As we approach the start of the 2025-26 college football season, excitement is already building for the postseason. With just seven months to go, it’s never too early to dive into bowl projections that highlight teams expected to reach the postseason and, for many fans, secure a coveted spot in the College Football Playoff.
After spring practice, the final rosters and depth charts are becoming clearer, thanks to significant movements within the transfer portal and team acquisitions. The upcoming postseason will feature a total of 41 bowl games, including six dedicated to the College Football Playoff. Currently, there are no major shifts in the playoff structure, as four champions from the Power Four conferences are slated to receive automatic bids, alongside the highest-ranked team from the Group of Five conferences.
The five teams that secure automatic bids will be ranked for the top four playoff seeds, ensuring they receive an opening-round bye. The remaining seven at-large selections will be determined based on their final rankings from the selection committee, which will be released in December. This season, the quarterfinals will include prestigious matchups at the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl, scheduled for December 31 and January 1.
The semifinals will occur the following week at the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl on January 8-9, leading up to the grand finale: the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on January 19, 2026.
With spring practices completed and the transfer portal behind us, let’s take a closer look at the early projections for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals:
Dec. 19 or 20: Beaver Stadium, State College, PA - (5) Penn State vs. (12) Navy (4) Iowa State Dec. 19 or 20: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR - (8) Oregon vs. (9) LSU (1) Ohio State Dec. 19 or 20: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, IN - (6) Notre Dame vs. (11) Georgia (3) Clemson Dec. 19 or 20: Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, AL - (7) Alabama vs. (10) Miami (FL) (2) TexasNotably, former Pac-12 teams such as Oregon, USC, Washington, and UCLA, now part of the Big Ten, remain eligible for Pac-12 bowl tie-ins until the current contract expires in 2025. Additionally, Washington State and Oregon State will face off twice in November, adding excitement to their schedules.
As seen in previous seasons, many bowl games have multiple conference tie-ins, meaning final pairings may not always align with expectations, particularly for games managed by ESPN. The second year of the expanded playoff may feature seven repeat teams and could potentially introduce a first-time representative from the Group of Five.
The unpredictable nature of the Big 12 championship race could yield a surprise winner, while new at-large entries from the SEC and ACC are also vying for inclusion in this highly anticipated postseason.
As we await the upcoming season, the landscape of college football continues to evolve, setting the stage for exciting matchups and thrilling playoff action in the 2025-26 season.
