NCAA Releases College Football Playoff 2024-25 Schedule

The NCAA released the College Football Playoff schedule on Wednesday afternoon, officially cementing the transition to a 12-team playoff bracket for the 2024-25 season. The playoffs will take place across 32 days from December 20 to January 20. The previous four-team format will now expand to include the five highest-ranked conference champions in the country, as well as the seven highest-ranked teams remaining.

• The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded Nos. 1-4 and receive a first-round bye.
• Seeds 5-12 will play each other in the first round. The higher-seeded teams will play host in their first-round games.
• The National Championship will now take place on Monday, January 20, two full weeks later than it was played last season.

2024-25 CFP Schedule

The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff will begin with the first CFP First Round game on Friday, December 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN. First round action will continue on Saturday, December 21, as TNT Sports will present games at noon and 4 p.m., while ABC and ESPN… pic.twitter.com/jguCxsd4LK

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 5, 2024

First Round: (Dec. 20-21)

• Game 1) Friday, Dec. 20, 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
• Game 2) Saturday, Dec. 21: 12 p.m. | TNT Sports
• Game 3) Saturday, Dec. 21: 4 p.m. | TNT Sports
• Game 4) Saturday, Dec. 21, 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN

Quarterfinals: (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

• Fiesta Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
• Peach Bowl: 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
• Rose Bowl: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
• Sugar Bowl: 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN

Semifinals: (Jan. 9-10)

• Orange Bowl: Thursday, Jan. 9
• Cotton Bowl: Friday, Jan. 10

National Championship: 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20

• 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia | ESPN

You can also view the 2025-26 CFP Schedule here.

The transition has come with scheduling issues, specifically competing with NFL playoffs. The NFL announced that the league will start playing Saturday games throughout the year. For fans of both the NCAA and NFL, this means that there will not only be 51 days of playoff football, but there will be five consecutive days of football from Thursday Jan. 9 to Monday, Jan. 13. The NCAA will continue to follow the traditional format of having the Peach Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl in the New Year’s Day slot.

What the 12-team format would have looked like for the 2024 season

No. 1 Michigan  (13-0)
No. 2 Washington (13-0)

No. 3 Texas (12-1)
No. 4 Alabama (12-1)

No. 12 Liberty at No. 5 Florida State
No. 11 Ole Miss at No. 6 Georgia
No. 10 Penn State at No. 7 Ohio State
No. 9 Missouri at No. 8 Oregon

With the top-four seeded teams receiving bye weeks, the winner of each matchup would move on to face teams No. 1 through 4.

Behold!! pic.twitter.com/0Lmt1btjA7

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) June 6, 2024