CFP First Round Begins

The 12-team college football playoff opens on campus. Home crowds, real stakes, the underdog's best shot.

The College Football Playoff First Round begins December 18-19, 2026, with four games played at the home stadiums of the top four seeds. Playing in front of their own fans gives the higher-seeded teams a genuine home-field advantage unlike any neutral-site bowl game. The atmosphere at on-campus firs