Rose Bowl Continues as New Year’s Day College Football Playoff Quarterfinal
The Rose Bowl, often called the granddaddy of all college football bowl games, will keep its storied tradition alive as a College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal on New Year’s Day for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
This announcement locks the Rose Bowl in as a key part of the CFP’s new postseason schedule, so fans can keep enjoying the historic game in its familiar afternoon time slot.
The push to keep the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day came from its own representatives, and honestly, college football fans and coaches seem pretty happy about it.
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The Rose Bowl’s Enduring Legacy
The Rose Bowl’s been woven into college football since 1917, only skipping its usual role for the occasional national championship game.
Over time, it’s become almost inseparable from New Year’s Day, delivering unforgettable moments and some seriously thrilling matchups.
Its rich history makes it a must-watch for football fans all over the country.
Preserving Tradition
Keeping the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day is about more than just scheduling—it’s about holding onto a piece of college football history.
Rose Bowl reps really dug in on this, and their persistence worked.
CFP officials agreed, so the Rose Bowl stays a New Year’s Day quarterfinal for at least the first two years of the new six-year deal.
Impact on Viewership
The Rose Bowl is still a ratings juggernaut, pulling in millions of viewers year after year.
The most recent game drew an average of 23.9 million people—making it the most-watched game so far in the 12-team playoff era.
That’s a 13% jump from the year before and lands it as the fourth most-watched Rose Bowl ever.
It keeps proving its pull in the college football world.
CFP Postseason Schedule
The CFP has laid out its postseason plans for 2026 and 2027, and the Rose Bowl’s right in the thick of it.
Quarterfinal and semifinal games are set up to keep the excitement high, all leading to the national championship.
Quarterfinals and Semifinals
For 2026, quarterfinals kick off December 30 at the Fiesta Bowl.
Then, three games follow on January 1: the Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, and Peach Bowl.
Semifinals are on January 14 at the Orange Bowl and January 15 at the Sugar Bowl.
The national championship wraps things up January 25 in Las Vegas.
In 2027, it’s a similar setup.
Quarterfinals start December 31 at the Sugar Bowl, then January 1 brings the Fiesta, Rose, and Peach Bowls.
Semifinals are January 13, 2028, at the Orange Bowl and January 14 at the Cotton Bowl.
The championship game lands January 24, 2028, in New Orleans.
Maintaining the 12-Team Playoff Format
The CFP will stick with 12 teams in 2026.
Big Ten and SEC couldn’t agree on expanding, so the current format—one that’s been working pretty well—will keep rolling for now.
Home-Site Games
Games before the quarterfinals will still be played at campus sites, which honestly brings a different kind of energy for fans and players.
But CFP leaders have decided not to move quarterfinals to home sites during the six-year ESPN media deal starting this season.
So, iconic bowl venues like the Rose Bowl keep hosting those big games.
Looking Ahead
Coaches’ Perspectives
Some coaches have said they’d love for the Rose Bowl to be the National Championship Game every year.
That probably won’t happen soon, but at least the Rose Bowl’s spot as a CFP quarterfinal keeps it front and center.
For more on the Rose Bowl and its spot in the College Football Playoff, check out the full article on Pasadena Now.
Conclusion
The Rose Bowl sticking around as a New Year’s Day quarterfinal in the College Football Playoff? That just feels right. It’s the oldest bowl game in college football, and honestly, it’s earned every bit of its legendary status.
Millions tune in every year. The Rose Bowl isn’t just a game—it’s a memory machine, somehow bigger than the sport itself.
With the new CFP postseason schedule, there’s a good chance we’ll see even more wild matchups and moments that stick with us. Here’s hoping the Rose Bowl keeps surprising us for a long time.
