How the nation is filling out the College Football Playoff bracket
Here's the schedule for the 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket. This is the second year the CFP is using a 12-team format. The bracket and matchups were announced on Sunday, Dec. 7.
BRACKET GAME: Make your picks in the College Football Bracket Challenge Game
Games are Dec. 19, 2025 to Jan. 19, 2026, with the first round on Dec. 19-20, quarterfinals on Dec. 31-Jan. 1, semifinals on Jan. 8-9 and finally the CFP National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Check out the full schedule below.
2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule, games
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- First round (Dec. 19-20)
- Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Wednesday, Dec. 31
- No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami (Fla.) winner | Cotton Bowl | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Thursday, Jan. 1
- No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 12 James Madison winner | Orange Bowl | 12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | Rose Bowl | 4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 11 Tulane winner | Sugar Bowl | 8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
- Thursday, Jan. 8
- Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Friday, Jan. 9
- Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Thursday, Jan. 8
- College Football Playoff National Championship Game
- Monday, Jan. 19
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Monday, Jan. 19
Here is the history of the College Football Playoff national championship game.
| Year (Game Date) |
Game | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 | Arlington, Texas |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 | Glendale, Arizona |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 | Tampa, Florida |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 | Santa Clara, California |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 2021 | No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 | Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2022 | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2023 | No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 | Inglewood, California |
| 2024 | No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13 | Houston, Texas |
| 2025 | No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
Future CFP National Championship Game locations
- 2026: Jan. 19 — Miami (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida)
- 2027: Jan. 25 — Las Vegas (Allegiant Stadium)
2024-25 College Football Playoff scores, results
- First round (Dec. 20-21)
- Friday, Dec. 20: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 9 Tennessee 17
- Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State 31, No. 3 Boise State 14
- Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas 39, No. 4 Arizona State 31 (2OT)
- Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21
- Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10
- Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)
- Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 6 Penn State 24
- Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 28, No. 5 Texas 14
- CFP National Championship
- No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
