College Football Playoff National Championship
End of season American football event
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The College Football Playoff National Championship is a postseason college football bowl game, used to determine a national champion of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which began play in the 2014 college football season.[1] The game is held on a Monday in mid-January and serves as the final game of the College Football Playoff (CFP), a bracket tournament between the top five ranked conference champions, and the top 7 ranked at-large teams in the country that are selected by a playoff committee, which was established as a successor to the Bowl Championship Series and then its similar BCS National Championship Game.
| College Football Playoff National Championship | |
|---|---|
| |
| Stadium | see Venues |
| Operated | 2014–present |
| Preceded by | |
| 2024 season matchup | |
| Ohio State vs. Notre Dame (Ohio State 34–23) | |
| 2025 season matchup | |
| Miami (FL) vs. Indiana (Indiana 27–21) | |
The participating teams in the College Football Playoff National Championship are determined by two semifinal games, hosted by an annual rotation of bowls commonly known as the New Year's Six. Thus, the teams to compete in the final are not directly selected by a selection committee, as had been the format used for the BCS National Championship Game.
The game is played at a neutral site, determined through bids by prospective host cities (similar to the NCAA Final Four). When announcing it was soliciting bids for the 2016 and 2017 title games, playoff organizers noted that the bids must propose host stadiums with a capacity of at least 65,000 spectators,[2] and cities cannot host both a semifinal game and the title game in the same year.[3]
The winner of the game is awarded the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, which is sponsored by Dr Pepper.[4] It was created as a new championship trophy, rather than the "crystal football" that has been given by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) since 1986, as officials wanted a new trophy that was unconnected with the previous BCS championship system.[5]
The inaugural game was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on January 12, 2015, and was won by Ohio State.[6] A top-ranked team did not win the College Football Playoff National Championship until LSU won the sixth edition of the game, in January 2020. Alabama has the most appearances in a College Football Playoff National Championship, with six, and also the most wins, with three.
The College Football Playoff National Championship is not awarded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The highest level of college football that the NCAA awards a championship in is the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
Venues
Cities across the United States can bid on the National Championship Game each year. The number of cities capable of bidding for the event is restricted by a requirement to have a stadium with at least 65,000 seats. The stadium restriction would limit the bidding to most cities with a National Football League franchise, since all but four of the stadiums in the league meet the capacity requirements, and in practice all National Championship venues chosen for up to and including the 2026 game are also home to at least one NFL franchise. Unlike the Super Bowl, there is no de jure restriction on climate.[2][3] A venue cannot host a semifinal game and the National Championship Game in the same season.
Host cities/regions
The first 10 championship games were each held in a different venue. The 2025 game was the first to be contested in a venue that had previously hosted a CFP title game.
† Scheduled for the year(s) noted in italics
Note: Years listed are the calendar year in which the game was played (or will be played) rather than NCAA season.
Game results
Rankings are from the CFP Poll released prior to matchup.
‡ Attendance at the January 2021 game was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Source:[7][8][9]
Appearances by team
Updated through the January 2026 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
| Appearances | Team[a] | Wins | Losses | Win % | Season(s) won | Season(s) lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Alabama Crimson Tide | 3 | 3 | 50 | 2015, 2017, 2020 | 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| 4 | Clemson Tigers | 2 | 2 | 50 | 2016, 2018 | 2015, 2019 |
| 3 | Ohio State Buckeyes | 2 | 1 | 67 | 2014, 2024 | 2020 |
| 3 | Georgia Bulldogs | 2 | 1 | 67 | 2021, 2022 | 2017 |
| 1 | LSU Tigers | 1 | 0 | 100 | 2019 | |
| 1 | Michigan Wolverines | 1 | 0 | 100 | 2023 | |
| 1 | Indiana Hoosiers | 1 | 0 | 100 | 2025 | |
| 1 | Oregon Ducks | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2014 | |
| 1 | TCU Horned Frogs | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2022 | |
| 1 | Washington Huskies | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2023 | |
| 1 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2024 | |
| 1 | Miami Hurricanes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2025 |
Appearances by conference
Updated through the January 2026 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
| Conference | Appearances | Wins | Losses | Win Pct | # Teams | Team(s) | Title seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEC | 10 | 6 | 4 | .600[10] | 3 | 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 | |
| Big Ten | 5 | 4 | 1 | .800 | 3 |
|
2014, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| ACC | 5 | 2 | 3 | .400 | 2 | 2016, 2018 | |
| Pac-12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2 | Oregon (0–1) Washington (0–1) |
|
| Big 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | TCU (0–1) | |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | Notre Dame (0–1) |
Coaches
The following coaches led their teams to the National Championship final. Nick Saban has reached the final the most times, six, with a 3–3 record.
