The NCAA is gearing up for the climax of its college football season with the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship approaching, a noteworthy shift from its traditional early January scheduling to about 10 days later.
The change follows the NCAA’s decision to expand the tournament to 12 teams, intensifying the competition and altering the championship timeline.
2025 College Football Playoff Expansion and Team Classification
For the 2024-25 season, the title chase featured 12 teams selected by the CFP selection committee, whose final rankings were announced on December 8. The tournament structure included the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven additional teams.
The top four conference champions enjoyed a bye week and advanced directly to the quarter-final round. The remaining eight teams faced off in single-elimination games at the higher-ranked stadium, with winners progressing to neutral-site quarterfinals and beyond.
Take a look at the full and final College Football Playoff selection committee rankings upon completion of the 2024 regular season!#CFBPlayoff 🏈🏆 pic.twitter.com/4YOjBQnGCx
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 8, 2024Teams Competing in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff:
- Oregon Ducks
- Georgia Bulldogs
- Boise State Broncos
- Arizona State Sun Devils
- Texas Longhorns
- Penn State Nittany Lions
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Ohio State Buckeyes
- Tennessee Volunteers
- Indiana Hoosiers
- SMU Mustangs
- Clemson Tigers
Playoff Results and Road to the Championship
The playoff rounds produced compelling matchups, leading up to the semifinals held at the Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl. These semifinals set the stage for a highly anticipated showdown. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will compete against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the National Championship game.
OHIO STATE AND NOTRE DAME‼️
THE CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS SET 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0kCZmq4XPb
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 11, 2025Event Details and Viewing Information
- Date and Time: The championship game is scheduled for January 20, 2025, at 19:30 ET/16:30 PT.
- Venue: The game will take place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, a location slated to host Super Bowl LXII in 2028.
- Tickets: Premium lower bowl seats start at $1,158 and can be purchased for $1,560, depending on demand and location.
- Broadcast: ESPN will cover the event, with streaming options available through ESPN.com and ESPN+.
- National Anthem: Coco Jones, a 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville, will perform the anthem.
- Halftime Show: Unlike the Super Bowl, the NCAA football final features different forms of entertainment rather than celebrity performances.
Additional Championship Details
- Overtime Rules: The NCAA employs a unique format in which each team gets one possession per overtime period until one team outscores the other.
- Team Colors: Notre Dame will serve as the administrative home team due to its higher final standing over Ohio State.
- Betting Odds: Ohio State is favoured by 9.5 points.
- Injury Report: Notre Dame faces a longer injury list than Ohio State.
- Weather Forecast: Expect sunny to partly cloudy skies with temperatures ranging from a high of 34°F to a low of 19°F.
As a reminder why they are playing and what they are playing for, the CFP National Championship Trophy is here
📷 Texas Athletics pic.twitter.com/v0XEKyWKXs
— Horns Illustrated (@HornsIllus) December 21, 2024Legacy and Prizes
- Trophy: The CFP National Championship trophy, standing 26.5 inches tall and weighing 35 pounds, is made from 24-carat gold, bronze, and stainless steel.
- MVP Awards: Two MVP awards are presented for the best offensive and defensive players.
- Championship Rings: The design of the championship rings was standardized in 2014.
- Prize Money: Teams reaching the final game receive approximately $23 million.
