College Football Playoffs Explained: Exploring the Location, Schedule and structure for the 12-team format

The 12 teams selected for the expanded College Football Playoff will know their path on Dec. 8. But it’s never too early to review what the new format looks like and why certain teams will or won’t be present in the inaugural 12-team CFP.

From the teams making the field to the dates and venues of the games, here is what you need to know before the College Football Playoff field is announced.

How is the College Football Playoff bracket determined?

It is pretty evident that while the rankings say one thing, the seeding in the bracket looks completely different. That’s because they are affected by different things.

According to CFP regulations, the top 4 seeds belong to the top 4 conference champions in the College Football Playoff rankings. So, it doesn’t matter if the Big Ten, SEC, or any other conference has two or even three teams ranked in the top 4, only the conference champion will get to be among the top seeds and guarantee a first-round bye.

While the fifth conference champion on the College Football Playoff ranking might not get a bye week, they are also guaranteed a place in the bracket, regardless of whether they are in the top 12 or not. This is the reason why the 12th team in the ranking (Miami at this point) might not make the playoff.

From the fifth seed on, teams will be allocated according to their spot in the CFP rankings, including the fifth conference champion.

It’s worth mentioning that since a conference championship is needed to earn one of the top four spots, Notre Dame or any other independent school can not earn a first-round bye and must take the long route through the playoffs.

What is the structure of the 12-team College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff will be divided into 11 games, played from Dec. 20 to Jan. 20. The first four seeds in the bracket will earn a first-round bye, meaning they will be idle until Dec 31 or Jan. 1, with a direct ticket to the quarterfinals.

For the first round of the College Football Playoff, the bottom 8 seeds will be facing off against each other in a one-game playoff at the campus of the higher-ranked school. Matchups will be determined by seeding: #5 vs #12, #6 vs #11, #7 vs #10 and #8 vs #9.

Game 1: Location TBD. Friday, Dec. 20, 8:00 pm (ABC/ESPN)

Game 2: Location TBD. Saturday, Dec. 21, 12:00 pm (TNT Sports)

Game 3: Location TBD. Saturday, Dec. 21, 4:00 pm (TNT Sports)

Game 4: Location TBD. Saturday, Dec. 21, 8:00 pm (ABC/ESPN)

Winners will move on to face the top 4 teams according to the fixed bracket. That means teams are not reseeded after each round, they just play through the path laid when the playoff is announced.

Where will the College Football Playoff games be held?

After the initial round, the sites have been determined. Here is a look at what the venues will look like for the remainder of the College Football Playoff.

Quarterfinals

For the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, the New Year’s Six Bowl games will be rotated. This season, the quarterfinals will be played at the following sites:

Fiesta Bowl: Glendale, Arizona. Tuesday, Dec. 31, 7:30 pm (ESPN)

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Atlanta, Georgia. Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1:00 pm (ESPN)

Rose Bowl: Pasadena, California. Wednesday, Jan. 1, 5:00 pm (ESPN)

Sugar Bowl: New Orleans, Louisiana. Wednesday, Jan. 1, 8:45 pm (ESPN)

Where each game will be played will depend on the higher seed and the school’s history related to that venue. That means, for example, that the Big 10 champion would likely play at the Rose Bowl, while the SEC champ could be headed to the Sugar Bowl or Peach Bowl.

Semifinals

The Semifinals will take place at the two New Year’s Six Bowls that did not take part in the previous round. This year’s rotation would have them as the following:

Orange Bowl: Miami, Florida. Thursday, Jan. 9, 7:30 pm (ESPN)

Cotton Bowl: Arlington, Texas. Friday, Jan. 10, 7:30 pm (ESPN)

National Championship Game

Finally, the National Championship Game will be held at Mercedes Benz Stadium this year, as the venue will also rotate every season.

CFP National Championship: Atlanta, Georgia. Monday, Jan 20, 7:30 pm (ESPN)