Expanded 12-Team College Football Playoff Begins With First-Round Matchups

The new format brings more teams, on-campus games, and heightened competition for the national championship.

The 12-team College Football Playoff debuts this weekend, with first-round games hosted at Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas, and Ohio State.
The top four seeds—Oregon, Georgia, Boise State, and Arizona State—earned first-round byes and will join the competition in the quarterfinals over New Year’s weekend.
Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State, and Ohio State are favored to win their respective first-round matchups, with defense expected to play a key role across the games.
The expanded playoff format allows for more inclusivity, with five conference champions and seven at-large teams qualifying, creating new opportunities for programs like Indiana and SMU.
The tournament culminates in the national championship game, scheduled for January 20, 2025, at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.