The College Football Playoff selection committee reveals its first 2026 rankings on Tuesday, November 3, and a new top 25 drops every Tuesday until the 12-team field is set on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6. Here is the full release schedule, how the 12-team playoff works, and a free printable tracker so you can follow every week’s movement.
2026 CFP Rankings: Quick Facts
| First rankings | Tuesday, November 3 (7 PM ET, ESPN) |
| Weekly reveals | Every Tuesday through December 1 |
| Selection Day | Sunday, December 6 (field of 12 revealed) |
| Field | 12 teams (5 conference champions + 7 at-large) |
| Byes | Top 4 seeds get a first-round bye (straight seeding) |
2026 College Football Playoff Rankings Release Schedule
| Reveal | Date | Time (ET) |
| First rankings | Tuesday, Nov 3 | 7:00 PM (ESPN) |
| Week 2 | Tuesday, Nov 10 | 9:00 PM |
| Week 3 | Tuesday, Nov 17 | 9:00 PM |
| Week 4 | Tuesday, Nov 24 | 7:30 PM |
| Penultimate | Tuesday, Dec 1 | 7:00 PM |
| Selection Day (final) | Sunday, Dec 6 | Noon-3 PM |
How the 12-Team Playoff Works
The 2026 College Football Playoff is a 12-team field. Five spots are automatic bids: the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, plus the highest-ranked champion from the Group of 5 (the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt). The other seven spots are at-large, awarded to the next highest-ranked teams in the final rankings. Notre Dame is eligible as an at-large if it finishes in the top 12.
Seeding is straight off the final rankings: the top four seeds earn a first-round bye, and seeds 5 through 12 meet in first-round games before the quarterfinals move into the New Year’s bowls. For who is in the field right now, see our College Football Playoff and Bowl Projections, updated every week.
Printable 2026 CFP Rankings Tracker
Print the tracker and fill in the committee’s top 25 after each Tuesday reveal. The top 12 line is marked so you can watch the bubble move week to week.
Download the printable 2026 CFP rankings tracker (PDF)
Follow the bracket all season
- 2026 College Football Playoff and Bowl Projections (printable bracket)
- 2026 College Football AP Top 25 (latest rankings)
- 2026 Top 25 Schedule Grid: every ranked team’s slate
- 2026 College Football Week 9 Schedule and TV
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub (all teams)
We also drop a new College Football Playoff bracket short every week on our channels, built off the committee’s latest look.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the first 2026 CFP rankings come out?
Tuesday, November 3, at 7 PM ET on ESPN.
How often are the CFP rankings released?
Every Tuesday from November 3 through December 1, then the final 12-team field is revealed on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6.
How many teams make the College Football Playoff?
Twelve: five conference champions and seven at-large teams.
Do the top seeds get a bye?
Yes. The top four seeds earn a first-round bye; seeds 5 through 12 play first-round games.
