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. The game is held on a Monday in 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 (BCS) and the BCS National Championship Game.
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, and cities cannot host both a semifinal game and the title game in the same year.
The winner of the game is awarded the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy, which is sponsored by Dr Pepper. 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.
The inaugural game was held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on January 12, 2015, and was won by Ohio State. 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, although in practice the game has never been awarded to a cold-weather open-air stadium. 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.
Location Stadium Games Years hosted Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium 2 2018, 2025 Miami metro area Hard Rock Stadium 2 2021, 2026, 2030 New Orleans Caesars Superdome 1 2020, 2028 Tampa Raymond James Stadium 1 2017, 2029 Houston NRG Stadium 1 2024 Greater Los Angeles SoFi Stadium 1 2023 Indianapolis Lucas Oil Stadium 1 2022 San Francisco Bay Area Levi's Stadium 1 2019 Phoenix metropolitan area State Farm Stadium 1 2016 Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex AT&T Stadium 1 2015 Las Vegas Valley Allegiant Stadium 0 2027 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. SeasonPlayoffDateWinning teamScoreLosing teamVenueCityAttendance2014Jan 12, 2015 Ohio State OregonAT&T StadiumArlington, Texas85,7882015Jan 11, 2016 Alabama ClemsonUniversity of Phoenix StadiumGlendale, Arizona75,7652016Jan 9, 2017 Clemson AlabamaRaymond James StadiumTampa, Florida74,5122017Jan 8, 2018 Alabama GeorgiaMercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, Georgia77,4302018Jan 7, 2019 Clemson AlabamaLevi's StadiumSanta Clara, California74,8142019Jan 13, 2020 LSU ClemsonMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana76,8852020Jan 11, 2021 Alabama Ohio StateHard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida14,9262021Jan 10, 2022 Georgia AlabamaLucas Oil StadiumIndianapolis, Indiana68,3112022Jan 9, 2023 Georgia TCUSoFi StadiumInglewood, California72,6282023Jan 8, 2024 Michigan WashingtonNRG StadiumHouston, Texas 72,8082024Jan 20, 2025 Ohio State Notre Dame Mercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, Georgia77,6602025Jan 19, 2026 Indiana Miami (FL) Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida67,2272026Jan 25, 2027Allegiant StadiumParadise, Nevada2027Jan 24, 2028Caesars SuperdomeNew Orleans, Louisiana2028Jan 22, 2029Raymond James StadiumTampa, Florida2029Jan 21, 2030 Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, Florida Attendance at the January 2021 game was limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
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Appearances by team Updated through the January 2026 edition (12 games, 24 total appearances).
AppearancesTeamWinsLossesWin %Season(s) wonSeason(s) lost6Alabama3350 2015, 2017, 2020 2016, 2018, 20214Clemson2250 2016, 2018 2015, 2019 3Ohio State 2 167 2014, 2024 20203Georgia2167 2021, 2022 20171LSU 1 0100 2019 1Michigan 1 0100 2023 1Indiana10100 2025 1Oregon010 2014 1TCU010 2022 1Washington010 20231Notre Dame010 20241Miami (FL)010 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 seasonsSEC10 32015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 Big Ten5 3 2014, 2023, 2024, 2025 ACC5 22016, 2018Pac-122 2Oregon (0–1)Washington (0–1)Big 121 1TCU (0–1)Independent1 1Notre Dame (0–1) Note: The 2017 and 2021 championship games featured SEC teams Alabama and Georgia. The SEC has a record of 4–2 () in championship games against other conferences.
Coaches The following coaches led their teams to the National Championship. Nick Saban has reached the final the most times, six, with a 3–3 record.