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Appearances by coach
| Coach | Team | Games | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Saban | Alabama | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Dabo Swinney | Clemson | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Kirby Smart | Georgia | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Ryan Day | Ohio State | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Urban Meyer | Ohio State | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Ed Orgeron | LSU | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Jim Harbaugh | Michigan | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Curt Cignetti | Indiana | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mark Helfrich | Oregon | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Sonny Dykes | TCU | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Kalen DeBoer | Washington | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Marcus Freeman | Notre Dame | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Mario Cristobal | Miami | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Players of the Game
Offensive and defensive Player of the Game awards are named for each final.
| Game | Date | Offensive Player of the Game | Defensive Player of the Game | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Pos | Player | Team | Pos | |||
| 2015 | January 12, 2015 | Ezekiel Elliott | Ohio State | RB | Tyvis Powell | Ohio State | S | [11] |
| 2016 | January 11, 2016 | O. J. Howard | Alabama | TE | Eddie Jackson | Alabama | S | [12] |
| 2017 | January 9, 2017 | Deshaun Watson | Clemson | QB | Ben Boulware | Clemson | LB | [13] |
| 2018 | January 8, 2018 | Tua Tagovailoa | Alabama | QB | Daron Payne | Alabama | DT | [14] |
| 2019 | January 7, 2019 | Trevor Lawrence | Clemson | QB | Trayvon Mullen | Clemson | CB | [15] |
| 2020 | January 13, 2020 | Joe Burrow | LSU | QB | Patrick Queen | LSU | LB | [16] |
| 2021 | January 11, 2021 | DeVonta Smith | Alabama | WR | Christian Barmore | Alabama | DT | [17] |
| 2022 | January 10, 2022 | Stetson Bennett | Georgia | QB | Lewis Cine | Georgia | DB | [18] |
| 2023 | January 9, 2023 | Stetson Bennett | Georgia | QB | Javon Bullard | Georgia | DB | [19] |
| 2024 | January 8, 2024 | Blake Corum | Michigan | RB | Will Johnson | Michigan | CB | [20] |
| 2025 | January 20, 2025 | Will Howard | Ohio State | QB | Cody Simon | Ohio State | LB | [21] |
| 2026 | January 19, 2026 | Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | QB | Mikail Kamara | Indiana | DE | [22] |
Game records
National anthem performers
The national anthem usually begins with a drum roll by two snare drummers, with one member representing each team.
