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The Newly Expanded College Football Playoffs

retro Celeste Harris 12 Dec 2024

The newly expanded college football playoffs are right around the corner, and we’ve got the details for you. The college football playoffs begin Friday, December 20th and last through January 20th. The 2024 -2025 season is the 11th year of the CFP — but the first year that the CFP is using a 12-team format. Typically, college football playoffs are comprised of four teams. The new 12-team College Football Playoff field will include the five highest-ranked conference champions, which will receive automatic bids. The four highest ranked conference champions receive first round byes. The seven highest-ranked teams remaining will round out the 12-team format. The games are scheduled with the first round on December 20-21, quarterfinals on December 31-January 1, semifinals on January 9-10 and finally the CFP National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, that will be held in Atlanta.

Another unique aspect of this format is that the first-round games will be hosted on campus by the higher ranked team.  This will add a lot of excitement in those communities.  Quarterfinals, Semifinals and the National Championship are in traditional bowl locations that were previously a part of the playoff rotation: Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and the Cotton Bowl.

As usual, there was drama surrounding the teams selected, even with an expanded field.  What matters most?  Should it be record?  Should it be strength of schedule?  Does a team with more losses deserve to be in over a team with fewer losses?  These were all questions the committee had to consider when creating the field.  Now that the politicking is all done, it’s time to watch some great football and see who can come out as the champion this year.

 

The Full Schedule

The bracket was announced on Sunday, December 8. Here’s the full CFP schedule:

  • First round (Dec. 20-21)
    • Friday, Dec. 20: No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
    • Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State | 12 p.m. | TNT/MAX
    • Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas | 4 p.m. | TNT/MAX
    • Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
  • Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
    • Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State/No. 11 SMU winner | 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
    • Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas/No. 12 Clemson winner | 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
    • Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee winner | 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
    • Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame/No. 10 Indiana winner | 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
  • Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)
    • Orange Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 | ESPN
    • Cotton Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 | ESPN
  • CFP National Championship
    • 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 | ESPN
    • Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia