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What bowl games make up College Football Playoff? Where Rose, Orange, Sugar bowls fit in
The College Football Playoff format has undergone its first change in a decade, transitioning to a new 12-team structure. This change is set to ignite a new level of competition, enabling the top teams to vie for the national title in a more intense and competitive environment.
Under the expanded format, the five highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the CFP, receiving automatic bids. Among these, the four highest-ranked conference champions secure first-round byes and progress directly to the quarterfinals.
The top four teams in the Playoff include Big Ten champion Oregon, who earned the No. 1 overall seed and will play in the Rose Bowl. Georgia, the SEC champion, secured the No. 2 seed and will compete in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Boise State, the Mountain West champion, holds the No. 3 seed and will play in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Finally, Big 12 champion Arizona State rounds out the top four with the No. 4 seed and will participate in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
The teams seeded from No. 5 to No. 12 will engage in win-or-go-home first-round games. Here's a breakdown of what bowl games make up the College Football Playoff bracket:
WHO WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP? Our College Football Playoff bracket predictions
What bowl games are in College Football Playoff?
The College Football Playoff quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games:
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Capital One Orange Bowl
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
Rose Bowl presented by Prudential
Allstate Sugar Bowl
The College Football Playoff national championship game will not be among the six aforementioned bowls. It will take place on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
When do College Football Playoff games start?
The College Football Playoff first round is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21. ABC and ESPN will televise two of the four games, while TNT will broadcast the other two.
Fans looking to cut the cord can also stream the action with a Fubo subscription.
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)
When are College Football Playoff quarterfinals?
The four quarterfinal games will be played on New Year's weekend, with one game on Dec. 31 and three on Jan. 1. All games will be televised by ESPN.
All times Eastern
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. Both games will be televised by ESPN.
All times Eastern
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?
MONDAY, JAN. 20
at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What bowl games are in College Football Playoff? CFP bracket, schedule