The 2024-25 College Football Playoff (CFP) season marks a historic shift with the introduction of a 12-team playoff format, offering a broader and more inclusive look at the top teams in college football.
For the first time, a 12-team bracket will determine the national champion, replacing the previous four-team format. The 12 teams will be selected by the committee based on their rankings, with automatic berths for conference champions and at-large selections filling out the rest of the field.
The process for determining the playoff bracket begins with the College Football Playoff selection committee, which ranks the top 25 teams throughout the season. On December 3, 2024, the committee released its latest rankings, giving us an early snapshot of what the 12-team bracket could look like, using these current rankings as a foundation.
It is important to note that the playoff seeding does not follow the committee's top 25 ranking directly. Instead, the four highest-ranked conference champions receive the top four seeds, earning first-round byes, regardless of their position in the top 25. The fifth-highest-ranked conference champion also secures an automatic bid, although this team does not receive a bye.
Current 2024-25 College Football Playoff Bracket
Here’s a breakdown of how the bracket would look using the current rankings, released on December 3:
1. Oregon (1) — As the highest-ranked conference champion (Big Ten), Oregon takes the No. 1 seed and receives a first-round bye.
2. Texas (2) — Texas, as the second-highest-ranked conference champion (SEC), holds the No. 2 seed and also gets a first-round bye.
3. SMU (3) — Representing the ACC, SMU is the third-highest-ranked conference champion and earns the No. 3 seed with a first-round bye.
4. Boise State (4) — The fourth-highest-ranked conference champion from the Mountain West, Boise State is seeded No. 4 and also receives a first-round bye.
5. Penn State (5) — As an at-large pick (second place in the Big Ten), Penn State is seeded No. 5.
6. Notre Dame (6) — An independent team, Notre Dame is ranked No. 6 and earns a first-round matchup.
7. Georgia (7) — The second-place team from the SEC, Georgia is seeded No. 7 and will play in the first round.
8. Ohio State (8) — Ohio State, as the third-place team in the Big Ten, takes the No. 8 spot in the bracket.
9. Tennessee (9) — The third-place team in the SEC, Tennessee is ranked No. 9 and set for a first-round game.
10. Indiana (10) — Another at-large pick, Indiana is seeded No. 10, representing the Big Ten’s fourth slot.
11. Alabama (11) — As the fourth-place team in the SEC, Alabama is seeded No. 11 in the bracket.
12. Arizona State (12) — The fifth-highest-ranked conference champion from the Big 12, Arizona State rounds out the field as the No. 12 seed, despite being ranked No. 15 overall.
First-Round Matchups
The first round of the College Football Playoff will take place at campus sites on December 20 and 21, 2024. The matchups are as follows:
- (12) Arizona State at (5) Penn State — The winner of this game will move on to face Boise State in the quarterfinals.
- (11) Alabama at (6) Notre Dame — The winner will advance to play SMU in the quarterfinals.
- (10) Indiana at (7) Georgia — The winner will face Texas in the quarterfinals.
- (9) Tennessee at (8) Ohio State — The winner will play Oregon in the quarterfinals.
Quarterfinals and Beyond
The four winners from the first round will move on to the quarterfinals, which will be played on December 31, 2024, and January 1, 2025, at neutral bowl sites. The Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Sugar Bowl will host these games, with matchups based on seedings and bowl relationships.
- (1) Oregon vs (4) Boise State at one of the four bowl sites.
- (2) Texas vs (3) SMU at another bowl site.
After the quarterfinals, the winners will advance to the semifinals, which are scheduled for January 9 and 10, 2025. The Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl will host the semifinal games, with the matchups potentially being:
- (1) Oregon vs (4) Boise State
- (2) Texas vs (3) SMU
Finally, the winners of the semifinals will face off in the National Championship game, which will be played on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
Key Details
One of the major changes in the 12-team format is the automatic inclusion of the five highest-ranked conference champions, which ensures that teams from conferences like the Big Ten, SEC, and others will be represented, regardless of their overall ranking.
Teams that do not win their respective conferences, but still perform well enough, can still make the bracket through at-large selections, as seen with teams like Penn State, Notre Dame, and Alabama.
This new format is expected to bring more excitement to the College Football Playoff, with more teams having a legitimate chance at competing for the national title.
The introduction of the 12-team bracket has also created a higher level of competition during the regular season, as conference championships now carry even more weight in the rankings. With the addition of more teams, the playoff promises to be a thrilling spectacle with more opportunities for teams to prove themselves on the national stage.
