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Although the College Football Playoff will remain a 12-team field in 2026, the tournament’s committee has unveiled postseason dates and bowl sites for the next two seasons.
The decisions centered around the dates for quarterfinal and semifinal games, as well as the move to push the championship game back to even further in January has drawn some backlash. New LSU coach Lane Kiffin is among those speaking out against the scheduling.
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Lane Kiffin speaks at a press conference as he is introduced as the new head football coach of the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Dec. 1, 2025. (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
Quarterfinals in the 2026 season are set for Dec. 30 at the Fiesta Bowl and Jan. 1 at the Cotton, Peach and Rose bowls. The semifinals will follow Jan. 14 at the Orange Bowl and Jan. 15 at the Sugar Bowl, with the championship game Jan. 25 in Las Vegas.
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Last month’s national title game between Indiana and Miami took place on Jan. 19.
The 2027 season’s quarterfinals will be Dec. 31 at the Sugar Bowl and Jan. 1 at the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl. Semifinals are Jan. 13 at the Orange Bowl and Jan. 14 at the Cotton Bowl. The championship game is scheduled for Jan. 24 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
The College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy on Jan. 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire)
Kiffin questioned the logic behind the extended gap between games, writing on X, “Somehow the calendar got even worse on purpose…. Kids play until Jan 25th and have almost a month between the games?!?!”
CFP executive director Rich Clark said the schedule is designed to promote competitive balance.
“These dates allow us to maintain competitive balance, maximize the fan experience, and provide consistency for everyone involved in the Playoff,” Clark said in a statement.
The CFP logo on the field before the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Jan. 8, 2024. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
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“I also want to thank our bowl partners and their local communities for the incredible work, collaboration, and commitment they’ve shown throughout the first two years of the expanded playoff. The bowl games and the people behind them embraced change, delivered at the highest level, and helped ensure the expanded format was a success for student-athletes, fans, and the sport.”
The College Football Playoff debuted in 2014.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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