#9 at #8Preview
9MISS
Ole Miss4–1 · SEC8BYU
BYU5–0 · Big 12Winner faces seed 1
YOUR COLLEGE FOOTBALL HOME
The road to the playoff.
The bracket, the bubble, and every step to the title.
2026–27 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
Twelve spots. One champion.
See how the field could line up, who’s on the edge, and what comes next.
AP-based previewPoll week 7 · 2026
12teams in the field
4first-round byes
4rounds to a title
AP preview until CFP rankings arrive. The first CFP poll is November 3. Each power conference’s highest-ranked team stands in for its eventual champion. This is a ranking snapshot, not the official field or a playoff-odds forecast.
If the rankings held today.
Follow each path from the first round to the title game. Tap a team to explore its season.
First round
December 18–19 · Higher seed hosts
Ole Miss4–1 · SEC8BYUBYU5–0 · Big 12#12 at #5Preview
12BOIS
Boise State5–1 · Pac-125IU
Indiana6–0 · Big TenWinner faces seed 4
#10 at #7Preview
10TTU
Texas Tech5–0 · Big 127TEX
Texas4–1 · SECWinner faces seed 2
#11 at #6Preview
11UTAH
Utah5–0 · Big 126ALA
Alabama5–1 · SECWinner faces seed 3
Quarterfinals
December 30 & January 1
Seed 1 · First-round bye
1UGA
Georgia6–0 · SECWinner of 8 vs. 9
Seed 4 · First-round bye
4OSU
Ohio State5–1 · Big TenWinner of 5 vs. 12
Seed 2 · First-round bye
2ND
Notre Dame6–0 · FBS IndependentsWinner of 7 vs. 10
Seed 3 · First-round bye
3MIA
Miami5–0 · ACCWinner of 6 vs. 11
Semifinals
January 14–15 · Orange & Sugar
Semifinal A
Winner of seed 1’s quarterfinal
Winner of seed 4’s quarterfinal
Semifinal B
Winner of seed 2’s quarterfinal
Winner of seed 3’s quarterfinal
Championship
January 25 · Las Vegas
National championship
Semifinal A winner
Semifinal B winner
Allegiant Stadium
January 25, 2027
Seeds are different from poll ranks: automatic access can move a team into the field. Unranked qualifiers stay marked TBD; bowl assignments and future winners are not assumed.
The shortest path starts here.
These four teams would skip the first round in this preview.
Georgia6–0 · SECNotre Dame6–0 · FBS IndependentsMiami5–0 · ACCOhio State5–1 · Big TenDates for your calendar.
The road from the first rankings to Las Vegas.
- First CFP rankingsUP NEXTNovember 3 · 7–8 p.m. ET
- CFP rankingsNovember 10 · 9–9:30 p.m. ET
- CFP rankingsNovember 17 · 9–9:30 p.m. ET
- CFP rankingsNovember 24 · 7:30–8 p.m. ET
- CFP rankingsDecember 1 · 7–7:30 p.m. ET
- Selection SundayDecember 6 · Noon–3 p.m. ET
- First roundDecember 18–19 · Campus sites
- QuarterfinalsDecember 30 & January 1 · Fiesta, Cotton, Peach & Rose
- SemifinalsJanuary 14–15 · Orange & Sugar
- National championshipJanuary 25 · Las Vegas
How the field comes together.
- Four conference champions.
The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions receive automatic bids.
- One access spot.
The highest-ranked team from the American, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt receives a bid.
- Seven at-large places.
The best remaining teams fill the field. Notre Dame is guaranteed a place if it finishes in the CFP Top 12, leaving six other at-large spots.
- Four byes. Four campus games.
Seeds 1–4 skip the first round. Seeds 5–8 host seeds 12–9. The bracket does not reseed.
How this preview works
We use the latest CFP rankings when available, otherwise the AP Top 25. Each power conference’s highest-ranked team is a champion placeholder. We reserve the access spot and apply Notre Dame’s Top 12 provision, then fill the remaining places in ranking order. Actual champions and committee decisions can change the field.
No playoff selection percentages are calculated. This preview is not an official bracket.