College Football Playoff bracket 2024-25: Schedule, matchups, seeding and more
The College Football Playoff debate went on until the bitter end. While we knew that Georgia beating Texas in the SEC Championship Game locked both teams into the field, the same of which was true for Oregon and Penn State out of the Big Ten, the drama came out of the ACC. With SMU falling in Charlotte to Clemson, the question became if it would be the Mustangs or the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 12-team CFP bracket.
We got our answer on Selection Sunday as the Selection Committee revealed its 12-team CFP bracket following a wild conference championship weekend — and frankly, a wild college football season on the whole.
So let's dive into the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff bracket and look at the full CFP schedule as well.
College Football Playoff bracket revealed
The first 12-team bracket is here and, obviously, the biggest question was whether the Selection Committee would choose the SMU Mustangs or the Alabama Crimson Tide as the final at-large team and ostensibly the No. 11 seed in the bracket. Obviously, the committee appeared to value making the conference championship game and losing close, which was a shock to many who thought that SEC bias would reign supreme.
But when you look at the teams in the field, this is going to be an incredible run through the 12-team CFP. Ohio State hosting Tennessee should be electric in Columbus. Texas getting a visit from Clemson should be a heavyweight fight. And how about the in-state showdown between Notre Dame and Indiana? That's going to be a fiery day in South Bend!
While there are plenty of criticisms about the 12-team Playoff move, looking at these postseason games before us, it's hard to feel that way. And if you want any sign of parity, look no further than SMU's at-large berth while Boise State and Arizona State also receive first-round byes.
College Football Playoff schedule for the 2024-25 CFP bracket
Now that the 12-team CFP field is set, let's take a look at the full College Football Playoff schedule with dates, matchups, TV info and more.
Matchup | Date, Time and TV Channel | Location |
|---|---|---|
12 Clemson at 5 Texas | Saturdday, Dec. 21, 4 p.m. ET (TNT and MAX) | DKR Memorial Stadium (Austin, TX) |
11 SMU at 6 Penn State | Saturday, Dec. 21, Noon ET (TNT and MAX) | Beaver Stadium (Happy Valley, PA) |
10 Indiana at 7 Notre Dame | Friday, Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) | Notre Dame Stadium (South Bend, IN) |
9 Tennessee at 8 Ohio State | Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN/ABC) | Ohio Stadium (Columbus, OH) |
TBD vs. 3 Boise State (Fiesta Bowl) | Tuesday, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) | State Farm Stadium (Glendale, AZ) |
TBD vs. 4 Arizona State (Peach Bowl) | Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
TBD vs. 1 Oregon (Rose Bowl) | Wednesday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA) |
TBD vs. 2 Georgia (Sugar Bowl) | Wednesday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Caesar's Superdome (New Orleans, LA) |
TBD vs. TBD (CFP Semifinal) | Thursday, Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, FL) |
TBD vs. TBD (CFP Semifinal) | Friday, Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Cotton Bowl (Dallas, TX) |
TBD vs. TBD (CFP National Championship) | Monday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) | Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta, GA) |
Get ready for a month-long thrill ride on this schedule. We'll have the first round games of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 20 and 21 before a New Year's Eve and New Year's Day split for the quarterfinal matchups, which will all be played at neutral sites. All of this then leads to the Monday, Jan. 20 playing of the CFP National Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Buckle up! It's going to be a good one.
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