How the 12-team College Football Playoff works
The 2024-25 College Football Playoff National Championship Game is set for Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, on ESPN. It will be the 11th year of the CFP era and the first year of the newly implemented 5-7 format for the 12-team Playoff criteria.
Here is the complete round-by-round schedule for this coming season's new format:
- First round (On-Campus)
- Friday, Dec. 20, 2024: One game (evening)
- Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024: Three games (early afternoon, late afternoon and evening)
- Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (evening)
- Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon) and Allstate Sugar Bowl (evening)
- Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025: Capital One Orange Bowl (evening)
- Friday, Jan. 10, 2025: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
- Monday, Jan. 20, 2025: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
Last season, Michigan defeated Washington 34-13 to win the program's first national title since 1997.
2025-2026 CFP national championship locations and dates
2025: Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA) — Jan. 20
2026: Miami (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida)
RELATED: Complete college football championship history | Schools with the most titles
College Football Playoff National Championship Game history
| YEAR (GAME DATE) |
GAME | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 | Arlington, Texas |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 | Glendale, Arizona |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 | Tampa, Florida |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 | Santa Clara, California |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 2021 | No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 | Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2022 | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2023 | No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 | Inglewood, California |
| 2024 | No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13 | Houston, Texas |
College Football Playoff: Results
2014 season
- Rose Bowl: No. 2 Oregon 59, No. 3 Florida State 20
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 1 Alabama 35
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20
2015 season
- Orange Bowl: No. 1 Clemson 37, No. 4 Oklahoma 17
- Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama 38, No. 3 Michigan State 0
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40
2016 season
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 31, No. 3 Ohio State 0
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 24, No. 4 Washington 7
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31
RANKINGS: All major college football polls
2017 season
- Rose Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 54, No. 2 Oklahoma 48 (2OT)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Alabama 24, No. 1 Clemson 6
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 (OT)
2018 season
- Orange Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 45, No. 4 Oklahoma 34
- Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Clemson 30, No. 3 Notre Dame 3
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16
2019 season
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 LSU 63, No. 4 Oklahoma 28
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Clemson 29, No. 2 Ohio State 23
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25
2020 season
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 31, No. 4 Notre Dame 14
- Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Ohio State 49, No. 2 Clemson 28
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24
2021 season
- Cotton Bowl: No. 1 Alabama 27, No. 4 Cincinnati 6
- Orange Bowl: No. 3 Georgia 34, No. 2 Michigan 11
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18
2022 season
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 TCU 51, No. 2 Michigan 45
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia 42, No. 4 Ohio State 41
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7
2023 season
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Michigan 27, No. 4 Alabama 20 (OT)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington 37, No. 3 Texas 31
- CFP National Championship Game: No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13