- 2015: Lady Antebellum
- 2016: Ciara
- 2017: Little Big Town
- 2018: Zac Brown Band
- 2019: Andy Grammer
- 2020: Lauren Daigle
- 2022: Natalie Grant
- 2023: Pentatonix
- 2024: Fantasia
- 2025: Coco Jones (accompanied by Adam Blackstone)
- 2026: Jamal Roberts
The national anthem for the 2021 game was pre-recorded due to COVID concerns.[25]
Broadcasters
Television
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| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 12, 2015 | ESPN | Chris Fowler | Kirk Herbstreit | Heather Cox and Tom Rinaldi |
| January 11, 2016 | ||||
| January 9, 2017 | Samantha Ponder and Tom Rinaldi | |||
| January 8, 2018 | Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi | |||
| January 7, 2019 | ||||
| January 13, 2020 | ||||
| January 11, 2021 | Maria Taylor and Allison Williams | |||
| January 10, 2022 | Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath | |||
| January 9, 2023 | ||||
| January 8, 2024 | ||||
| January 20, 2025 | ||||
| January 19, 2026 |
Beginning with the 2027 championship, ABC will simulcast the national championship with ESPN.[26]
Radio
| Date | Network | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 12, 2015 | ESPN Radio | Mike Tirico | Todd Blackledge | Holly Rowe and Joe Schad |
| January 11, 2016 | ||||
| January 9, 2017 | Sean McDonough | Holly Rowe and Ian Fitzsimmons | ||
| January 8, 2018 | ||||
| January 7, 2019 | ||||
| January 13, 2020 | ||||
| January 11, 2021 | Greg McElroy | |||
| January 10, 2022 | Todd Blackledge | Ian Fitzsimmons and Kris Budden | ||
| January 9, 2023 | ||||
| January 8, 2024 | Greg McElroy | |||
| January 20, 2025 | Ian Fitzsimmons and Katie George | |||
| January 19, 2026 | Ian Fitzsimmons and Quint Kessenich |
Local radio
| Date | Flagship station | Play-by-play | Color commentator(s) | Sideline reporter(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 12, 2015 | KUGN (Oregon) WBNS-AM/FM (Ohio State) | Jerry Allen Paul Keels | Mike Jorgensen Jim Lachey | Marty Bannister |
| January 11, 2016 | WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) WCCP-FM (Clemson) | Eli Gold Don Munson | Phil Savage Rodney Williams | Chris Stewart Michael Palmer |
| January 9, 2017 | WCCP-FM (Clemson) WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) | Don Munson Eli Gold | Rodney Williams Phil Savage | Michael Palmer Chris Stewart |
| January 8, 2018 | WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) WSB (Georgia) | Eli Gold Scott Howard | Phil Savage Eric Zeier | Chris Stewart Chuck Dowdle |
| January 7, 2019 | WCCP-FM (Clemson) WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) | Don Munson Eli Gold | Rodney Williams John Parker Wilson | Reggie Merriweather Rashad Johnson |
| January 13, 2020 | WCCP-FM (Clemson) WDGL (LSU) | Don Munson Chris Blair | Tim Bourret and Brad Scott Doug Moreau | Reggie Merriweather Gordy Rush |
| January 11, 2021 | WBNS-AM/FM (Ohio State) WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) | Paul Keels Eli Gold | Jim Lachey John Parker Wilson | Matt Andrews Rashad Johnson |
| January 10, 2022 | WSB (Georgia) WFFN/WTSK (Alabama) | Scott Howard Eli Gold | Eric Zeier John Parker Wilson | D. J. Shockley Rashad Johnson |
| January 9, 2023 | WBAP (TCU) WSB (Georgia) | Brian Estridge Scott Howard | John Denton Eric Zeier | Landry Burdine D. J. Shockley |
| January 8, 2024 | KJR (Washington) WWJ (Michigan) | Tony Castricone Doug Karsch | Cameron Cleeland Jon Jansen | Elise Woodward Jason Avant |
| January 20, 2025 | WBNS-AM/FM (Ohio State) WSBT (Notre Dame) | Paul Keels Tony Simeone | Jim Lachey Ryan Harris | Matt Andrews and Skip Mosic |
| January 19, 2026 | WQAM-FM (Miami) WFNI (Indiana) | Joe Zagacki Don Fischer | Don Bailey Buck Suhr | Josh Darrow John Herrick |
See also
- College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS
- Koshien Bowl (Japanese Collegiate American Football Championship)
- Mythical national championship