The College Football Playoff has dominated headlines this fall, from a weekly procession of upsets roiling the national rankings to the proposed expansion of the CFP from 12 to 24 teams.
It is still a 12-team playoff this season, however. So how does it work? Who gets in, and when and where will games be played?
With LSU having an open date this week, having reestablished itself as a CFP contender with two straight Southeastern Conference wins, it seemed a prime time for a refresher on where the CFP stands this year and where it is likely going:
CFP format
The 12-team field, in its third season, includes:
The Power Four conference champions (SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC).
The top-ranked Group of Six conference champ (Sun Belt, AAC, MAC, CUSA, Mountain West and Pac-12).
Seven at-large teams, including Notre Dame if it is in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings.
First round: Dec. 18-19. Four on-campus games for seeds 5-12 (higher seed hosts).
Quarterfinals: Seeds 1-4 receive byes into quarterfinals hosted this year by the Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 30), and Rose, Cotton and Peach bowls (Jan. 1). Top four seeds are no longer reserved for the Power Four conference champions.
Semifinals: Hosted by the Orange (Jan. 14) and Sugar (Jan. 15) bowls. It will be the latest the Sugar Bowl has been played in its 93-year history.
CFP national championship game: Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.
CFP ranking release dates
The first CFP top 25 will be released Tuesday, culminating with the final rankings and selection show on Dec. 6. All rankings will be revealed on ESPN. Here is the full schedule:
Future CFP plans
CFP officials and ESPN reportedly reached a “handshake agreement” to expand the playoff from 12 to 24 teams for the 2027 season, though no firm plans have been announced yet.
Here is how it will reportedly work:
Future championship sites
· Caesars Superdome, Jan. 24, 2028
· Tampa, Florida, Jan. 22, 2029
· Miami Gardens, Florida, Jan. 21, 2030
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