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After months of anticipation and hundreds of games played across the 2024 college football season, the 12-team College Football Playoff has arrived. The bracket expands this season from four teams to 12, creating a tougher path to the national championship while adding some new teams to the mix in the process.
No. 1 seed Oregon, No. 2 seed Georgia, No. 3 seed Boise State and No. 4 seed Arizona State earned first-round byes in the CFP after winning their respective conference championships over the weekend. Clemson, meanwhile, upset SMU on a walk-off, 56-yard field goal in the ACC Championship Game to punch its ticket to the CFP. The No. 12 seeded Tigers finished as the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion in the final College Football Playoff Rankings and will face No. 5 seed Texas on the road.
The first round of the CFP will feature No. 7 seed Notre Dame hosting No. 10 seed Indiana on Dec. 20 in the first game of the expanded playoff, signaling a historic moment in the sport. The other first-round games will be played on Dec. 21. The winners will advance to the quarterfinals at neutral sites on Dec. 31 and January 1, 2025.
2024-25 College Football Playoff schedule
All times Eastern
First round
Saturday, Dec. 21
(9) Tennessee vs. (8) Ohio State: 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN
Ohio Stadium — Columbus, Ohio
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Dec. 31
Fiesta Bowl — (6) Penn State vs. (3) Boise State: 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
State Farm Stadium — Glendale, Ariz.
Wednesday, Jan. 1
Peach Bowl — (5) Texas vs. (4) Arizona State: 1 p.m. | ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium — AtlantaRose Bowl — 8/9 Winner vs. (1)…..
