College Football Playoff rankings: Updated 12-team bracket revealed in final CFP poll of 2024 | Sporting News

The first 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set, and one familiar face is not in it.

The selection committee’s great debate ended with SMU in and Alabama out despite the Mustangs’ narrow ACC championship loss on Saturday night, ensuring there is no three-loss team in this year’s expanded bracket other than Clemson. The Crimson Tide’s exclusion means there are only three SEC teams in the playoff, while SMU joins Indiana, Arizona State and Boise State as potential spoilers among a sea of powerhouses.

The latter two earned first-round byes with Sunday’s reveal, as the Broncos (No. 3) and Sun Devils (No. 4) will wait patiently to find out their quarterfinal opponent.

The remaining debate centered on the order of the No. 5-8 seeds. All get to host a playoff game, but the No. 5 and No. 6 seeds are seen as advantageous positions. They ultimately went to Texas and Penn State, respectively, while No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 8 Ohio State still get to host first round games but might be in for a tougher path to the semifinals.

Three of last year’s semifinalists failed to make the 12-team field. Michigan and Washington didn’t come close to the playoff after coaching changes and roster turnover, but Alabama’s exclusion will leave coach Kalen DeBoer with a sour taste in his mouth after an up-and-down first season in Tuscaloosa.

For programs like SMU and Indiana, Sunday was a day of jubilation after an improbable journey to the playoff. For others, like Oregon and Georgia, it was business as usual. Both expected to be here, as did Texas and Ohio State, and they hope the finalization of the bracket only marks the start of a championship journey.

The Sporting News tracked live updates from the final reveal of the College Football Playoff rankings and bracket on Sunday. See the complete rankings and bracket below.

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College Football Playoff rankings 2024

Who is in the College Football Playoff?

SMU made the College Football Playoff over Alabama, earning the No. 11 seed and the opportunity to play Penn State despite Saturday’s ACC championship loss to Clemson.

Texas will host Clemson in the first round, while Penn State will host SMU, Notre Dame will host Indiana and Ohio State will host Tennessee.

MORE: Explaining SEC vs. ACC strength of schedule at center of CFP debate

First four teams out

Alabama and Miami were the first two teams out of the 12-team bracket, followed by Ole Miss and South Carolina.

While the Hurricanes, Rebels and Gamecocks all made their case to be included, their fates were effectively sealed when they were ranked behind the Crimson Tide in Tuesday’s rankings. Alabama, on the other hand, held onto hope that it could make the playoff over SMU.

Rest of the top 25

Army, UNLV and Memphis join Boise State as Group of Five teams to make the final top 25, while BYU and Iowa State were the only Power Four teams with double-digit wins to be ranked outside the top 16. 

College Football Playoff bracket 2024

College Football Playoff format in 2024

The new CFP format consists of 12 teams. Automatic bids are given to the top four conference champions, which are automatically seeded 1-4 regardless of Playoff ranking. The remaining eight spots comprise at least six at-large bids and then the two highest-ranked remaining conference champs.

So, it could be seven at-large bids and then one more conference champion, or simply eight at-large bids. The CFP committee determines the exact breakdown of the field. At the very least, this new format guarantees that at least one Group of 5 team makes the field. 

The way it unfolded this year, there were five conference champs in the field: Big Ten (Oregon), SEC (Georgia), Mountain West (Boise State), Big 12 (Arizona State) and ACC (Clemson). 

Here’s a look at how the College Football Playoff seeding will play out (scroll to the bottom for the full schedule, with matchups, times and TV):

First round

• No. 1 team (bye)
• No. 2 team (bye)
• No. 3 team (bye)
• No. 4 team (bye)
• No. 12 team at No. 5 team
• No. 11 team at No. 6 team
• No. 10 team at No. 7 team
• No. 9 team at No. 8 team

Quarterfinals

• No. 1 team vs. No. 8/9 team
• No. 2 team vs. No. 7/10 team
• No. 3 team vs. No. 6/11 team
• No. 4 team vs. No. 5/12 team

When does the College Football Playoff start?

• Start date: Friday, Dec. 20

The first round of playoff games will begin on Friday, Dec. 20. 

Thanks to the new, expanded field, instead of getting just two semifinal games and a national title game, there are 11 games in total.

In years past, the semifinals would occur around New Year’s. This year, the first round of games will start during the third week of December. Here’s a snapshot of the overall schedule: 

College Football Playoff schedule 2024