What are the matchups in the College Football Playoff?

The first 12-team College Football Playoff schedule has been announced following a wild conclusion to the regular season. It took almost a century to get this point, and the CFP will soon be able to grow once more.

Was the CFP committee correct? It’s time to find out: the playoffs will move to bowl games for the quarterfinals and semifinals after the first-round games on campuses on Friday and Saturday, December 20–21.

With a first-round bye, the top-seeded Oregon Ducks will face the victor of the game between No. 9 seed Tennessee and No. 8 seed Ohio State. They meet on December 21.

Who is playing in the CFP and what time are the games?

Between December 20 and the final on January 20, there will be eleven games, all of which will be televised nationally. The initial round (in PST):

Notre Dame by seven, according to BetMGM’s college football odds.

What to know: This is the first encounter between the two Hoosier State schools since 1991, despite their 200-mile separation. For the first time in the program’s history, the Hoosiers have won 11 games. Since being beaten by Northern Illinois, the Irish have won ten straight games. For Indiana residents with conflicting allegiances, the game is entertaining.

The victor will play No. 2 seed Georgia in the Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1, 5:45 p.m., ESPN).

Penn State is favored by 8.5 in the BetMGM College Football Odds.

What to know: After losing to Clemson on the final play of the ACC title game, SMU received the final at-large bid. For the first time, Penn State is participating in the playoffs. In order to feel validated, both are searching for victories.

The victor will play No. 3 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl (ESPN, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m.).

Texas by 12 in college football, according to BetMGM’s odds.

Important information: This will be the first meeting for the teams. Since they dislike that storyline, Clemson overcame SMU to secure an automatic spot and entered the ACC title game through a back door. Georgia is the only team the Longhorns have lost against.

The victor advances to play Arizona State, the fourth seed, in the Peach Bowl (Jan. 1, 11 a.m., ESPN).

Ohio State by 7.5 is the college football wager offered by BetMGM.

Important information: This will be the clubs’ second encounter and their first since the Volunteers defeated them 20–14 in the 1996 Citrus Bowl under Peyton Manning. The Vols are fourth in the country in total defense, behind Ohio State. The Volunteers undoubtedly feel like they are back, and Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is a pain for opposing opponents. The Buckeyes want to turn their fortunes around.

The victor will play the top-seeded Oregon in the Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, 2 p.m., ESPN).

This is the 2024–25 College Football Playoff bracket.The Associated Press

Who are the favorites in the College Football Playoff?

Texas and top-seeded, undefeated Oregon are both 7-2 favorites to win the national title as of this week, per BetMGM Sportsbook. Next up, at 5-1, are Georgia and Ohio State.

The remaining odds are as follows: Boise State (60-1) versus Clemson and Arizona State (50-1), Indiana and SMU (40-1), Tennessee (25-1), Notre Dame (8-1) versus Penn State (25-4).

How does the CFP work?

After assessing the teams for six weeks, a 13-member CFP selection committee determined the bracket on December 8.

Regardless of their overall CFP rankings, the top five conference winners were assured positions in the field; Clemson, for instance, is ranked No. 16 in the CFP but received the 12th and lowest seed as the fifth-highest ranked league champion. The top four seeds advance automatically to the quarterfinals and receive a week off.

In January 2015, there were four teams participating in the CFP. This year, it had its first expansion. Many think it might start to grow again as early as 2026.

How much money is at stake in the CFP?

A lot: The playoffs are worth roughly $115 million.

Every club that advances to the final 12 receives $4 million from each conference, while teams that advance to the quarterfinals receive an additional $4 million. In other words, without even playing a game, teams that received byes are worth $8 million to their conferences.

For their conference, teams that make it to the semifinals get an additional $6 million, while those that make it to the final earn a further $6 million.

The money is distributed differently by each conference. Additionally, each team that qualifies for the playoffs academically receives a $300,000 compensation. Additionally, teams that qualify for the playoffs receive $3 million to cover their costs.

-This report was compiled by The Oregonian/OregonLive and The Associated Press.

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