How Many Teams Are In The College Football Playoff?

One of the most thrilling tournaments in American football is the College Football Playoff (CFP). Every year, universities in the NCAA FBS Division I play against one another until there is a final postseason tournament between the top teams of the most recent season. Read on to learn how many teams are chosen for the CFP each year and what the annual selection process entails!

How Many Teams Make The College Football Playoff?

Four teams make the College Football Playoff every season. Based on a variety of statistics from the past season, the CFP Selection Committee ranks every eligible NCAA team until there is a clear top four teams. Those top teams are then invited to play in CFP semifinal bowl games in an elimination-style format until the two final teams compete for the CFP National Championship.

Matchups

The matchups for the CFP are decided by each team’s ranking. The first bowl game is typically held between the second highest-ranked and third highest-ranked teams. The second bowl game is then typically held between the first highest-ranked team and the fourth highest-ranked team. The locations of these first two games are held at two of the famous New Year’s Six bowl games on a rotational basis. Whoever wins those two matches then competes against one another in the National Championship game.

College Football Playoff Expansion

Starting with the 2024-2025 season, the College Football Playoff will expand from four teams to twelve. The top four ranked teams will receive a bye from the first round, while the remaining eight teams are matched up based on seeding. After that, there will then be a bracketed four CFP quarterfinals, whose winners go to the two CFP semifinal games. Finally, the winners of the semifinals will play for the CFP National Championship title.