College Football HQ

College Football Playoff bracket, semifinal games set

The schedule for the College Football Playoff semifinal round schedule is set for next week after a historic quarterfinal weekend.

James Parks

Your first look at the College Football Playoff semifinal round schedule with just four teams left in the national title race.
Your first look at the College Football Playoff semifinal round schedule with just four teams left in the national title race. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The quarterfinal round of a historic College Football Playoff is in the books after an eventful two days of action, setting up an elite semifinal round in the coming days and an update to the bracket.

Penn State punched its ticket by defeating Boise State, while Texas edged out Arizona State, Ohio State beat up on Oregon, and Notre Dame got past Georgia.

Here’s your look at the updated College Football Playoff bracket still to come as we embark on the 2025 semifinal round on the road to the national championship.

College Football Playoff bracket, semifinal schedule

All times Eastern, and game lines are courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Orange Bowl Game

Penn State vs. Notre Dame
Thurs., Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Penn State secured a place in the semifinal by holding off Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl and will take on a resurgent Fighting Irish team.

Notre Dame held on to defeat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, holding the Bulldogs to just 10 points behind another spirited defensive effort in arguably the school’s most important win in decades.

Line: Notre Dame -1.5

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Cotton Bowl Game

Texas vs. Ohio State
Fri., Jan. 10 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

Quinn Ewers threw 3 touchdowns and went over 300 yards, and while the Longhorns ran for just 53 yards, it was still enough to just hold off Big 12 champion Arizona State in the Peach Bowl.

Ohio State jumped all over Oregon in the Rose Bowl, marching out to a 34-0 lead and holding on for a 20-point victory as Jeremiah Smith had 187 yards receiving and 2 touchdown catches.

Line: Ohio State -5.5

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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