College Football Playoff Bracket 2026
Projected 2026 College Football Playoff bracket from the latest CFP rankings: the top four seeds get byes, 5 hosts 12, 6 hosts 11, 7 hosts 10 and 8 hosts 9 in the First Round. The bracket is fixed with no reseeding and becomes official on Selection Day (Dec 6, 2026).
College Football Playoff Bracket: First Round to National Championship
Projected from the latest CFP rankings.
Top half of the bracket
Bottom half of the bracket
Projected from the latest CFP rankings.
Top half of the bracket
Bottom half of the bracket
Projected from the latest CFP rankings.
Top half of the bracket
Bottom half of the bracket
Projected from the latest CFP rankings.
How the College Football Playoff Bracket Is Built
Seeds 1-12
Straight from the final CFP ranking, after the five automatic bids are placed. Seeds 1 to 4 have byes.
First Round
On campus: 5 v 12, 6 v 11, 7 v 10 and 8 v 9, Dec 18-19.
No reseeding
No. 1 meets the 8/9 winner, No. 4 the 5/12 winner, No. 3 the 6/11 winner and No. 2 the 7/10 winner, then the halves meet in the semifinals.
Title game
Monday, Jan 25, 2027 at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, on ABC and ESPN.
The College Football playoff bracket above is projected from today’s standings and becomes the official bracket the night the regular season ends. For dates and kickoff times see the playoff schedule; to see who is still fighting for these spots, open the playoff picture, or pick your own bracket.
College Football playoff bracket FAQ
Is the CFP bracket reseeded?
No. No. 1 plays the 8/9 winner, No. 2 the 7/10 winner, No. 3 the 6/11 winner and No. 4 the 5/12 winner, and the bracket stays fixed.
Who gets a first-round bye?
The four highest-ranked teams in the final CFP rankings, whether or not they won their conference (straight seeding, used since 2025).
Where are First Round games played?
On campus: seeds 5, 6, 7 and 8 host seeds 12, 11, 10 and 9. Every later game is at a neutral bowl site.
Which bowls host the quarterfinals and semifinals?
Quarterfinals: Fiesta Bowl (Dec 30) and the Cotton, Rose and Peach Bowls (Jan 1). Semifinals: Orange Bowl (Jan 14) and Sugar Bowl (Jan 15).
When and where is the 2027 national championship?
Monday, Jan 25, 2027 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, 7:30 PM ET on ABC and ESPN. It is the first title game played in Las Vegas.