College Football Playoff 2025: Rankings, Bracket, and Bowl Game Analysis
The 2025-26 college football bowl season is set, with the College Football Playoff (CFP) field and a whole slate of bowl games now announced. This year’s selection process? Full of surprises and a bit of drama—especially with Alabama’s ranking and Miami’s leap over Notre Dame.
Now that the postseason matchups are locked in, fans are buzzing about the games ahead. The New Year’s Six bowls and the CFP matchups are grabbing most of the attention, and honestly, who can blame them?
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College Football Playoff: Controversies and Key Matchups
The CFP selection process this year was wild. Two big flashpoints: Alabama holding onto No. 9 even after a brutal loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship, and Miami jumping Notre Dame for the last at-large spot at No. 10.
Those calls have set up some pretty compelling first-round games. You can feel the tension already.
First-Round Showdowns
The opening round of the CFP has a few rematches and some real underdog energy:
- (9) Alabama at (8) Oklahoma on Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET. Winner gets (1) Indiana next.
- (12) James Madison at (5) Oregon on Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET. The winner moves on to play (4) Texas Tech.
- (11) Tulane at (6) Ole Miss on Dec. 20 at 3:30 p.m. ET. Whoever wins faces (3) Georgia.
- (10) Miami at (7) Texas A&M on Dec. 20 at Noon ET. The victor will take on (2) Ohio State.
James Madison, in particular, is rolling in as the biggest underdog. Could be chaos. And honestly, that’s what makes this so much fun.
New Year’s Six Bowls: Premier Matchups
The New Year’s Six bowls are always a highlight, bringing together top teams in some pretty iconic games. This year’s lineup looks like this:
Rose Bowl
(1) Indiana vs. (8/9) Winner on Jan. 1. Indiana’s been on a roll and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.
Cotton Bowl
(2) Ohio State vs. (7/10) Winner on Dec. 31. Ohio State wants to show they belong at the top.
Sugar Bowl
(3) Georgia vs. (6/11) Winner on Jan. 1. Georgia’s coming off that SEC Championship—expect them to play like it.
Orange Bowl
(4) Texas Tech vs. (5/12) Winner on Jan. 1. Texas Tech has been the dark horse all season, and maybe this is their moment.
Notre Dame’s Bowl Game Decline
In a twist, Notre Dame decided to skip a bowl game after being left out of the CFP. They were supposed to play BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but now Georgia Tech will step in instead.
Notre Dame’s move forced a quick reshuffle for the Pop-Tarts Bowl organizers. Not exactly what anyone expected, but that’s college football for you.
Other Notable Bowl Games
Beyond the CFP and the New Year’s Six, there are still a bunch of bowl games worth watching. Here are a few that stand out:
Citrus Bowl
Michigan vs. Texas on Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET. Two heavyweights, classic Big Ten versus Big 12.
ReliaQuest Bowl
Vanderbilt vs. Iowa on Dec. 31 at 12 p.m. ET. SEC meets Big Ten—should be interesting.
Music City Bowl
Tennessee vs. Illinois on Dec. 30 at 5:30 p.m. ET. Both teams are hungry for a strong finish.
Pinstripe Bowl
Penn State vs. Clemson on Dec. 27 at 12 p.m. ET. Yankee Stadium, two big programs, what’s not to love?
New Mexico Bowl
North Texas vs. San Diego State on Dec. 27 at 5:45 p.m. ET. Both squads have something to prove.
There are plenty more, but these should give fans plenty to look forward to. Bowl season never really disappoints, does it?
Complete Bowl Schedule
If you want every date, time, and TV channel, check the full schedule at CBS Sports. It’s a handy guide for planning your couch time and not missing a single snap.
Conclusion
The 2025-26 college football bowl season is shaping up to be something special. The CFP matchups promise plenty of high drama.
New Year’s Six bowls will showcase some of the best teams in the country. There’s a sense this postseason could be unforgettable, even with all the usual controversies and twists.
If you’re looking for more updates or just want to keep tabs on the latest, check out CBS Sports.
