December 20, 2024
Winner advances →College Football Playoff
Division I FBS · National playoff
Final: January 20, 2025
Tournament sites: Campus and neutral bowl sites
Rounds and bracket
Follow the winner’s link to the next round.
First Round
Penn St.38
SMU10
December 21, 2024
Winner advances →December 21, 2024
Winner advances →Ohio St.42
December 21, 2024
Winner advances →Quarterfinals
Ohio St.41
Oregon21
January 1, 2025
Winner advances →January 2, 2025
Winner advances →Texas39
Arizona St.31
January 1, 2025
(2OT)
Winner advances →Penn St.31
Boise St.14
December 31, 2024
Winner advances →Semifinals
Penn St.24
January 9, 2025
Winner advances →Ohio St.28
Texas14
January 10, 2025
Winner advances →Championship
Ohio St.34
January 20, 2025
Format and selection
Expanded CFP (2024)
12 teams: four campus first-round games, four bowl quarterfinals, two bowl semifinals, and the title game.
- The five highest-ranked conference champions qualified, along with seven at-large teams selected by the CFP committee.
- The four highest-ranked conference champions received first-round byes. Seeds 5–8 hosted seeds 12–9.
These are documented selection procedures. They do not explain why a particular participant was chosen unless the source expressly records that decision.
History
The College Football Playoff replaced the Bowl Championship Series for the 2014 season. A selection committee chose four teams for two bowl semifinals and a separate national championship game.
The field expanded to 12 for 2024. Campus first-round games joined the six major bowl sites, which host quarterfinals and semifinals. Seeding and qualification rules have changed since expansion.
Related competitions: College Football Playoff National Championship · BCS National Championship