College Football Playoff

Rounds and bracket

Follow the winner’s link to the next round.

Format and selection

Expanded CFP (2025)

12 teams in a seeded single-elimination bracket with campus first-round games and bowl quarterfinals and semifinals.

1. The five highest-ranked conference champions qualified, along with seven at-large teams.
2. Teams were seeded directly by the committee ranking. The four highest-ranked teams received byes, regardless of conference-championship status.

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

Sources and coverage

• College Football Playoff history ↗
• Bowl Season 2025 schedule ↗
• Straight seeding begins in 2025 ↗

Previous editions