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College Football Playoff

The Official Website of the College Football Playoff

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BEGINS

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The Countdown Begins

The new College Football Playoff will begin with the 2014-15 season and feature the top four teams.

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The Playoff

Beginning with the 2014-15 season, college football will enter a new era when a postseason playoff will begin. The format is simple: top four teams, two semifinals played in bowl games, and a national championship game played in a different city each year. Each semifinal will be played during the New Year's holiday with the national championship game in prime time on a Monday night at least a week later. It will be the best of all worlds, and the biggest innovation to the sport in decades.

The Selection Committee

A selection committee will choose the four teams for the playoff based on their performance during the regular season, including, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, championships won, and other factors. The teams will be seeded so that #1 will play #4 in one semifinal and #2 will meet #3 in the other, with the winners advancing to the national championship game.

The Rotation

The semifinals will rotate among six different bowls, extending the experience to more fans. In the years when the bowls are not hosting semifinals, the bowls will feature eight other teams in four compelling matchups.

Playoff Rotation

Sugar BowlRose BowlOrange BowlCotton BowlChick-fil-A BowlFiesta BowlCollege Football Championship Game
2015SEMIFINAL
(Jan. 1)
SEMIFINAL
(Jan. 1)
ORANGE BOWL
(Dec. 31)
COTTON BOWL
(Jan. 1)
Chick-fil-A BOWL
(Dec. 31)
FIESTA BOWL
(Dec. 31)
Monday, Jan. 12
2016SUGAR BOWL
(Jan. 1)
ROSE BOWL
(Jan. 1)
SEMIFINAL
(Dec. 31)
SEMIFINAL
(Dec. 31)
Chick-fil-A BOWL
(Dec. 31)
FIESTA BOWL
(Jan. 1)
Monday, Jan. 11
2017SUGAR BOWL
(Jan. 2)
ROSE BOWL
(Jan. 2)
ORANGE BOWL
(Dec. 31)
COTTON BOWL
(Jan. 2)
SEMIFINAL
(Dec. 31)
SEMIFINAL
(Dec. 31)
Monday, Jan. 9