College Football Playoff Quarterfinals Set After Miami Upsets Ohio State.

For the third time in College Football Playoff history, a lower-seeded team has moved on, adding even more unpredictability to the 2026 postseason. No. 10 Miami shocked No. 2 Ohio State with a 24–14 victory in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night, officially guaranteeing that college football will crown a new national champion this season.

Miami’s win opened the door for the remaining quarterfinal matchups, which will be played across New Year’s Day. No. 1 Indiana will take on No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, while No. 4 Texas Tech faces No. 5 Oregon in the Orange Bowl. The Sugar Bowl will feature a high-profile matchup between No. 3 Georgia and No. 6 Ole Miss. The 12-team playoff format continues to reshape the postseason landscape. In the first round, Oregon defeated James Madison 51–34, Ole Miss dominated Tulane 41–10, Miami edged Texas A&M 10–3, and Alabama knocked off Oklahoma 34–24. Those results set up a quarterfinal field that blends traditional powerhouses with emerging contenders. Under the CFP Committee’s structure, the playoff includes the five highest-ranked conference champions along with seven at-large teams. The top four teams earned first-round byes, and, as in previous years, teams are not reseeded after each round. As a result, every program’s path to the national title is already mapped out.

The semifinal games will take place on January 8 and 9 at the Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl, respectively, with the national championship scheduled for January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. All remaining playoff games will air on ESPN and be available for streaming through the ESPN App and Fubo.

With multiple upsets already in the books and several marquee matchups still to come, the 2026 College Football Playoff continues to deliver high drama and championship-level competition.