Season Game date Winning coach Losing coach Coach Team Coach Team 2014 January 12, 2015 Urban Meyer Ohio State Mark Helfrich Oregon 2015 January 11, 2016 Nick Saban Alabama Dabo Swinney Clemson 2016 January 9, 2017 Dabo Swinney Clemson Nick Saban Alabama 2017 January 8, 2018 Nick Saban Alabama Kirby Smart Georgia 2018 January 7, 2019 Dabo Swinney Clemson Nick Saban Alabama 2019 January 13, 2020 Ed Orgeron LSU Dabo Swinney Clemson 2020 January 11, 2021 Nick Saban Alabama Ryan Day Ohio State 2021 January 10, 2022 Kirby Smart Georgia Nick Saban Alabama2022January 9, 2023 Kirby Smart Georgia Sonny Dykes TCU2023January 8, 2024 Jim Harbaugh Michigan Kalen DeBoer Washington2024January 20, 2025 Ryan Day Ohio State Marcus Freeman Notre Dame2025January 19, 2026 Curt Cignetti Indiana Mario Cristobal Miami
Appearances by coach
Coach Team Games W L Alabama 6 3 3 Clemson 4 2 2 Georgia 3 2 1 Ohio State 2 1 1 Ohio State 1 1 0 LSU 1 1 0 Michigan 1 1 0 Indiana 1 1 0 Oregon 1 0 1 TCU 1 0 1 Washington 1 0 1 Notre Dame 1 0 1 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 2016 January 11, 2016 O. J. Howard Alabama TE Eddie Jackson Alabama S 2017 January 9, 2017 Deshaun Watson Clemson QB Ben Boulware Clemson LB 2018 January 8, 2018 Tua Tagovailoa Alabama QB Daron Payne Alabama DT 2019 January 7, 2019 Trevor Lawrence Clemson QB Trayvon Mullen Clemson CB 2020 January 13, 2020 Joe Burrow LSU QB Patrick Queen LSU LB 2021 January 11, 2021 DeVonta Smith Alabama WR Christian Barmore Alabama DT 2022 January 10, 2022 Stetson Bennett Georgia QB Lewis Cine Georgia DB 2023 January 9, 2023 Stetson Bennett Georgia QB Javon Bullard Georgia DB 2024 January 8, 2024 Blake Corum Michigan RB Will Johnson Michigan CB 2025 January 20, 2025 Will Howard Ohio State QB Cody Simon Ohio State LB 2026 January 19, 2026 Fernando Mendoza Indiana QB Mikail Kamara Indiana DE
Game records
Team recordsRecordHead coachTeamOpponentGameMost points (winning team)65 Kirby SmartGeorgiaTCU 2023Most points (losing team)40 Dabo SwinneyClemsonAlabama 2016Most points (both teams)85 Nick SabanAlabamaClemsonDabo SwinneyClemsonAlabamaFewest points (both teams)47 Jim HarbaughMichiganWashington 2024Kalen DeBoerWashingtonMichiganFewest points allowed7 Kirby SmartGeorgiaTCU 2023Largest margin of victory58 Kirby SmartGeorgiaTCU 2023Smallest margin of victory3 Nick SabanAlabamaGeorgia 2018Largest comeback14 Dabo SwinneyClemsonAlabama 2017Rushing yards303 Jim HarbaughMichiganWashington 2024Passing yards464 Nick SabanAlabamaOhio State 2021Total yards628 Ed OrgeronLSUClemson 2020First downs33Nick SabanAlabamaOhio State2021Fewest rushing yards allowed30Kirby SmartGeorgiaAlabama2022Fewest passing yards allowed152 Kirby SmartGeorgiaTCU 2023Fewest total yards allowed188Kirby SmartGeorgiaTCU 2023Total plays99 Dabo SwinneyClemsonAlabama 2017Individual recordsRecordPlayerTeamOpponentGameTotal offense521 Joe BurrowLSUClemson 2020Rushing yards246 Ezekiel ElliottOhio StateOregon 2015Rushing TDs4 Passing yards464 Mac JonesAlabamaOhio State 2021Passing TDs 5 Joe BurrowLSUClemson 2020Mac JonesAlabamaOhio State2021Receptions12 DeVonta SmithReceiving yards221 Ja'Marr ChaseLSUClemson 2020Receiving TDs3 DeVonta SmithAlabamaOhio State 2021 TDs responsible for6Joe BurrowLSUClemson2020Stetson BennettGeorgiaTCU2023Field goals4Will ReichardAlabamaGeorgia 2022Tackles (total)14 Tuf BorlandOhio StateAlabama 2021Sacks3.0 Kevin DoddClemsonAlabama 2016Interceptions2Javon BullardGeorgiaTCU2023Punts10 J. K. ScottAlabamaClemson 2017Long playsRecordPlayerTeamOpponentGameTouchdown rush 50 Derrick Henry Alabama Clemson 2016Rush 70 Quinshon Judkins Ohio State Notre Dame 2025Touchdown pass80 Jake FrommGeorgiaAlabama2018PassTouchdown receptionMecole HardmanReceptionKickoff return95 Kenyan DrakeAlabamaClemson 2016Punt return19 Mecole HardmanGeorgiaAlabama 2018DeVonta SmithAlabamaOhio State2021Interception return81 Mike SainristilMichiganWashington 2024Punt58 Will SpiersClemsonLSU 2020Field goal52 B.T. Potter Source:
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.
Broadcasters
Television
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.
Radio