Here’s how the bracket will be set and site locations will be determined using the committee’s rankings on November 1st. Note: The Orange and Cotton bowls were previously scheduled to host the 2024-25 semifinals and Atlanta the national championship game. Top four seeds (first round bye): Under the CFP Board’s approved model, the top four seeds will be reserved for the four highest-ranked conference champions. For our purposes, we designate the top team in each conference as the champion. That means No. 1 Tennessee (SEC), No. 2 Ohio State (Big Ten), No. 4 Clemson (ACC) and No. 7 TCU (Big 12) will get byes in the quarterfinals. No. 5-12 seeds: 5. Agriculture (total)6. Michigan (in general)7. Alabama (generally speaking)8. Oregon (Pac-12 Champion)9. USC (overall) 10. LSU (overall)11. Ole Miss (mostly)12. Tulane (AAC Champion) Under the same model, the six highest-ranked conference champions are guaranteed a berth along with the six highest-ranked teams. If the season ended today, the fifth and sixth highest ranked conference champions would be No. 8 Oregon (Pac-12) and No. 19 Tulane (AAC). Joining them in the field will be the six highest-ranked teams remaining: No. 3 Georgia, No. 5 Michigan, No. 6 Alabama, No. 9 USC, No. 10 LSU and No. 11 All-Miss.

The CAP program

All weather Eastern.

First round

Fri. 13 December

No. 9 USC at No. 8 Oregon, 7:30 p.m

Sat. December 14

No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Georgia, noon No. 11 Ole Miss at No. 6 Michigan, 4 p.m No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Alabama, 8 p.m

The four first-round games will be played on the campuses of the Nos. 5-8 seeds during the third weekend in December. Which games go into which slots will likely be determined by ESPN, with LSU-Alabama being the obvious Saturday pick. (Oregon is not expected to host a noon ET/9 a.m. PT game on Saturday.) And hey, Big Ten fans’ “SEC team has to go play up North in December” fantasy is finally coming true with Ole Miss playing Michigan.

Quarterfinals

Tues. 31 December

Peach Bowl: No. 3 Clemson vs. Michigan-Ole Miss winner, 7:30 p.m.

Wive. 1st of January

Fiesta Bowl: No. 4 TCU vs. Georgia-Tulane winner, 1 p.m Rose Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. Alabama-LSU winner, 5 p.m. Sugar Bowl: No. 1 Tennessee vs. Oregon-USC winner, 8:45 p.m.

It is expected that the current New Year’s Six Bowls will host the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the aim of most quarter-finals being played on New Year’s Day. And the CFP board said in its announcement that the top four seeds will be assigned “taking into account current contract bowl relationships.” Using those parameters, No. 1 seed Tennessee would go to the SEC’s contract bowl, the Sugar Bowl, and No. 2 seed Ohio State to the Rose Bowl as the Big Ten champion. The Peach and Fiesta bowls have no conference partners, but geography suggests No. 3 Clemson would go to Atlanta, leaving No. 4 TCU for the Fiesta Bowl.

Semifinals

Collect. Jan. 9

Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State/No. 7 Alabama/No. 10 LSU vs. No. 3 Clemson/No. 6 Michigan/No. 11 Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m

Free. January 10

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Tennessee/No. 8 Oregon/No. 9 U.S.C. vs. No. 4 TCU/No. 5 Georgia/No. 12 Tulane, 7:30 p.m

The commissioners haven’t officially set the dates for the semifinals, but they should be at least a week later than the quarterfinals, and the CFP would avoid scheduling them opposite the NFL’s Wild Card weekend (Jan. 11-13). This probably means placing one on Thursday night and the other on Friday night. The CFP Board’s announcement stated that “higher seeds will receive preferential treatment in the Playoff semifinals.” That would depend on which teams win their quarterfinals, but if No. 1 Tennessee advances, Knoxville is essentially equidistant between the two sites, so it could theoretically go to either. We chose Orange. My. Jan. 20

National Championship Game at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m

The title game is expected to remain on Monday night as the NFL’s Divisional Round chokes on potential weekend dates. The CFP had already selected Atlanta as its site for the 2025 national championship game and is expected to remain so, even though the game will likely be played two weeks later than originally scheduled. And here’s how we predict the tournament will play out in the quarterfinals and beyond:

No. 8 Oregon beats No. 9 USC No. 5 Georgia beats No. 12 Tulane No. 6 Michigan beats No. 11 Ole Miss No. 7 Alabama beats No. 10 LSU No. 1 Tennessee beats No. 8 Oregon No. 5 Georgia beats No. 4 TCU No. 6 Michigan beats No. 3 Clemson No. 2 Ohio State beats No. 7 Alabama No. 5 Georgia beats No. 1 Tennessee No. 2 Ohio State beats No. 6 Michigan No. 2 Ohio State beats No. 5 Georgia

See all CFP ranking coverage. (Top and embedded illustrations: John Bradford / The Athletic; Top photos: Ben Jackson, Donald Page, Mark Brown/ Getty Images)