Understanding the 12-Team College Football Playoff System

The College Football Playoff (CFP) system has introduced a significant change for the 2024-25 season, marking the first time a 12-team format is being implemented. This expansion comes in the 11th year of the CFP era, enhancing opportunities for more collegiate teams to compete for the national championship.

Previously structured as a four-team playoff, the new format includes additional rounds to accommodate the expanded number of teams. The playoff begins with a first-round, where games are set to take place on December 20 and 21, 2024. Specific locations for these matches are yet to be announced. Following the first round, the quarterfinals will feature four high-profile bowl games.

According to the CFP schedule, the quarterfinals will be hosted at various well-known stadiums: the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on December 31, 2024; the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on January 1, 2025; the iconic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, also on January 1, 2025; and the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

As the playoff progresses, the semifinals are scheduled at the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida, and the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on January 9 and 10, 2025, respectively. The culmination of this intense competition will be the National Championship Game, slated for January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, which will be broadcast on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. ET.

This expansion to a 12-team playoff is designed to enhance the competitiveness of college football by offering more teams a chance at glory, thus increasing the excitement and unpredictability of the postseason. The change aims to provide a more inclusive and equitable opportunity for programs to showcase their talent on a national stage.