The College Football Playoff Bracket Format
The College Football Playoff (CFP) determines the national champion of NCAA Division I FBS football. The postseason bracket tournament has evolved over the years. When it began in the 2014 season, the CFP featured a four-team bracket. The top four teams, as ranked by the CFP selection committee, competed in two semifinal games hosted by the New Year's Six bowls on a rotating basis. The winners advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship, a neutral-site game held on a Monday in January.
Beginning with the 2024 season, the CFP expanded to a 12-team bracket. The new format includes the top five conference champions and the top seven at-large teams. This expansion promises to bring more excitement and competition to the postseason. The semifinals and national championship game continue to be part of the New Year's Six bowl rotation, maintaining the tradition of prestigious bowl games.
Key Moments in CFP Bracket History
The 2017-18 College Football Playoff was a memorable edition. The bracket featured No. 1 Clemson, No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 3 Georgia, and No. 4 Alabama. This was the first CFP to include two teams from the same conference—Georgia and Alabama of the SEC. The semifinals were played at the Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl. Alabama defeated Clemson 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl, while Georgia beat Oklahoma in double overtime at the Rose Bowl, the first overtime game in Rose Bowl history. The national championship was held in Atlanta and saw Alabama defeat Georgia 26-23 in overtime, securing Alabama's second CFP title.
The 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship marked the end of the four-team format. The game featured No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington at NRG Stadium in Houston. Michigan won 34-13, claiming their first national championship since 1997. The game was also notable for being the first CFP final without an SEC team since 2015.
The Road to the National Championship
The CFP bracket is designed to produce a worthy national champion. The semifinal games are held at rotating New Year's Six bowls: the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl. The national championship game is awarded to host cities through a bidding process, requiring stadiums with a capacity of at least 65,000. The winner receives the Dr Pepper College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, a new trophy created for the CFP era. Alabama holds the record for most appearances in the national championship game with six, and the most wins with three.
