About the 12-Team CFP Format
How the CFP Field Is Set
1
Automatic Bid
7
At-Large Bids
Best remaining teams, any conference
- Notre Dame receives an automatic bid if it is ranked in the CFP Top 12 on Selection Day. If so, six (6) at-large bids would be awarded.
- Seeds 1-4 receive first-round byes
- Seeds 5-12 play first-round games at the higher seed's home stadium
- Any automatic qualifiers ranked outside the top 12 will be placed in order at the bottom of the seeding.
- The No. 1 seed will select its quarterfinal bowl site and the semifinal site into which it will advance should it win its quarterfinal game.
- The No. 2 seed, followed by the No. 3 seed, will then select from the remaining quarterfinal bowl sites. Those two teams will be assigned to the remaining semifinal.
- The No. 4 seed will be assigned to the remaining quarterfinal bowl site.
- With the four highest-ranked schools' bowls selected, their four CFP Quarterfinal opponents will be dictated by the bracket (i.e., No. 1 vs. No. 8/9 winner, No. 4 vs. No. 5/12 winner, No. 2 vs. 7/10 winner; No. 3 vs. 6/11 winner.)
- The CFP bracket will follow the selection committee’s rankings, with no modifications made to avoid rematches between teams that may have played during the regular season or are from the same conference.
- The bracket will remain in effect throughout the CFP (i.e., no re-seeding).
- All 11 games will be under the CFP umbrella with the administrative policies determined by the CFP.
The CFP Bracket
CFP First Round Higher Seed Hosts
12Seed
5Seed
9Seed
8Seed
11Seed
6Seed
10Seed
7Seed
CFP Quarterfinal Winner
CFP Quarterfinal Winner
CFP Quarterfinal Winner
CFP Quarterfinal Winner
CFP National Championship Allegiant Stadium
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
CFP Semifinal Winner
CFP Semifinal Winner
2026-27 CFP Schedule
Dates and bowl assignments for the 2026-27 CFP, from the CFP First Round hosted on campus by the higher-ranked seeds, through the CFP Quarterfinals and CFP Semifinals, culminating in Las Vegas at the 2027 CFP National Championship.
CFP First Round · Higher Seed Hosts
Fri., Dec. 18, 2026
One game
Sat., Dec. 19, 2026
Three games
CFP Quarterfinals
Wed., Dec. 30, 2026
Fri., Jan. 1, 2027
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