Overview
- The 12-team field and final top 25 will be announced during the Selection Show from noon to 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, with streaming on the ESPN app and Fubo.
- CFP rules grant automatic bids to the five highest-ranked conference champions, add seven at-large teams, award byes to the top four, and stage first-round games at higher seeds’ home sites.
- Indiana’s 13–10 win over Ohio State and Georgia’s 28–7 victory over Alabama reshaped the top tier, with reporting projecting Indiana for the No. 1 seed and casting Alabama’s status as uncertain.
- Tulane secured the American title to book a berth, James Madison won the Sun Belt and gained needed help from Duke’s ACC championship over Virginia, and Texas Tech’s rout of BYU left the Cougars’ hopes to the committee.
- Key dates: first round Dec. 19–20, quarterfinals Dec. 31–Jan. 1, semifinals Jan. 8–9, and the national championship on Jan. 19.