Share

Here’s how the 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket looks, using the CFP selection committee’s top 25 rankings as announced on Tuesday, Dec. 2. Ohio State is ranked No. 1.

This is not the final, official CFP bracket, which won’t be revealed until 12 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 7. The bracket below is just how the CFP would look based on the most recent CFP rankings. 

2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket

This bracket uses the CFP selection committee’s fifth top 25 rankings of the season from Tuesday, Dec. 2. That means the next rankings reveal will be when we get the official College Football Playoff bracket on Sunday, Dec. 7.

The top 25 ranking does not always match the seed in the playoff, as the five highest-ranked conference champions get in automatically, even if they are ranked behind teams in the top 25 or not ranked in the top 25 at all.

First Round (and related quarterfinal matchups)

No. 12 fifth-highest ranked conference champion at No. 5 Oregon

Winner vs. No. 4 Texas Tech in the quarterfinals

No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma

Winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State in the quarterfinals

No. 11 fourth highest-ranked conference champion at No. 6 Ole Miss

Winner vs. No. 3 Georgia in the quarterfinals

No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 Texas A&M

Winner vs. No. 2 Indiana in the quarterfinals

College Football Playoff rankings, seeds

The four highest-ranked teams — regardless of how they finish in their conference — receive first round byes into the quarterfinals. These teams are listed in bold. The five highest-ranked conference champions receive automatic bids.

Here are the latest CFP top 25 rankings.

Ohio State: 12-0
Indiana: 12-0
Georgia: 11-1
Texas Tech: 11-1
Oregon: 11-1
Ole Miss: 11-1
Texas A&M: 11-1
Oklahoma: 10-2
Alabama: 10-2
Notre Dame: 10-2
BYU: 11-1
Miami (Fla.): 10-2
Texas: 9-3
Vanderbilt: 10-2
Utah: 10-2
USC: 9-3
Virginia: 10-2 (would be fourth highest-ranked conference champion)
Arizona: 9-3
Michigan: 9-3
Tulane: 10-2 (would be fifth highest-ranked conference champion)
Houston: 9-3
Georgia Tech: 9-3
Iowa: 8-4
North Texas: 11-1
James Madison: 11-1

There is no re-seeding of the bracket after rounds.

The four quarterfinal games are not played on campus sites like in the first round. The quarterfinals, scheduled on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 — will be played at the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. The four highest-ranked teams will be assigned one of these bowls in consideration of historic bowl relationships as well as seeding.

The four quarterfinal winners will then meet in the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl or the Peach Bowl on Jan. 8 and Jan. 9. If the seeds hold, that means No. 1 would play No. 4 and No. 2 would play No. 3. The two semifinal winners will then play on Monday, Jan. 19 in Miami for the CFP national championship.

2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule

First round (Dec. 19-20) — on campus

Friday, Dec. 19

8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN, WatchESPN

Saturday, Dec. 20:

12 p.m. on ABC, ESPN, WatchESPN
3:30 p.m. on TNT, truTV, HBO Max
7:30 p.m. on TNT, truTV, HBO Max

Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

Thursday, Jan. 1

Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Fla.) | 12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.) | 4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) | 8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)

Thursday, Jan. 8

Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

Friday, Jan. 9

Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

 College Football Playoff National Championship Game

Monday, Jan. 19

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN

2025 SWAC Football Championship Game: Date, time, location, TV channel, history

Here’s the what you need to know for the 2025 SWAC Football Championship game.

READ MORE

The top 5 plays from Mercer QB Braden Atkinson’s Jerry Rice Award season

Mercer quarterback Braden Atkinson was named the 2025 Jerry Rice Award winner as the best freshman in FCS football. Here are the top plays from his freshman season.

READ MORE

Jerry Rice Award: Complete history of the FCS freshman honor

The Jerry Rice Award is given annually to the most outstanding freshman player in the FCS. Here’s what to know about the subdivision’s highest honor.

READ MORE