The 2025-26 College Football Playoff quarterfinals kicked off with a big upset on New Year’s Eve, as No. 10 seed Miami knocked off defending national champion and No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. The Hurricanes’ defense and timely scoring propelled them into the semifinals, ending the Buckeyes’ hopes of repeating as champions.
Three more quarterfinal games are set for New Year’s Day (January 1, 2026), completing the field of four semifinalists. This article provides live updates from the completed game, key highlights, and the updated bracket heading into the semifinals.
2025-26 College Football Playoff Quarterfinals Results & Recaps (as of January 1st, 2026 am)
Here’s the 2025-26 College Football Playoff quarterfinals results and more for you.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (December 31, 2025 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX)
No. 10 Miami 24, No. 2 Ohio State 14
Miami delivered the biggest upset of the playoff so far, jumping out to a 14-0 halftime lead and holding off a second-half Buckeyes rally. Quarterback Carson Beck connected with Mark Fletcher Jr. for a touchdown pass, while defensive back Keionte Scott returned an interception 72 yards for a score. Late in the game, CharMar Brown added a rushing touchdown to seal the victory.
Ohio State, led by quarterback Julian Sayin and star receiver Jeremiah Smith (157 yards, 1 TD), fought back to within three points but could not overcome early deficits and turnovers. The loss ends the Buckeyes’ season and their bid for back-to-back titles.
Upcoming Quarterfinal Games (January 1, 2026)
- Capital One Orange Bowl (Noon ET, ESPN): No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
- Rose Bowl Game (4 p.m. ET, ESPN): No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana
- Allstate Sugar Bowl (8 p.m. ET, ESPN): No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia
Check back on January 2 for full results, recaps, and final semifinal matchups once all quarterfinals conclude.
Updated Playoff Bracket to Semifinals
The 12-team bracket is fixed with no reseeding. Winners advance as follows:
Semifinal 1: Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (January 8, 2026 – 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Miami (Cotton Bowl winner) vs. Winner of Sugar Bowl (Georgia/Ole Miss)
Semifinal 2: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (January 9, 2026 – 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Winner of Orange Bowl (Oregon/Texas Tech) vs. Winner of Rose Bowl (Indiana/Alabama)
National Championship (January 19, 2026 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL)
Fiesta Bowl winner vs. Peach Bowl winner
Printable Bracket Overview (Text Version)
Semifinals (Jan 8-9)
Cotton Bowl Winner —————–\
(Miami) }—- Fiesta Bowl —-\
/ \
Sugar Bowl Winner ——————————————\
(Georgia or Ole Miss) \
}—- National Championship (Jan 19)
Orange Bowl Winner ——————————————\ /
(Oregon or Texas Tech) / /
/
Rose Bowl Winner ——————————————-/
(Indiana or Alabama) Peach Bowl
Updated Printable 2025-26 College Football Playoff Bracket
Here’s our updated, printable 2025-26 college football playoff bracket for you. You can also save or print it to PDF format.
Key Highlights & Storylines
- Miami’s Cinderella Run Continues: The No. 10 seed Hurricanes, who squeaked into the playoff and won a low-scoring first-round game at Texas A&M (10-3), have now taken down the defending champs. Their defense forced crucial turnovers, and Carson Beck showed poise in big moments.
- Ohio State’s Shocking Exit: The Buckeyes struggled with field position and offensive rhythm early, despite strong performances from Jeremiah Smith and running back Bo Jackson.
- New Year’s Day Preview: Expect high-scoring affairs in the Orange Bowl (Oregon’s explosive offense vs. Texas Tech’s stout defense) and Sugar Bowl (SEC rematch after Georgia’s earlier win over Ole Miss). The Rose Bowl pits undefeated Indiana against a resurgent Alabama squad under Kalen DeBoer.
Semifinal Projections
With Miami already in, the semifinals promise intrigue:
- Fiesta Bowl Favorite: If Georgia advances past Ole Miss, the Bulldogs’ physicality could challenge Miami’s momentum. Ole Miss would bring explosive offense if they pull the upset.
- Peach Bowl Favorite: Indiana’s perfect season makes them a storyline darling, but Alabama’s playoff pedigree is unmatched. Oregon-Texas Tech could produce a wide-open, high-scoring clash.
The expanded playoff continues to deliver drama. Stay tuned to SportsBrackets.net for full New Year’s Day updates, final bracket refreshes on January 2, printable PDFs, and semifinal previews as the road to the national championship in Miami heats up! You can checkout the odds for each teaming winning the ship at the start of the postseason here. We also have the initial college football playoff bracket in PDF here for you too.
