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Field
Bundled fallback

Associated Press · Published August 17, 2026 · Checked August 17, 2026

Official source ↗

Checking the ranking sourceChecks on each visit and every 30 minutes while this page is open. AP is used until the current-season CFP ranking begins; the Coaches Poll is excluded.

5 Conference champions1 Non-Power Four champion1–2 Quarterfinals3–10 Round of 1211–18 Opening round
Field
Simulation

Current 2026 fieldHigher-seed baseline

The live monitor uses the AP Top 25 until the current-season CFP ranking is released, then switches to CFP. The fifth automatic berth is reserved for the projected non-Power Four conference champion.

Two reseeds

No. 1 Ohio State receives the lowest-ranked remaining team, No. 8 Texas A&M. The quarterfinal column is then arranged by semifinal path, and the bracket locks.

Integrated PlayoffInteractive bracket · live field
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Seeds 11–14 host

Opening Round

4 games
Campus gameBaton Rouge, Louisiana
Campus gameLubbock, Texas
Campus gameTuscaloosa, Alabama
Campus gameProvo, Utah
First reseed

Round of 12

6 games
Rose BowlPasadena, California
Sugar BowlNew Orleans, Louisiana
Orange BowlMiami Gardens, Florida
Cotton BowlArlington, Texas
Peach BowlAtlanta, Georgia
Fiesta BowlGlendale, Arizona
Second reseed

Quarterfinals

4 games
Campus gameColumbus, Ohio
Campus gameSouth Bend, Indiana
Campus gameEugene, Oregon
Campus gameAthens, Georgia
Bracket locks

Semifinals

2 games
Campus gameColumbus, Ohio
Campus gameEugene, Oregon
One game remains

National Championship

1 game
National championshipNeutral-site host selected before the season
Projected national championOne team remains
National championOhio StateHigher-seed baseline
Automatic fieldCurrent without pretending to be official.

The site requests the latest ranking through a public ESPN data feed, then links readers to the official poll source. If the feed fails, it preserves the last bundled field.

Simulation modelRanking-weighted, never predetermined.

Higher seeds receive better chances based only on seed distance. The volatility control changes how strongly that gap matters, so an upset is always possible. These are illustrative probabilities—not betting odds.

Team directoryLive marks use a resilient fallback.

Team marks identify bracket participants. All institutional names and marks belong to their respective owners; this independent proposal is not endorsed by the NCAA, CFP, ESPN, AP, or any institution.