College Football Playoff 2026-27
Dates and sites
- Sun, Dec 6, 2026 Selection Day Full 12-team bracket, seeds and first-round matchups revealed source
- Fri, Dec 18, 2026 First Round campus sites source
- Wed, Dec 30, 2026 Quarterfinals Fiesta Bowl; Cotton/Rose/Peach Bowls (Jan 1) source
- Thu, Jan 14, 2027 Semifinals Orange Bowl; Sugar Bowl (Jan 15) source
- January 2027 (date TBC) National Championship Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas source
Dates from the official schedule (linked). Bowl and site details as published by the CFP.
AP Top 25, top 12 (week 6)
| # | Move | Team | Rec | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Texas (61) | 4-0 | 1737 | |
| 2 |  Georgia (6) | 5-0 | 1647 | |
| 3 |  Notre Dame | 5-0 | 1532 | |
| 4 |  Miami (2) | 5-0 | 1524 | |
| 5 |  Ohio State | 4-1 | 1490 | |
| 6 | ▲1 |  Alabama | 5-0 | 1460 |
| 7 | ▼1 |  Indiana (1) | 5-0 | 1380 |
| 8 | ▲2 |  BYU | 4-0 | 1144 |
| 9 |  Ole Miss | 3-1 | 1095 | |
| 10 | ▲1 |  LSU | 4-1 | 1087 |
| 11 | ▲1 |  Texas Tech | 5-0 | 1062 |
| 12 | ▲1 |  Utah | 4-0 | 996 |
The committee's rankings start in November and replace this table. Until then this is the AP poll, not a bracket.
If the season ended today: the 12-team bracket
First round · campus sites
LSUBYUhomeOle MissQuarterfinals · bowls
GeorgiabyeSeeds in straight AP Top 25 order. The official bracket also applies the committee's rules for conference champions, so the real field can differ. Highlighted: conference teams.
Big Ten in the playoff picture
- No. 5 Ohio State 4-1 In the projected field
- No. 7 Indiana 5-0 In the projected field
- No. 13
Oregon 3-1 1 spot outside - No. 19
USC 5-1 7 spots outside - No. 20
Iowa 4-1 8 spots outside - No. 21
UCLA 4-0 9 spots outside
From the AP Top 25, week 6. The Big Ten title race decides the conference champion: see the title race.
Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff
| Season | Team | Record | How it ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Indiana | 16-0 | National champions |
| 2025 | Ohio State | 12-2 | Lost College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic |
| 2025 | Oregon | 13-2 | Lost College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl |
| 2024 | Indiana | 11-2 | Lost College Football Playoff First Round |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 14-2 | National champions |
| 2024 | Oregon | 13-1 | Lost College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl |
| 2024 |  Penn State | 13-3 | Lost College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl |
| 2023 |  Michigan | 15-0 | National champions |
| 2022 | Michigan | 13-1 | Lost CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl |
| 2022 | Ohio State | 11-2 | Lost CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl |
| 2021 | Michigan | 12-2 | Lost CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl |
| 2020 | Ohio State | 7-1 | Lost CFP National Championship |
| 2019 | Ohio State | 13-1 | Lost Playstation Fiesta Bowl - CFP Semifinal |
| 2014 | Ohio State | 14-1 | National champions |
From the game log, seasons since the playoff began in 2014. Record includes the playoff.
The 2026-27 College Football Playoff in one place: Selection Day, the first round on campus, the quarterfinals and semifinals in the bowls, and the national championship game, each date linked to its official source. The committee's weekly rankings appear here from November, alongside the AP and Coaches polls. For the Big Ten's own race, see the title race and the standings.
The Big Ten Report
One conference, in your inbox every Tuesday.
Standings, the title race and one opinion on the Big Ten. No filler.
Frequently asked questions
When is the College Football Playoff selection show?
Selection Day is December 6, 2026. Full 12-team bracket, seeds and first-round matchups revealed.
When does the College Football Playoff start?
The first round is Dec 18 and Dec 19, four games at higher-seed campus sites.
Where are the College Football Playoff quarterfinals?
Fiesta Bowl Dec 30; Cotton, Rose, Peach Bowls Jan 1, 2027.
Where are the College Football Playoff semifinals?
Orange Bowl Jan 14; Sugar Bowl Jan 15, 2027.
Where is the 2026 national championship game?
The national championship game is at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, in January 2027 (exact date to be confirmed).
Which Big Ten teams are in the College Football Playoff picture?
In the AP Top 25 (week 6): Ohio State at No. 5, Indiana at No. 7, Oregon at No. 13, USC at No. 19, Iowa at No. 20, UCLA at No. 21. 2 would be in a straight top-12 field.
When do the College Football Playoff rankings come out?
The selection committee publishes weekly rankings from early November until Selection Day, December 6, 2026. This page shows the latest ones.