The College Football Playoff Selection Show 2025: Your Complete Guide To The 12-Team Bracket Reveal

The anticipation is already building for the biggest day in college football outside of the National Championship itself: the College Football Playoff (CFP) Selection Show. This year, the stakes are even higher as the Selection Committee reveals the full 12-team bracket for the second time in the sport's history. Fans are eager to know which teams will secure a coveted first-round bye and which will face a challenging opening weekend.

For the 2025 season, the final reveal will be a must-watch event, determining the path to the championship for 12 elite programs. With the expanded format, the Selection Show has transformed from a simple four-team announcement into a three-hour deep dive into the most complex and consequential bracket in college sports. Get ready for the drama, the debates, and the final rankings that will set the stage for the new playoff era.

The Definitive 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Show Schedule

The most critical date on the college football calendar—the day the 12-team field is officially announced—is set. Mark your calendars for the final, definitive reveal of the College Football Playoff bracket.

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• Final Selection Day: Sunday, December 7, 2025
• Time of Reveal: 12:00 PM Eastern Time (ET)
• TV Channel: Exclusively on ESPN
• Streaming: ESPN App, ESPN+, and services carrying ESPN (e.g., fuboTV)

The selection show will air live on ESPN, running for approximately three hours, with the crucial 12-team bracket reveal expected to take place within the first 30 minutes of the broadcast. Longtime host Rece Davis will once again lead the studio coverage, guiding fans through the committee's final rankings and the official matchups.

The Road to the Reveal: Weekly CFP Rankings Schedule

The Selection Show on December 7th is the culmination of a month-long process. The College Football Playoff Selection Committee will convene six times throughout November and early December to release weekly rankings, building the suspense and debate leading up to the final decision. These weekly shows are essential for tracking which teams are in contention and how the committee is evaluating their season performance.

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The 2025 College Football Playoff Weekly Ranking Release Dates:

• Ranking 1: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 (7–8 p.m. ET)
• Ranking 2: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 (8:30–9 p.m. ET)
• Ranking 3: Tuesday, November 25, 2025 (7–8 p.m. ET)
• Ranking 4: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (7–8 p.m. ET)
• Final Ranking & Selection Show: Sunday, December 7, 2025 (12:00 PM ET)

These weekly Tuesday night shows, also broadcast on ESPN, provide a window into the committee's thinking, often featuring intense debate among analysts and former coaches about strength of schedule, head-to-head matchups, and key wins.

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Understanding the 12-Team College Football Playoff Format

The transition to the 12-team format has dramatically changed the landscape of the College Football Playoff, making the Selection Show more consequential for a larger pool of teams. The new structure is designed to reward conference champions and ensure that at-large teams with exceptional seasons still have a path to the National Championship.

How the 12 Teams are Chosen

The 12 participating teams are selected based on a strict criteria set by the CFP Selection Committee. The field is composed of two primary groups:

1. The Five Highest-Ranked Conference Champions: These teams automatically qualify for the playoff, guaranteeing a spot for the champions of the Power Four conferences (SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12), and ensuring the highest-ranked champion from the Group of Five conferences also earns a bid.
2. The Seven Highest-Ranked At-Large Teams: These are the seven best teams remaining in the committee's rankings that did not win their conference championship.

This "5+7" model ensures that the best teams, regardless of conference affiliation, have a shot at the title, while still prioritizing conference success.

The Crucial First-Round Byes

The most significant prize announced during the Selection Show is the first-round bye. The four highest-ranked conference champions among the 12 qualifiers will receive a first-round bye, automatically advancing to the Quarterfinals. This is a huge advantage, as it allows those teams to rest and prepare while the other eight teams play in the First Round.

The remaining eight teams will compete in four First-Round games, played on the campus of the higher-seeded team. These games are scheduled for Friday, December 19, and Saturday, December 20, 2025.

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee: Who Makes the Decisions?

The 12-person College Football Playoff Selection Committee is responsible for ranking the teams and determining the final 12-team bracket. This group is composed of athletic directors, former coaches, former players, and administrators, all with deep experience in college football.

For the 2025-2026 season, the committee members have the unenviable task of evaluating teams based on various metrics, including strength of schedule, results of head-to-head competition, conference championships, and key injuries.

Notable Members of the 2025-2026 CFP Selection Committee:

• Chris Ault: Former Nevada head coach.
• Troy Dannen: Athletic Director.
• Mark Dantonio: Former Michigan State head coach.
• Mark Harlan: Utah Athletic Director.
• Jeff Long: Former Athletic Director.
• Ivan Maisel: Longtime college football journalist.
• Chris Massaro: Middle Tennessee State Athletic Director.

The committee meets in person in Grapevine, Texas, to deliberate and finalize the rankings, ensuring a thorough and rigorous process for the 12-team field.

Beyond the Selection Show: The Complete 2025-2026 CFP Schedule

The Selection Show is just the beginning. Once the bracket is set on Sunday, December 7, 2025, the road to the National Championship officially kicks off with the First Round games.

The new schedule integrates the traditional New Year's Six bowl games into the playoff structure, with two of the major bowls serving as the Semifinals and the others hosting the Quarterfinals.

Key Dates for the 2025-2026 College Football Playoff:

• First Round Games: Friday, December 19 & Saturday, December 20, 2025 (Campus Sites)
• Quarterfinals (New Year's Six): These games are hosted by the remaining four New Year's Six bowls (likely the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Cotton Bowl) after the Semifinal hosts are determined.
• Playoff Semifinals: January 8 & 9, 2026 (Hosted by the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl)
• 2026 CFP National Championship Game: Monday, January 19, 2026

The National Championship Game will be the final showdown, crowning the winner of the expanded 12-team tournament. The entire schedule, from the first weekly ranking to the final game, ensures a thrilling and extended college football postseason.