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College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is an annual knockout invitational tournament to determine a national champion for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the highest level of college football competition in the United States. It culminates in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The inaugural tournament was held at the end of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season under a four-team format. The CFP Board of Managers voted in 2023 to expand the playoff to 12 teams beginning in 2024, an arrangement that will last at least through the end of the 2026 season. After 2026, additional expansion to a 14-team playoff or larger may take place at that time.

Format
4-team playoff (2014–2023) From its formation in 2014 to the end of the 2023 season, the College Football Playoff used a four-team knockout bracket to determine the national champion. Six bowl games—the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl– rotated as hosts for the semifinals. The rotation was set on a three-year cycle with the following pairings: Rose/Sugar, Orange/Cotton, and Fiesta/Peach. The two semifinal bowls and the other four top-tier bowls were marketed as the New Year's Six. From 2014 to 2025, Per contract, the Rose and Sugar Bowls were always on New Year's Day. Originally three games were held on New Year's Eve with the other three on New Year's Day. However, disappointing TV ratings in the first rotation led to games originally planned for New Year's Eve be moved to as early as December 27 in some years. The four-team format pitted the No. 1-ranked team against No. 4 and No. 2 against No. 3. The seeding determined the semifinal bowl game assigned to each matchup; the No. 1 seed chose its bowl game to prevent it from playing in a "road" environment. There were no limits on the number of teams per conference, a change from previous BCS rules. 12-team playoff (2024–present) The CFP expanded to a 12-team format for the 2024 through 2027 seasons. Features of the expanded playoff include: The Group of Six representative will be the highest-ranked team from that cohort, and does not have to be a conference champion. • At-large bids for the seven highest-ranked remaining teams, which could include additional conference champions. • Starting in 2026, if independent Notre Dame is ranked in the top 12, it is guaranteed an at-large bid. • For the 2024 season, the four highest-ranked conference champions received first-round byes. This was changed for the 2025 season, with the four highest-ranked teams overall now receiving first-round byes, regardless of conference champion status. • The remaining teams play each other in the first round at the home fields of the better seeds or an alternate venue of their choosing; match-ups are 5–12, 6–11, 7–10, and 8–9. • The quarterfinals and semifinals are hosted by the New Year's Six bowl games (Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton, Peach, and Fiesta) with the semifinal games being determined on the same rotation as in the previous format, except the Rose Bowl, which will remain on New Years Day annually and will always be a quarterfinal game. • The championship game continues to be held at a separately determined neutral site. • The playoff bracket is not reseeded at any time. • First round games occur on the third weekend of December, quarterfinal games on or around New Year's Day, semifinal games at least one week later, and the championship game on the first Monday of at least six days after the semifinals. ==Venues==
Venues
On-campus games