After a riveting 15-week college football season filled with unforgettable moments and unexpected upsets, the highly anticipated College Football Playoff is set to commence. With 12 teams still in the running for the coveted national title, the excitement is palpable.
In the first-round of the College Football Playoff, teams seeded No. 5 through No. 12 will engage in elimination games. The action kicks off with a Friday night showdown between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 10 Indiana. Saturday will be a day filled with three games. The winners of these matchups will earn the right to challenge one of the top four seeds in the quarterfinals.
The four top teams from the quarterfinals will progress to the pivotal semifinals, which will be held at either the Orange Bowl on January 9 or the Cotton Bowl on January 10. The outcomes of these matchups will determine the two teams that will battle for the College Football Playoff national championship on January 20 in Atlanta.
Here is the complete College Football Playoff bracket and information on how to watch your team’s journey to the national title.
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When is College Football Playoff first round?
All times Eastern
FRIDAY, DEC. 20
- Game 1: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
SATURDAY, DEC. 21
- Game 2: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 SMU, noon (TNT)
- Game 3: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson, 4 p.m. (TNT)
- Game 4: No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee, 8 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
Catch all the CFP games with Fubo
The four quarterfinal games will be played on New Year’s weekend at the site of four bowl games, with one game on Dec. 31 and three on Jan. 1.
TUESDAY, DEC. 31
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. Penn State/SMU winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 1
- Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas/Clemson winner, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. Ohio State/Tennessee winner, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
- Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame/Indiana winner, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)
When are College Football Playoff semifinals?
The semifinal games will be played Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 at the site of two bowl games.
THURSDAY, JAN. 9
- Orange Bowl: Fiesta Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
- Cotton Bowl: Peach Bowl winner vs. Rose Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
When is College Football Playoff National championship?
- at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
- Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
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