Miami fans will be looking at a different College Football Playoff setup when the 2026 season arrives, even though the field itself is staying put at 12 teams.
The bracket is still the same size after the Big Ten and SEC couldn’t come to an agreement on expansion, but the path into it has changed. For the third straight year, the playoff will operate under new rules, and this time the biggest shift is how teams qualify.
The clearest change is at the top: the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions are now guaranteed places in the field. That is a major break from the old format, which simply reserved five bids for the five highest-ranked conference champions from any league.
The Group of Six spot has also been reshaped. The automatic berth now goes to the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 or Sun Belt, and that team does not need to win its conference title to get in.
Notre Dame still has a path as well. If the Irish finish in the top 12 of the final rankings, they are in automatically as an independent.
Another longtime wrinkle is gone, too. The old bowl tie-ins that matched bye teams with certain quarterfinal sites based on conference history have been removed.
Now the top three seeds get to choose their quarterfinal bowl in order of ranking, and the fourth seed takes what is left. For this season, the quarterfinals will be played in the Fiesta, Peach, Cotton and Rose Bowls, while the Orange and Sugar Bowls will host the semifinals.
The straight seeding format remains unchanged. The four highest-ranked teams will earn the top four seeds and the byes, even if they did not win their conference.
There is also a separate ACC note for Miami to keep in mind. The league is moving to nine conference games in 2026, but the transition is uneven. Miami is one of 12 schools playing nine conference games, while Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, North Carolina and Boston College will play eight.
The key dates are set, too. Selection Day is Sunday, Dec.
- The first-round games are Friday, Dec. 18 and Saturday, Dec. 19 at campus sites.
The quarterfinals are Wednesday, Dec. 30 and Friday, Jan. 1.
The semifinals are Thursday, Jan. 14 and Friday, Jan. 15.
The national championship is Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
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