▁below . ▁All ▁times ▁are ▁E ST ▁( UTC − 5 ). ▁ ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁and ▁Championship ▁Game ▁The ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁system ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁determine ▁a ▁national ▁champion ▁of ▁Division ▁I ▁F BS ▁college ▁football . ▁A ▁ 1 3 - member ▁committee ▁of ▁exper ts ▁ranked ▁the ▁top ▁ 2 5 ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁nation ▁after ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁last ▁seven ▁weeks ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season . ▁ ▁The ▁top ▁four ▁teams ▁in ▁the ▁final ▁ranking ▁played ▁a ▁single - el im ination ▁semif inal ▁round , ▁with ▁the ▁w inners ▁adv ancing ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Championship ▁game . ▁ ▁The ▁semif inal ▁games ▁were ▁the ▁Rose ▁Bowl ▁and ▁the ▁Sug ar ▁Bowl . ▁Both ▁were ▁played ▁on ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁year ly ▁rotation ▁of ▁three ▁pairs ▁of ▁six ▁bow ls , ▁commonly ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁CF P ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Six ▁bow l ▁games . ▁Their ▁w inners ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁College ▁Football ▁Play off ▁National ▁Championship ▁at ▁Mer cedes - B enz ▁Stadium ▁in ▁Atlanta , ▁Georgia , ▁on ▁January ▁ 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁ ▁Non - CF P ▁bow l ▁games ▁On ▁April ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁the ▁NCAA ▁announced ▁a ▁free ze ▁on ▁new ▁bow l ▁games ▁until ▁after ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁season . ▁ ▁While ▁bow l ▁games ▁had ▁been