The 2025-26 College Football Playoff quarterfinals are set following the first-round results from December 19-20, 2025. With the top four seeds earning byes, the action ramps up on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at some of the sport’s most storied bowl venues. All of the games will be broadcast on ESPN.
How Does the College Football Playoff Bye System Work?
The top four seeds-No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers, No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs, and No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders-earned first-round byes after strong seasons. The quarterfinal winners advanced to the semifinals on January 8-9, 2026 (Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl), with the national championship set for Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
All quarterfinal games air on ESPN.
2025-26 CFP Quarterfinal Schedule
Here’s the 2025-26 CFP quarterfinal schedule for you. The first game of the next round takes place on New Year’s Eve featuring Miami playing against Ohio State in Arlington, Texas.
| Date | Matchup | Bowl Game | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
| Wed, Dec. 31, 2025 | No. 10 Miami vs. No. 2 Ohio State | Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan. 1, 2026 | No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech | Capital One Orange Bowl | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL | Noon | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan. 1, 2026 | No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana | Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA | 4:00 p.m. | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan. 1, 2026 | No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia | Allstate Sugar Bowl | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA | 8:00 p.m. | ESPN |
Key Highlights:
- The Cotton Bowl kicks off the quarterfinals with a clash between the reigning national champion Ohio State and a surging Miami team that earned their spot with a gritty road win in the first round.
- Oregon and Texas Tech meet in the Orange Bowl-a matchup of rising powers, with the Ducks seeking to build on their strong Big Ten performance.
- Indiana hosts Alabama at the Rose Bowl in a battle of bluebloods, marking the Hoosiers’ first playoff appearance under new leadership.
- Georgia and Ole Miss renew their SEC rivalry in the Sugar Bowl, with the Bulldogs aiming to reclaim their dominance.
Printable 2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket
Here’s the printable 2025-26 College Football Playoff bracket for you. You can also get the latest bracket from the NCAA here. You can print or save the bracket below in PDF format depending on what works best for you.
Printable Bracket and Viewing Options
Download our printable CFP bracket (PDF/image) for easy reference. All games stream on ESPN platforms, including WatchESPN.
The first round delivered thrills: Alabama rallied from a deficit to beat Oklahoma, Miami edged Texas A&M, Ole Miss dominated Tulane, and Oregon overwhelmed James Madison. Stay tuned for live updates, scores, and analysis as the road to Miami continues. We were 4 for 4 on our CFP First Round upset predictions, so stay tuned for our picks for the Quarterfinals.
