How do the college football playoffs work? Here's a full breakdown, including 2025-2026 fixtures, locations and dates

At the heart of college football’s postseason is the College Football Playoff, a format that determines which teams compete for the coveted National Championship.

Even if you're a fan of the NFL, you might not know how the college playoffs work. It's a complex system that has undergone a significant change in recent years.

Here's a complete breakdown.

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How many teams qualify for the playoffs?

For a decade, the college playoffs included just four teams. That approach was overhauled, starting with the 2024-2025 season, and now consists of 12 teams.

The 12-team bracket comprises the five highest-ranked conference champions, as selected by a selection committee, and the following seven highest-ranked teams. This almost guarantees that the champions of the Big 12, SEC, ACC, and Big Ten will be involved each year.

The four highest-ranked teams receive the top four seeds and a first-round playoff bye. The other eight teams will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds.

Here's how that looks in bracket form:

How are the seedings calculated?

Per the college football playoff website, "The selection committee ranks the schools based on the members’ evaluation of their performance on the field, using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results, and comparison of results against common opponents."

When will seedings be available?

The selection committee submits weekly seedings. The first seedings for the 2025-2026 season will be available on Tuesday, November 4, with the final seedings shared on Sunday, December 7.

Other, unofficial seedings are available here , created by the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.

Who is on the selection committee?

There are 13 members on the selection committee. It's a collection of people with vast experience of college football, and counts coaches, former players, athletic directors, and journalists among its members.

Current members include chair, Baylor athletics director Mack Rhoades, and Ivan Maisel, a longtime college football writer and media personality.

Where and when do the playoffs take place?

Which team won the National Championship last season?

Ohio State finished the 2024–25 season as national champs, pulling off a 34–23 win over Notre Dame in a thrilling, high-scoring matchup.