At a Glance
- CFP quarterfinals pit top seeds Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech against lower-ranked teams in Cotton, Orange, Sugar, Rose Bowls.
- Games run Dec 31-Jan 1 with national title on Jan 19.
- All quarterfinals air on ESPN; streaming on ESPN.com and app.
- Why it matters: Fans can track matchups, times, venues, and the path to the national championship.
The College Football Playoff’s quarterfinals are set to ignite the gridiron, as the nation’s top four teams face lower-seeded opponents in four historic bowl games. With dates spanning December 31 to January 1, the action will determine who advances to the semifinals and ultimately the championship. Below is a quick guide to matchups, schedules, and venues.
Quarterfinal Matchups
The bracket follows a fixed path with no reseeding after the first round. The top four seeds-#1 Indiana, #2 Ohio State, #3 Georgia, and #4 Texas Tech-each host a lower-seeded opponent.
- Rose Bowl – #1 Indiana vs #9 Alabama (Indiana undefeated, Heisman-winning QB Fernando Mendoza, first bowl win since 1991)
- Cotton Bowl – #2 Ohio State vs #10 Miami (Miami scored the only touchdown in the final two minutes, beat #7 Texas A&M 10-3; Ohio State defense allows <10 points per game)
- Sugar Bowl – #3 Georgia vs #6 Ole Miss (Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin left for LSU; Ole Miss beat #11 Tulane 41-10; first meeting in Oct ended 43-35)
- Orange Bowl – #4 Texas Tech vs #5 Oregon (Texas Tech first CFP game; Oregon beat #12 James Madison 51-34; Oregon lost last year’s Rose Bowl to Ohio State)
Game Schedule & Venues
Quarterfinal games run from Wednesday, Dec 31 to Thursday, Jan 1. All contests are broadcast on ESPN and streamable on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
| Bowl | Date & Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton Bowl | Dec 31, 7:30 p.m. ET | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX |
| Orange Bowl | Jan 1, 12 p.m. ET | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL |
| Rose Bowl | Jan 1, 4 p.m. ET | Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA |
| Sugar Bowl | Jan 1, 8 p.m. ET | Caesars Superdome, New Orleans |
The Cotton Bowl kicks off the weekend, while the other three games occupy New Year’s Day across the country.
Semifinals & Championship
Semifinals will take place Thursday, Jan 8 to Friday, Jan 9. The Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ will host the winners of Ohio State-Miami and Georgia-Ole Miss. The Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta will feature the winners of Texas Tech-Oregon and Indiana-Alabama.
| Game | Date & Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Fiesta Bowl | Jan 8, 7:30 p.m. ET | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ |
| Peach Bowl | Jan 9, 7:30 p.m. ET | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
The national championship will be held on Monday, Jan 19 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL, the same venue as the Orange Bowl.
Key Takeaways
- Quarterfinals pit top seeds against lower-ranked teams in four historic bowls.
- Games run Dec 31-Jan 1; semifinals Jan 8-9; championship Jan 19.
- All games are on ESPN; streams available on ESPN.com and the ESPN app.
With the schedule set, fans have a clear roadmap to follow the College Football Playoff’s journey to crowning the national champion.
