ESPN exclusively reveals 2025-26 CFP bracket on Sunday, Dec. 7; ESPN networks set for full slate of Selection Day studio programming

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ESPN exclusively reveals 2025-26 CFP bracket on Sunday, Dec. 7; ESPN networks set for full slate of Selection Day studio programming

  • ESPN to exclusively reveal the 12 teams to advance to the 2025-26 College Football Playoff
  • Supplemental studio programming set for ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network and the ESPN App
  • CFP Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T open now to sign up ahead of bracket reveal

ESPN networks will dedicate Sunday’s slate of live studio coverage to College Football Playoff Selection Day, including the exclusive reveal of the 12-team CFP field during the College Football Playoff Selection Show Presented by AT&T at noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 7.

During the three-hour show on ESPN, the 12 College Football Playoff teams and bracket, as well as the CFP selection committee’s final Top 25 rankings, will be revealed. ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN.com, the ESPN App and ESPN’s social and digital platforms will all feature additional playoff analysis, reaction and reporting.

College Football Playoff Selection Show Highlights:

  • College Football Playoff 12-team bracket to be revealed within the show’s first 30 minutes
  • Rece Davis returns to host for 12th consecutive year
  • Joey GallowayBooger McFarland and Greg McElroy team up with Davis in Bristol for the exclusive bracket and rankings reveal
  • Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban and Chris Fowler will join the show
  • Coaches and other guests are also expected to join
  • CFP insider Heather Dinich will be live from the CFP Selection Committee headquarters in Grapevine
  • ESPN will have reporters at top team sites across the country, including: Dana Boyle, Kris Budden, Katie George, Jen Lada, Alyssa Lang, Harry Lyles Jr., Molly McGrath, Taylor McGregor, Holly Rowe and Marty Smith

*Reporters are subject to change.

Post-Selection Reaction on ESPN
From 3-5 p.m., Championship Drive: Bowl Breakdown Presented by Capital One will continue the discussion of the College Football Playoff and the entire bowl picture. Matt Barrie hosts with insight from Sam AchoBrock Osweiler, Roddy Jones and Jordan Rodgers.

Start Your Sunday Morning with CFP Analysis on SportsCenter and Championship Drive
A two-hour Championship Drive: Rankings Countdown Presented by Allstate airs at 10 a.m. on ESPN2 with Kevin Negandhi hosting, joined by Louis Riddick, Dusty Dvoracek, EJ Manuel and Paul Finebaum. The morning SportsCenter editions on ESPN and ESPN2 will feature various college football commentators providing insight and analysis ahead of the rankings reveal, with Dvoracek joining SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt to close out the night.

ESPN’s Multi-Network Selection Day Coverage includes:

  • Sunday NFL Countdown: The crew on the network’s popular NFL pregame show (10 a.m. – noon, ESPN) will be joined by McFarland at 11 a.m. to discuss the upcoming CFP reveal.
  • Rankings Reaction Presented by Allstate: Sam Ravech, Skubie Mageza and Matt Simms will be reacting to the final CFP rankings at 2 p.m. The 30-minute digital show will stream live to ESPN’s College Football YouTube and Facebook accounts as well as the ESPN App.
  • Playoff Picture Presented by AT&T: Ravech, Mageza and Simms will be joined by Trevor Matich to help fans fill out their brackets, take a deeper look at the matchups for every First Round game and break down the potential matchups in the quarterfinals and beyond. The crew will also dive into some of the most unstoppable position groups in the Playoff. The digital show will begin at 4 p.m. and will stream live to ESPN’s College Football YouTube and Facebook accounts as well as the ESPN App.
  • College Networks: Both SEC Network and ACC Network will offer bowl specials on Sunday previewing their conference’s postseason:
    • SEC Now: CFP and Postseason Special
      Sunday night, following a full slate of Selection Day programming across ESPN networks, Dari Nowkhah hosts SEC Now: CFP and Postseason Special at 6 p.m., joined by Gene Chizik, Chris Doering and Roman Harper in SEC Network’s Charlotte studios to highlight the SEC squads selected to the postseason.
    • ACC Huddle: CFP & Bowl Selection Special
      Taylor Tannebaum, Eric Mac Lain
      and Roddy Jones will reunite on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 6 p.m., for a two-hour ACC Huddle: CFP & Bowl Selection Special. The analysts will react to the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket and highlight the ACC’s 11 bowl-eligible teams with analysis and insight.
  • ESPN.com: Comprehensive news and analysis throughout Selection Day, breaking down the playoff field and bowl matchups, including:
    • Heather Dinich will report from the CFP Selection Committee headquarters.
    • Bill Connelly analyzes how all 12 playoff teams can win the national title.
    • Reporters dissect the first round of the playoff with a first look at all four matchups, as well as providing instant bracket picks, from the first round to the title game.
    • ESPN.com will also publish Connelly’s updated annual list by ranking every team to make the College Football Playoff.

CFP Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T Returns
For the second straight year, the College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T will give fans the chance to compete with friends, family and others by filling out CFP brackets as part of the expanded Playoff. Fans who pick the National Champion will be automatically entered into a random drawing to win $50,000 in total prizes. Sign up for the College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T is open now on ESPN.com, the ESPN App, and ESPN Fantasy App. Fans can complete and enter brackets from Sunday afternoon until shortly before the First Round kicks off on Dec. 19.

College Football Playoff Selection Day Schedule – Sunday, Dec. 7

Time (ET) Programming CFB On-Air Personalities^ Network
7 a.m. SportsCenter* Various CFB Commentators ESPN
7:55 a.m. SportsCenter* Various CFB Commentators ESPN2
10 a.m. Championship Drive: Rankings Countdown Presented by Allstate Host: Negandhi
Commentators: Riddick, Dvoracek, Manuel, Finebaum
ESPN2/ESPNU
10 a.m. Sunday NFL Countdown* Commentators: McFarland ESPN
Noon College Football Playoff Selection Show Presented by AT&T Host: Davis
Commentators: Galloway, McElroy, McFarland, Herbstreit, Saban, Fowler
ESPN
2 p.m. Rankings Reaction Hosts/Commentators: Ravech, Mageza, Simms ESPN CFB YouTube/
Facebook/ESPN App
3 p.m. Championship Drive: Bowl Breakdown Presented by Capital One Host: Barrie
Commentators: Acho, Osweiler, Jones, Rodgers
ESPN
4 p.m. Playoff Picture Presented by AT&T Hosts/Commentators: Ravech, Mageza, Simms, Matich ESPN CFB YouTube/
Facebook/ESPN App
6 p.m. SEC Now: CFP and Postseason Special Host: Nowkhah
Commentators: Chizik, Doering, Harper
SEC Network
6 p.m. ACC Huddle: CFP & Bowl Selection Special Host: Tannebaum
Commentators: Mac Lain, Jones
ACC Network
Late night SportsCenter with SVP* Commentators: Dvoracek ESPN

* Segments dedicated to CFP discussion
^ Scheduled commentators subject to change

Amanda Brooks

Amanda is the Senior Director of Communications overseeing publicity strategy for ESPN’s entire college sports portfolio, including college football and the College Football Playoff, 40+ NCAA Championships and ESPN's college networks. Amanda is a proud alum of Hendrix College in Conway, Ark., and earned her master's in ethics from Vanderbilt University. A native of Kent, Ohio, she is a die-hard Cleveland Guardians fan.
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