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Year 2 of the 12-team College Football Playoff brings a sense of familiarity -- and a few lingering questions -- to a format that has already reshaped the sport's postseason. After a decade under the four-team model, the expanded bracket has changed how programs approach scheduling, roster management and late-season positioning. Teams that once fell out of contention by November now have renewed paths to the national title.

The first CFP Rankings of the 2025 season will be revealed Tuesday night, meaning less than five weeks remain until Selection Sunday on Dec. 7 when the full bracket will be set to determine the second 12-team field.

ESPN again holds primary broadcast rights to nine of the 11 playoff games. Two first-round matchups will simulcast on ABC, while TNT Sports will carry two additional first-round games. As was the case last season, first-round contests will be played on campus sites, giving higher seeds (No. 5-8) a home-field advantage before the quarterfinals and beyond shift to neutral New Year's Six bowl locations. The top four seeds receive byes directly into the quarterfinals under the new straight-seeding model, which replaces the conference champion guarantees used in 2024.

The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship is set for Monday, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Here's a full rundown of the 2025 College Football Playoff schedule.

2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule 

All times Eastern

First Round 

Note: All games will be played at campus sites to be determined.

Friday, Dec. 19

  • 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)

Saturday, Dec. 20

  • Noon (ABC/ESPN)
  • 4 p.m. (TNT, truTV & HBO Max)
  • 7:30 p.m. (TNT, truTV & HBO Max)

Quarterfinals 

Wednesday, Dec. 31 

  • Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas) -- 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) 

Thursday, Jan. 1 

  • Orange Bowl (Miami) -- Noon (ESPN) 
  • Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) -- 4 p.m. (ESPN) 
  • Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) -- 8 p.m. (ESPN) 

Semifinals 

Thursday, Jan. 8 

  • Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona)-- 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) 

Friday, Jan. 9

  • Peach Bowl (Atlanta) -- 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

College Football Playoff National Championship 

Monday, Jan. 19 

  • Hard Rock Stadium (Miami) -- 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)