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College football fans are eager for the new-look College Football Playoff set to debut after the 2024 regular season. The bracket is expanding from four programs to 12 teams, meaning many more high-stakes and exciting matchups.
However, the initial announcement featured each Power Five conference winner qualifying for a spot in the CFP. Following the collapse of the Pac-12, that system was no longer viable. On Tuesday, a new format was announced.
What is the new CFP bracket format? How will teams qualify? Let's dive in.
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New College Football Playoff Format
Under the new format, the five highest-ranked conference champions will earn a College Football Playoff berth. More likely than not, the winners of the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC will earn a bid every season. However, the fifth invited conference champion could vary from year to year.
After the five high-ranked conference champions are set, there will be seven "at-large" schools partaking in the race to the National Championship. The next seven highest-ranked teams (as determined by the CFP Selection Committee) will earn invites.
That said, the CFP won't simply be the top 12 teams in the final rankings. There could be a scenario where the No. 12 team is left out because the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion is outside the top 12. This will likely cause some controversy, but it will allow a Pac-12, American Conference, Mountain West, MAC, Sun Belt, or Conference USA team to qualify.
The CFP finally formalizes the obvious switch to a 5 + 7 model for the postseason. Still a lot of issues for monetary distribution and access to hash out for next iteration, but this step is complete. pic.twitter.com/B7eTLsLMwv
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 20, 2024
How Each Round Of The CFP Will Work
The top four seeds will earn a first-round bye, while the No. 5, 6, 7, and 8 seeds will host the No. 9, 10, 11, and 12 seeds on campus. After the initial round of games, the quarterfinals, semifinals, and National Championship games will be played at a neutral site.
Which FBS school would have the ‘biggest’ homefield advantage if they hosted a December on-campus CFP playoff game in 2024? pic.twitter.com/x2ch4W4fKM
— College Football Campus Tour (@CFBcampustour) August 8, 2023
The bowl schedule and locations for the CFP through the 2025-26 season are listed below.
Bowl Game Rotations
The bowl sites that host each round of the new-look CFP will vary from year to year. Here's a look at the 2024-25 and 2025-26 locations:
2024 Season
First Round (On-Campus)
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- Friday, December 20, 2024: One Game (evening)
- Saturday, December 21, 2024: Three Games (early afternoon, late afternoon, and evening)
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Quarterfinals
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- Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (evening)
- Wednesday, January 1, 2025: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon), and Allstate Sugar Bowl (evening)
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Semifinals
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- Thursday, January 9, 2025: Capital One Orange Bowl (evening)
- Friday, January 10, 2025: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
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CFP National Championship
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- Monday, January 20, 2025: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
2025 Season
First Round (On-Campus)
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- Friday, December 19, 2025: One Game (evening)
- Saturday, December 20, 2025: Three Games (early afternoon, late afternoon, and evening)
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Quarterfinals
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- Wednesday, December 31, 2025: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
- Thursday, January 1, 2026: Capital One Orange Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon), and Allstate Sugar Bowl (evening)
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Semifinals
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- Thursday, January 8, 2026: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (evening)
- Friday, January 9, 2026: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (evening)
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CFP National Championship
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- Monday, January 19, 2026: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
