New 12-team College Football Playoff format explained, plus schedule and betting odds

There will be a new playoff format in college football starting in 2024.

Week 1 is upon us. Here’s everything you need to know about the new 12-team College Football Playoffs.

College football 12-team playoff format

New College Football Playoff format

The new College Football Playoffs will now feature 12 teams instead of four.

The 12 teams consist of the five top-ranked conference champions and the next seven top-ranked teams.

As in previous years, the ranking of teams will continue to be determined by the College Football Playoff Committee.

The top four ranked conference champions will receive the top four spots and a first-round bye. The next ranked conference champion will be seeded at the position it ranks at the end of the regular season (or 12th if it is outside the top 12 rankings). Non-conference champions ranked in the top four will not receive a top four spot, but will be seeded starting at 5th.

The eight teams that do not receive a bye in the first round will play a duel in the first round, which will be hosted by the higher-seeded team.

The top four seeded teams will be placed into playoff quarterfinals hosted by bowls, taking historical bowl relationships first and then seedings into account, with their quarterfinal opponents determined by the bracket.

• No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 Winner
• No. 4 vs. No. 5/12 Winners
• No. 2 vs. No. 7/10 Winner
• No. 3 vs. No. 6/10 Winner

The table will remain valid for the entire duration of the playoffs. There will be no re-placement.

College Football Playoff Schedule

The first round of the College Football Playoffs will take place on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21, 2024. The higher seed will host the four first-round games.

• Game 1 (Site to be announced): Friday, December 20, 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN
• Game 2 (Site to be announced): Saturday, December 21 at 12pm ET on TNT
• Game 3 (Site to be announced): Saturday, December 21, 4:00 p.m. ET on TNT
• Game 4 (Site to be announced): Saturday, December 21, 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN

The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoffs will take place on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 and Wednesday, January 1, 2025. The venues are predetermined.

• Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona): Tuesday, December 31, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Peach peel (Atlanta, Georgia): Wednesday, January 1, 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Rose bowl (Pasadena, California): Wednesday, January 1, 5:00 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Sugar bowl (New Orleans, Louisiana): Wednesday, January 1, 8:45 p.m. ET on ESPN

The College Football Playoff semifinals will take place on Thursday, January 9 and Friday, January 10, 2025. The venues are predetermined.

• Orange bowl (Glendale, Arizona): Thursday, January 9, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Cotton bowl (Atlanta, Georgia): Friday, January 10, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

The College Football Playoff National Championship will be held on Monday, January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

• National Championship (Atlanta, Georgia): Monday, January 20, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Odds for the College Football Playoffs

Below are the FanDuel Sportsbook odds for participation in the 2024–25 College Football Playoffs as of August 28.

Subject to unusual changes

For a complete list of playoff odds, check out the NCAAF odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Looking for the latest college football odds? Head over to FanDuel Sportsbook and check out all of the college football betting options.

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