The CFP system is centered on six major bowl games played on or near New Year 's Day , often called the " New Year 's Six " . Three pairs of games rotate annually as hosts of CFP semifinals . The champions of the so-called Power Five conferences ( ACC , Big Ten , Big 12 , Pac-12 , SEC ) all receive guaranteed berths in one of the New Year 's Six games , though not necessarily in the CFP semifinals . Notre Dame , a football independent but otherwise an ACC member , has its own arrangement for access to the New Year 's Six should it meet specified criteria . A selection committee similar to those used by the NCAA basketball tournaments for men and women releases a weekly ranking concurrently with the AP Poll starting with the Monday after Week 10 of the season . After the completion of the regular season , the committee selects the four teams that will compete in the CFP semifinals and the at-large entries to the New Year 's Six games . One of the at-large entries is reserved for the top-ranking champion of the so-called " Group of Five " conferences ( American , Conference USA , MAC , Mountain West , Sun Belt ) . The semifinal winners advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship game . The first season of the new system was not without controversy , however , after TCU and Baylor ( each with only one loss ) both failed to receive the support of the College Football Playoff selection committee
independent
NCAA Division I FBS independent schools
Modern history of American football