College Football Playoff finalizes dates and kickoff windows for 2024 and 2025

College Football Playoff dates and kickoff windows for the first seasons of the 12-team field have been finalized.

Bowl assignments are also out for the 2024 and 2025 college football seasons. The new dates are the next step in the transition to a 12-team playoff format set to begin in 2024.

The field of 12 teams will be comprised of the 6 conference champions ranked highest by the selection committee (no minimum ranking requirement), plus the 6 highest-ranked other teams.

The 4 highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1 through 4 and each will receive a first-round bye. The other 8 teams will play in the first round with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded team.

Here is the schedule and the locations:

2024 season

First Round (On-Campus)
Friday, December 20, 2024: One Game (evening)
Saturday, December 21, 2024: Three Games (early afternoon, late afternoon and evening)
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, December 31, 2024: Fiesta Bowl (evening)
Wednesday, January 1, 2025: Peach Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon) and Sugar Bowl (evening)
Semifinals
Thursday, January 9, 2025: Orange Bowl (evening)
Friday, January 10, 2025: Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
CFP National Championship
Monday, January 20, 2025: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

2025 season

First Round (On-Campus)
Friday, December 19, 2025: One Game (evening)
Saturday, December 20, 2025: Three Games (early afternoon, late afternoon and evening)
Quarterfinals
Wednesday, December 31, 2025: Cotton Bowl Classic (evening)
Thursday, January 1, 2026: Orange Bowl (early afternoon), Rose Bowl Game (late afternoon) and Sugar Bowl (evening)
Semifinals
Thursday, January 8, 2026: Fiesta Bowl (evening)
Friday, January 9, 2026: Peach Bowl (evening)
CFP National Championship
Monday, January 19, 2026: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.