College Football Playoff History: Full list of appearances, brackets & champions

The 2023 College Football Playoff concludes with the National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 9. Let’s take a look at the history of the College Football Playoff.

Since 2015, the NCAA implemented the College Football Playoff to replace the previous BCS format. At the end of the regular-season, the selection committee will pick four teams to participate in a tournament. The two winners of the semifinal games will take part in the CFP National Championship Game, where a champion will be crowned.

On Jan. 9, 2023, the CFP National Championship Game will feature the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs taking on the No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs. Georgia made it to the big game for the second year in a row after defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes 42-41 in the Peach Bowl. Meanwhile, TCU defeated the Michigan Wolverines 51-45 in the Fiesta Bowl.

This is now the ninth edition of the College Football Playoff, which officially began back in 2015. For those curious about who competed in each edition of the Playoff and who won the championship, we have all that information for you below.

2015 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon Ducks def. No. 3 Florida State Seminoles 59-20
• CFP Semifinal at Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes def. No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide 42-35
• CFP National Championship: No. 4 Ohio State def. No. 2 Oregon 42-20.

2016 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson Tigers def. No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners 37-17
• CFP Semifinal at Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 3 Michigan State Spartans 38-0
• CFP National Championship: No. 2 Alabama def. No. 1 Clemson 45-40

2017 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 4 Washington Huskies 24-7
• CFP Semifinal at Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson Tigers def. No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes 31-0
• CFP National Championship: No. 2 Clemson def. No. 1 Alabama 35-31

2018 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Rose Bowl: No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs def. No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners 54-48 (2OT)
• CFP Semifinal at Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 1 Clemson Tigers 24-6
• CFP National Championship: No. 4 Alabama def. No. 3 Georgia 26-23 (OT)

2019 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Clemson Tigers def. No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 30-3
• CFP Semifinal at Orange Bowl: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners 45-34
• CFP National Championship: No. 2 Clemson def. No. 1 Alabama 44-16

2020 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Peach Bowl: No. 1 LSU Tigers def. No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners 63-28
• CFP Semifinal at Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Clemson Tigers def. No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 29-23
• CFP National Championship: No. 1 LSU def. No. 3 Clemson 42-25

2021 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Rose Bowl: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 31-14
• CFP Semifinal at Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Ohio State def. No. 2 Clemson 49-28
• CFP National Championship: No. 1 Alabama def. No. 3 Ohio State 52-24

2022 College Football Playoff champions, bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide def. No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats 27-6
• CFP Semifinal at Orange Bowl: No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs def. No. 2 Michigan Wolverines 34-11
• CFP National Championship: No. 3 Georgia def. No. 1 Alabama 33-18

2023 College Football Playoff bracket

• CFP Semifinal at Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 TCU Horned Frogs def. No. 2 Michigan Wolverines 51-45
• CFP Semifinal at Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs def. No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes 42-41
• CFP National Championship: No. 1 Georgia def. No. 3 TCU, 65-7

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