After a highly successful first run of the 12-team College Football Playoff, the sport is set to run it back again in the 2025-26 season. And now the schedule has been set.
The NCAA announced the dates and locations for all playoff games on Tuesday afternoon. It’s a similar setup as last year. You can check it out below.
First round (Dec. 19-20) — on campus
- Friday, Dec. 19: One game
- Saturday, Dec. 20: Three games
Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Wednesday, Dec. 31: Cotton Bowl
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Orange Bowl (early afternoon)
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Rose Bowl (late afternoon)
- Thursday, Jan. 1: Sugar Bowl (primetime)
Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
- Thursday, Jan. 8: Fiesta Bowl
- Friday, Jan. 9: Peach Bowl
CFP National Championship
- Monday, Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
The first edition of the new playoff format debuted last fall, and it was mostly a smashing success. Home playoff games in the first round provided an interesting atmosphere, although the visiting teams found it tough sledding.
It’ll be interesting to see if a second season of the College Football Playoff expanded format produces a few more upsets. Last year there were none in the first round, producing a chalky quarterfinal round.
That said, there were some upsets by seed in the quarterfinal round. In fact, each of the four games in the quarterfinals produced a win by the lower-seeded team. That left seeds No. 5 through No. 8 competing into the semifinals.
Ohio State pounced on Texas to advance to the national championship game, while Notre Dame slipped by Penn State to advance. That set up a College Football Playoff final between two traditional powers.
Ohio State would take control of the contest relatively early against Notre Dame, eventually coasting to a 34-23 win to take home the title. It was the first ever championship won in a 12-team playoff field.
Will this year’s produce similar results? Or will we get a bit more drama? We’ll have to wait and see.
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