NCAA College Football Playoff Field Announced

Columbus, OH – The College Football Playoff picture is now clear as the final top 25 rankings and the 12-team playoff bracket were revealed on December 8. The top seed is the Oregon Ducks, followed closely by Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State, all securing byes into the quarterfinals.

This year’s playoffs will begin with the first-round games scheduled for December 31 and January 1. The four quarterfinal matchups will take place at notable bowl locations: the Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. The teams progressing from these games will then move on to the semifinals, held at either the Orange Bowl or Cotton Bowl on January 9 and 10.

The format is based on the committee’s final top 25 rankings, which means the four highest-ranked conference champions automatically take the top four seeds and earn the first-round byes. Notably, Boise State clinched the third seed despite being ranked ninth overall, having only lost to top-seed Oregon. Arizona State secured the fourth spot despite being ranked twelfth due to its status as the fourth-highest ranked conference champion—outpacing ACC champion Clemson, which landed at sixteenth.

There will be no re-seeding after the bracket’s announcement. This means the top team will face the fourth seed, and the second will play against the third during the semifinals, leading to the national championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20. As the postseason unfolds, football fans are eagerly anticipating which teams will rise to the challenge in this exciting playoff format.