NCAA Postseason Format
12-Team College Football Playoff & Bowl Schedule
The 2026 postseason features the historic 12-team playoff bracket: four top conference champions earn first-round byes, while seeds 5 through 12 clash in on-campus showdowns.
ROUND 1 • ON CAMPUS
First Round (Seeds 5-12)
Hosted at the home stadium of the higher-seeded program: #12 at #5, #11 at #6, #10 at #7, #9 at #8.
ROUND 2 • NY6 BOWLS
Quarterfinals
Top 4 seeds face First Round winners at the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, and Peach Bowl.
ROUND 3 • SEMIFINALS
Semifinal Bowls
Played at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl to determine the two national finalists.
CHAMPIONSHIP
CFP National Championship
Nationwide live primetime broadcast on ESPN with 4K HDR coverage.