College Football Playoff selection show: Date, time, TV channel, how to watch, preview
How to watch the College Football Playoff selection show
The College Football Playoff selections are on Sunday, Dec. 7. That's when we'll get the selection committee's official 12-team bracket and the final top 25 rankings.
- WHEN: 12-3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 7
- TV: ESPN
- STREAMING:
How the CFP works
This is the second year the College Football Playoff is in a 12-team bracket format after previously having only four teams. In this 12-team era, that means there are automatic qualifiers, byes and home games. Here's a quick explainer:
- The five conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee get in automatically
- The remaining seven teams are the next seven highest-ranked schools
- The four highest-ranked teams — no matter where they finished in their conferences — will be seeded Nos. 1 through 4 and receive first round byes.
- This is new for 2025-26, as last season the four highest-ranked conference champions received the top four seeds and byes.
- The teams seeded No. 5-12 will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting (No. 12 at No. 5, No. 11 at No. 6, No. 10 at No. 7 and No. 9 at No. 8.)
- There will be no re-seeding once the bracket is announced on Dec. 7.
For a deeper look into how it all works, click or tap here.
There are also six in-season rankings shows during the season, with the final rankings show on Dec. 7 the day for the official bracket. Check out the full rankings release schedule here.
Here's the 2025-26 College Football Playoff schedule
Though we won't know the bracket matchups until Sunday, Dec. 7, we do know the game times for all College Football Playoff games this season. Take a look:
- First round (Dec. 19-20) — on campus
- Friday, Dec. 19
- 8 p.m. ET on ABC, ESPN, WatchESPN
- Saturday, Dec. 20:
- 12 p.m. on ABC, ESPN, WatchESPN
- 3:30 p.m. on TNT, truTV, HBO Max
- 7:30 p.m. on TNT, truTV, HBO Max
- Friday, Dec. 19
- Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Cotton Bowl (Arlington, Texas) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Thursday, Jan. 1
- Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, Fla.) | 12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.) | 4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) | 8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Wednesday, Dec. 31
- Semifinals (Jan. 8-9)
- Thursday, Jan. 8
- Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Ariz.) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Friday, Jan. 9
- Peach Bowl (Atlanta) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Thursday, Jan. 8
- College Football Playoff National Championship Game
- Monday, Jan. 19
- Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN
- Monday, Jan. 19
College Football Playoff championship history
Here's a rundown of all prior College Football Playoff championship games.
| Year (SEASON) |
Game | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 | Arlington, Texas |
| 2015 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 | Glendale, Ari. |
| 2016 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 | Tampa, Fla. |
| 2017 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 | Atlanta, Ga. |
| 2018 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 | Santa Clara, Calif. |
| 2019 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 | New Orleans, La. |
| 2020 | No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 | Miami Gardens, Fla. |
| 2021 | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 | Indianapolis, Ind. |
| 2022 | No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 | Inglewood, Calif. |
| 2023 | No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13 | Houston, Texas |
| 2024 | No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 | Atlanta, Ga. |
How the CFP went last year
After 10 years with a four-team format, the College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams last season.
All four home teams won in the first round, when games were played on campus at the higher seed. No. 8 seed Ohio State ended up winning the championship, defeating No. 7 Notre Dame in the title game.
Here's a complete rundown of the 2024-25 games:
- First round (Dec. 20-21)
- Friday, Dec. 20: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24
- Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 9 Tennessee 17
- Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State 31, No. 3 Boise State 14
- Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas 39, No. 4 Arizona State 31 (2OT)
- Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21
- Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10
- Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)
- Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 6 Penn State 24
- Cotton Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 28, No. 5 Texas 14
- CFP National Championship
- No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta)
