Full Breakdown
College Football Playoff Quarterfinals: Key Matchups and Predictions
12/27/2025, 11:11:43 AM
Overview of the Quarterfinals
The College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinals are set to take place from December 31, 2025, to January 1, 2026, featuring four major bowl games: the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Sugar Bowl. The top four seeds—No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers, No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs, and No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders—received byes in the first round and will compete for a spot in the semifinals.
Matchups and Game Details
The quarterfinal matchups include:
- Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami on December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Ohio State, the reigning champion, boasts a formidable defense allowing only 8.2 points per game.
- Orange Bowl: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon on January 1 at 12 p.m. ET. Texas Tech, known for its high-scoring offense, will face an Oregon team eager to redeem itself after last year's playoff disappointment.
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama on January 1 at 4 p.m. ET. Indiana, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, seeks its first bowl victory since 1991.
- Sugar Bowl: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss on January 1 at 8 p.m. ET. This matchup features Georgia, the SEC champion, against Ole Miss, which recently experienced a coaching change.
Predictions and Win Probabilities
ESPN Analytics has provided win probabilities for each game:
- Ohio State has a 70.5% chance of defeating Miami, which has a 29.5% chance.
- Texas Tech is given a 51.6% probability of winning against Oregon, with the Ducks at 48.4%.
- Indiana holds a 71.4% chance against Alabama, which has a 28.6% chance.
- Georgia is favored with a 60.1% probability over Ole Miss, which also has a 39.9% chance.
Locations and Broadcast Information
The quarterfinals will be held at notable venues:
- Cotton Bowl: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Orange Bowl: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
- Rose Bowl: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California
- Sugar Bowl: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
All games will be broadcast on ESPN, with streaming available via the ESPN app and Fubo.
Upcoming Semifinals and Championship
The CFP semifinals are scheduled from January 8 to January 9, 2026, with the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, and the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The national championship game will take place on January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Conclusion
As the College Football Playoff quarterfinals approach, fans eagerly anticipate the outcomes of these pivotal matchups, which will determine the teams advancing to the semifinals and ultimately the national championship.
