The bracket was finalized Sunday, setting the stage for the first year of a 12-team postseason that will eventually crown a national champion January 20 in Atlanta.
After an intense Saturday that saw No. 1 Oregon solidify its top ranking with a victory over Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game, and losses by then-No. 2 Texas and then No. 8 SMU in their respective title games, the playoffs will kick off with first round games December 20-21 across ABC/ESPN and TNT/Max.
SMU’s loss against Clemson in the ACC title game presented the most debatable scenario of the bracket, as the CFP selection committee had perennial title contender Alabama (as well as the University of Miami) looking on the outside entering the weekend. Eventually, the Crimson Tide, which has won three of the past 10 national titles, was deemed not to have enough to advance to the final 12.
Three teams from the West — Oregon, Arizona State and Boise State, conference champs all — received first-round byes, as did Georgia after knocking off Texas in the SEC title game Saturday. They will play first-round winners in quarterfinal games December 31-January 1, with the semifinals January 9-10. All games after the first round will be played on ABC or ESPN.
The title game is 7:30 p.m. ET on January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, airing on ESPN.
Here is the full lineup of CFP games and networks:
First Round
Friday, December 20
No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Saturday, December 21
No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, noon ET, (TNT/Max)
No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, 4 p.m. ET (TNT/Max)
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, December 31
Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. Penn State-SMU winner, 7:30 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Wednesday, January 1
Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas-Clemson winner, 1 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. Ohio State-Tennessee winner, 5 p.m. (ABC/ESPN)
Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame-Indiana winner, 8:45 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN)
Semifinals
Thursday, January 9
Orange Bowl: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Friday, January 10
Cotton Bowl: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
CFP National Championship
Monday, January 20
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
