How It Works

Overview | About the Format | 2024-25 CFP Schedule and Bracket

OVERVIEW

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is a postseason event to determine college football's national champion on the field, while emphasizing the significance of college football's unique regular season where every game counts.

RANKINGS

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.

THE BRACKET

The format of the College Football Playoff is built on a 12-team bracket. The 12 participating teams are the five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4 and will receive a first-round bye. The remaining teams, including the fifth conference champion, will be seeded 5-12 based on their final ranking.

TRADITION

The New Year's holiday period and bowl games belong to college football. This season following first-round playoff games on campus, the four Playoff Quarterfinal games will be played in the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game and Sugar Bowl. The following week, the Cotton Bowl Classic and Orange Bowl will host the Playoff Semifinals.

CHAMPIONSHIP MONDAY

The two teams that win the Playoff Semifinals compete for the College Football Playoff National Championship. The national championship game is in a different city each year, always on a Monday night.

UNIVERSAL ACCESS

Every Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team has equal access to the College Football Playoff based on its performance during the regular season. No team automatically qualifies.

GOVERNANCE

University presidents and chancellors from all 10 FBS conferences and Notre Dame serve as the board of managers and govern the administrative operations, with commissioners and Notre Dame athletics director (the Management Committee) managing the event. A small staff in the CFP office in Irving, Texas, carries out the day-to-day responsibilities.

SELECTION COMMITTEE

A talented group of 13 high-integrity individuals with experience as coaches, student-athletes, college administrators and journalists, along with sitting athletics directors, comprise the selection committee. Members of the committee are Chris Ault, Chet Gladchuk, Jim Grobe, Warde Manuel (chair), Randall McDaniel, Gary Pinkel, Mack Rhoades, Mike Riley, David Salyer, Will Shields, Kelly Whiteside, Carla Williams and Hunter Yurachek.

SELECTION COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

Rank the top 25 teams, assign the top 12 to the playoff bracket and assign the bowl sites.

ABOUT THE 12-TEAM COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FORMAT

• The 12 participating teams will be the five conference champions ranked highest by the CFP selection committee, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams.
• The ranking of the teams will continue to be done by a selection committee.
• The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and will receive a first-round bye. The fifth conference champion will be seeded where it was ranked or at No. 12 if it is outside the top 12 rankings. Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will be seeded beginning at No. 5. Because of this, the seeding, 1 through 12, could look different than the final rankings.
• The eight teams seeded No. 5-12 will play in a first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded institution (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.).
• The selection committee will assign the four highest-ranked conference champions to Playoff Quarterfinals hosted by bowls. This will be done in consideration of historic bowl relationships, then in consideration of rankings. For example, if the Sugar Bowl hosts a Playoff Quarterfinal and the SEC champion is ranked No. 1 and the Big 12 champion is ranked No. 3, the SEC champion would be assigned to the Sugar Bowl and the Big 12 champion would be assigned elsewhere.
• With the four highest-ranked conference champions assigned to bowls, their four Playoff Quarterfinal opponents will be dictated by the bracket (i.e., No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 winner, No. 4 vs. No. 5/12 winner, No. 2 vs. 7/10 winner; No. 3 vs. 6/11 winner.)
• The College Football Playoff bracket will follow the selection committee's rankings, with no modifications made to avoid rematches between teams that may have played during the regular season or are from the same conference.
• The bracket will remain in effect throughout the playoff (i.e., no re-seeding).
• The highest seed will receive preferential placement for the Playoff Semifinal bowl assignment.
• All 11 games will be under the CFP umbrella with the administrative policies determined by the CFP.

2024-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE AND BRACKET