2025-26 College Football Playoff Schedule and TV Details Revealed

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff (CFP) season is finally here. For fans and teams, it’s shaping up to be one wild ride.

This marks only the second year of the 12-team format. More teams mean more drama, more upsets, and, let’s be honest, more reasons to watch.

The schedule runs from December 19, 2025, to January 19, 2026. It’s a packed month of high-stakes games, all leading to the crowning of the national champion.

Alright, let’s get into the details.

First Round: December 19-20, 2025

The first round kicks off with four matchups that should get everyone talking:

• No. 9 Alabama 34, No. 8 Oklahoma 24 – Alabama took down Oklahoma in a battle of heavyweights. Their playoff run is off to a strong start.
• No. 10 Miami (Fla.) 10, No. 7 Texas A&M 3 – Miami squeaked past Texas A&M in a game where defense ruled the day.
• No. 6 Ole Miss 41, No. 11 Tulane 10 – Ole Miss rolled over Tulane, showing off some serious firepower on offense.
• No. 5 Oregon 51, No. 12 James Madison 34 – Oregon’s offense was just too much for James Madison to keep up with.

Quarterfinals: December 31, 2025 – January 1, 2026

The quarterfinals are set and, honestly, every game looks like must-watch TV:

• No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.) – Cotton Bowl, December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Catch it on ESPN and WatchESPN.
• No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon – Orange Bowl, January 1 at noon ET, also on ESPN and WatchESPN.
• No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama – Rose Bowl, January 1 at 4 p.m. ET. ESPN’s got the coverage.
• No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss – Sugar Bowl, January 1 at 8 p.m. ET, on ESPN and WatchESPN.

Semifinals: January 8-9, 2026

After that, only four will remain. The semifinals will decide who gets a shot at the title:

• Fiesta Bowl – Glendale, Arizona, January 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET. ESPN and WatchESPN will have the broadcast.
• Peach Bowl – Atlanta, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET, also on ESPN and WatchESPN.

CFP National Championship Game: January 19, 2026

The season all comes down to this. The CFP National Championship Game is set for Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on January 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET. If you’re not watching on ESPN or WatchESPN, what are you even doing?

Historical Context

Quick trip down memory lane—these past championship games have delivered some wild finishes:

• 2015 – No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 in Arlington, Texas
• 2016 – No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 in Glendale, Arizona
• 2017 – No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 in Tampa, Florida
• 2018 – No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 in Atlanta, Georgia
• 2019 – No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 in Santa Clara, California
• 2020 – No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 in New Orleans, Louisiana
• 2021 – No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 in Miami Gardens, Florida
• 2022 – No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 in Indianapolis, Indiana
• 2023 – No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 in Inglewood, California
• 2024 – No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13 in Houston, Texas
• 2025 – No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 in Atlanta, Georgia

Future Championship Venues

The CFP National Championship likes to keep things fresh, rotating through some legendary stadiums:

• 2026 – Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
• 2027 – Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada

Conclusion

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff season is shaping up to be a wild ride. Fans and teams are both gearing up for something big this year.

This time, we’ll see a brand new 12-team format. The competition? It’s never been tougher, and honestly, it’s about time.

Each round feels like it could go either way. You don’t want to blink and miss a single moment.

Curious about the details or just want to keep tabs on your team? The official NCAA website has you covered with updates and all the nitty-gritty coverage.