in Week 3, triggering the earliest Power Four firings in recent memory.

Early CFP Bracket Projections

Based on Week 4 AP rankings and early results, here’s our current playoff projection:

Conference Champions (Projected):

• SEC: Georgia
• Big Ten: Ohio State
• ACC: Miami
• Big 12: Iowa State
• Group of Five: Tulane

Projected 12-Team Field:

1. Ohio State (Big Ten champion) – BYE
2. Penn State (at-large) – BYE
3. LSU (at-large) – BYE
4. Miami (ACC champion) – BYE
5. Georgia (SEC champion)
6. Oregon (at-large)
7. Florida State (at-large)
8. Texas (at-large)
9. Illinois (at-large)
10. Texas A&M (at-large)
11. Iowa State (Big 12 champion)
12. Tulane (Group of Five champion)

Projected First-Round CFP Matchups

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

CFB Championship Odds and Playoff Projections

The betting markets have shifted again after Week 3’s chaos:

Keys to Watch

Notre Dame’s Playoff Hopes
At 0-2, the Irish are all but eliminated from playoff contention. Without a conference championship to fall back on, they need to win out and get massive help.

Clemson’s Collapse
The Tigers are 1-2 for the first time since 2014 and completely out of the rankings. Their ACC and playoff hopes are on life support.

Texas A&M Rising
The Aggies’ road win at Notre Dame was their first against a ranked opponent since 2014. They’re squarely in the playoff conversation now.

Who Gets First-Round Byes?

Under the new format, the top four teams in the final CFP rankings get byes – period. Conference championships don’t guarantee a bye anymore. This change came after all four teams with byes lost their first playoff games last year.

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 (like Boise State at No. 8 last year) 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.

---

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.

---

CFP Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Ready to bet on the playoff? Check out these sportsbook promos for college football betting this year.

Same game parlays are perfect for playoff games. Claim a DraftKings promo code to experience their Same Game ParlayX feature. See the best Fanatics sportsbook promo for betting on college games.

For bonus bets on playoff games, unlock the BetMGM promo code for regular bonus bet offers. Also check out the Bet365 bonus code for their Bet $1, Get $200 in Bonus Bets promo.