Viewer’s guide to the new College Football Playoff

On By Littum

After years of waiting for a bigger and better College Football Playoff, the moment has finally arrived. The bracket is set and the games are here.

The initial 12-team field has a few surprises after a season marked by chaos. Alabama was the last team out when the CFP committee selected SMU for its final at-large spot. Ohio State, Notre Dame, Penn State and Texas are all hosting playoff games on campus in the first round for the first time ever. Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State await the winners on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the quarterfinals.

Here’s everything you need to know in our viewer guide for the new College Football Playoff.

no. 10 Indiana at no. 7 Notre Dame
20 December at 20 ET | Location: South Bend, Ind. | TV: ABC/ESPN | Line: Notre Dame -7

no. 11 SMU in no. 6 Penn State
December 21, noon ET | Location: State College, Pa. | TV: TNT | Line: Penn State -8.5

no. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas
21 December at 16 ET | Location: Austin, Texas | TV: TNT | Line: Texas -12

No. 9 Tennessee at Ohio State no. 8
21 December at 20 ET | Location: Columbus, Ohio | TV: ESPN | Line: Ohio State -7.5

Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. SMU/Penn State to win
31 December at 19.30 ET | Location: Glendale, Arizona | TV: ESPN | Line: TBD

Peach Bowl: Winner No. 4 at Arizona State vs. Clemson/Texas
1 January at 13 ET | Location: Atlanta, Ga. | TV: ESPN | Line: TBD

Rose Bowl: Winner no. 1 Oregon vs. Tennessee/Ohio State
1 January at 17 ET | Location: Pasadena, California | TV: ESPN | Line: TBD

Sugar Bowl: Winner no. 2 Georgia vs. Indiana/Notre Dame
1 January at 8:45 PM ET | Location: New Orleans, La. | TV: ESPN | Line: TBD

Orange bowl: TBD
9 January at 7:30 PM ET | Location: Miami, Fla. | TV: ESPN

Cotton bowl: TBD
10 January at 19.30 ET | Location: Dallas, Texas | TV: ESPN

20 January at 7:30 PM ET | Location: Atlanta, Ga. | TV: ESPN

The initial CFP bracket features four teams from the Big Ten, three teams from the SEC, two teams from the ACC, one from the Big 12, one from the MWC and one independent. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)The initial CFP bracket features four teams from the Big Ten, three teams from the SEC, two teams from the ACC, one from the Big 12, one from the MWC and one independent. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

The initial CFP bracket features four teams from the Big Ten, three teams from the SEC, two teams from the ACC, one from the Big 12, one from the MWC and one independent. (Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports)

Nearly seven years in the making, the expanded College Football Playoff makes its debut this season with Indiana at Notre Dame on Friday. How will it all shake out over the next month?

Here is our expert predictions for how the first 12-team playoff will unfold.

More teams than ever have national title dreams at the end of December. At the moment there are six teams that can legitimately call themselves contenders and six teams that are long shots – at least according to the odds.

But you can make a case for any of the 12 teams in the postseason to win the College Football Playoff. Here’s the case for each team in the field.

For the first time ever, there will be College Football Playoff games on campuses. Notre Dame-Indiana gets things going Friday night before the three games Saturday. Here’s what you need to know about each game, including how the teams got there, players to watch and keys to each game.

Indiana at Notre Dame | SMU at Penn State | Clemson in Texas | Tennessee at Ohio State

We know the 12 teams in the new College Football Playoff field. Let’s talk about 12 things you need to know as the action starts with first round games 20-21. December.

The main problems facing the CFP remain

There was plenty of politics and whining in the build-up to the final College Football Playoff rankings, and many of the biggest problems are self-inflicted.

Dan Wetzel argues that if if these three simple changes were made, there would be much less complaintsand the sport would be a much better place.

The SEC’s title hopes are down to Georgia, Texas and Tennessee after Alabama was left out of the College Football Playoff, and its commissioner is already considering potential changes to the playoff format.

Ross Dellenger reports on potential changes to CFP format are being considered, including changes to the first-round bye rule, designating more automatic berths for certain conferences and expanding the field.

It’s the most glorious time of the year, and it’s a little different this season. The 12-team College Football Playoff has given us more games and also juggled the bowl schedule. The bowl season began on December 14th and now ends on January 4th for non-playoff bowls. After January 4th, there are still three playoff games left as the national championship game is on January 20th. Here is the full game plan.