College Football Playoff

The CFP quarterfinals are set: Matchups, schedule and more to know

The quarterfinal round will feature each of the top eight seeds.

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The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff is now down to eight squads.

The opening round of the CFP didn't feature any upsets, as all four home teams advanced with double-digit victories.

The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish kicked things off on Friday with a 27-17 win over the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers. Then, on Saturday, the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions crushed the No. 11 SMU Mustangs 38-10, the No. 5 Texas Longhorns rolled past the No. 12 Clemson Tigers 38-24 and the No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes blew out the No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers 42-17.

The quarterfinal round will feature each of the top eight seeds. The top four seeds -- No. 1 Oregon Ducks, No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs, No. 3 Boise State Broncos and No. 4 Arizona State Sun Devils -- received first-round byes as the highest-ranked conference champions.

No. 6 Penn State dominated 11th-seeded SMU 38-10 to set up Fiesta Bowl matchup with Boise State on New Yearโ€™s Eve.

So, what are the quarterfinal matchups? And when will the games take place? Here's what to know for the next round of the CFP:

What teams are left in the College Football Playoff?

Here's a full look at the remaining field:

  • No. 1 Oregon
  • No. 2 Georgia
  • No. 3 Boise State
  • No. 4 Arizona State
  • No. 5 Texas
  • No. 6 Penn State
  • No. 7 Notre Dame
  • No. 8 Ohio State

What are the College Football Playoff matchups in the quarterfinals?

Following on-campus contests in Round 1, the CFP quarterfinals will see the introduction of bowl games with the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls. Here are the matchups:

  • Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas
  • Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State
  • Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State
  • Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame

For the CFP semifinals, the winner of Oregon-Ohio State will meet the winner of Arizona State-Texas in the Cotton Bowl, while the winner of Georgia-Notre Dame will face the winner of Boise State-Penn State in the Orange Bowl.

When are the College Football Playoff quarterfinals?

The quarterfinal round will take place from New Year's Eve on Tuesday, Dec. 31, to New Year's Day on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Where are the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowls?

Here's when and where each game will be played:

  • Fiesta Bowl (Boise State vs. Penn State): Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET -- State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
  • Peach Bowl (Arizona State vs. Texas): Jan. 1 at 1 p.m. ET -- Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta
  • Rose Bowl (Oregon vs. Ohio State): Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET -- Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California
  • Sugar Bowl (Georgia vs. Notre Dame): Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. ET -- Caesars Superdome in New Orleans

When and where are the CFP semifinals?

The Orange Bowl is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 9 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, followed by the Cotton Bowl on Friday, Jan. 10 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

When and where is the CFP national championship game?

The last two teams standing in the CFP will battle it out for the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20. The game will be played at the same site as the Peach Bowl -- Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Here is how the new 12-team CFP will work starting in the 2024-25 season.
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