Home Games, Bowls, Bad Weather: The 12-Team College Football Playoff Is Here
The most anticipated college football postseason has finally arrived with the dawn of the 12-team Playoff era. Much of the excitement is due to the sheer unpredictability of the sport’s first true bracket.
Sure, there are some regulars in the College Football Playoff field: Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, and Clemson. But Group of 5 darling Boise State and Big 12 newcomer Arizona State both cracked the top four, while surprise schools like SMU and Indiana managed to squeeze their way into the first round. It’s also due to the biggest change of all: location. This weekend, four campuses will host a winner-take-all game, and that includes every factor from bad weather to rowdy students.
According to data from TickPick, a leading North American ticket marketplace, fans across the country are shelling out for a piece of the in-person action. This week, Front Office Sports takes you through the biggest ticketing storylines for each of the first-round games, plus upcoming bowl games, and more.
The Battle of the Hoosier State
Notre Dame and Indiana, despite sharing the same state, have met only 29 times in football. There may be some pent-up emotion—and demand—considering their matchup under the Friday Night lights in South Bend is the first since 1991.
The Fighting Irish are making only their third CFP appearance, and this time they’ll need to win two games in a row to make the national semifinals. The Hoosiers, one season after going 3–9, are making their first appearance.
Freezing cold temperatures and the possibility of snow are not enough to deter fans. According to TickPick, the game is the most expensive first-round CFP matchup with an average purchase price of $790. It’s also no surprise that the inaugural game of the 12-team bracket is the most expensive Notre Dame home game on record, as Irish fans hope to see their team off to New Orleans to face Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
That’s not all. Notre Dame–Indiana is the sixth-most-expensive event to take place in Indiana on record by average purchase price. For a sports event, only the 2024 NBA All-Star Game and 2022 national championship were more expensive:
The Unexpected Matchup
Heading into conference championship weekend, neither Texas nor Clemson was expected to play in the first round. The Longhorns were 11–1 and No. 2 in the CFP rankings, while the Tigers were 9–3 and No. 17. But a Texas loss in the SEC championship and a Clemson win in the ACC title game put the two on a collision course in Austin.
Steve Sarkisian and Dabo Swinney are no strangers to college football’s biggest stages, but only one of them will advance to the Peach Bowl to face Arizona State. For this hotly contested battle on Saturday afternoon, Texas-Clemson represents the second-most-expensive first-round matchup with an average purchase price of $384 (51% less expensive than Notre Dame–Indiana).
So far, expect to see more fans in burnt orange than normal orange in DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium: TickPick reports 82% of all purchases have come from Texas, while only 0.8% are coming from South Carolina.
The Chance to Play for Roses
For much of this season, eight-seed Ohio State was on track for a first-round bye. But a stunning home upset at the hands of Michigan in Week 15 sent the previously No. 2 Buckeyes’ ranking plummeting and cost them a shot at the Big Ten title. Tennessee finished off a respectable 10–2 season as the seven-seed in the CFP and will head to Columbus for a Saturday night primetime affair.
In a duel that could be the closest on paper, the winner from The Shoe will advance to the Rose Bowl and take on No. 1 Oregon.
According to TickPick, Ohio State–Tennessee’s average purchase price of $333 makes it the third-most-expensive first-round matchup. TickPick also notes that Volunteers fans are planning to show out: 40% of all purchases have come from Tennessee, while 24% have come from Ohio.
Heading to Happy Valley
For all of its storied history, Penn State is making just its second CFP appearance. James Franklin’s Nittany Lions look to right the ship at home after allowing 45 points to Oregon in the Big Ten title game. SMU, the newest member of the ACC, fell to Clemson two weeks ago in the conference championship but will still get a shot at the quarterfinals.
It could be a bit of a culture—and weather—shock when the Mustangs head from Dallas to Pennsylvania: Temperatures are expected to be in the 20s with a chance of snow. The good news is the winner gets to travel to Glendale, Ariz., for the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State.
According to TickPick, Penn State–SMU is the most affordable first-round matchup with an average purchase price of $220. The current get-in price is $106—82% less expensive than the get-in price of the Notre Dame–Indiana game ($600).
Looking Ahead: CFP Quarterfinals
It’s never too early to think about high-stake bowl games—especially when it comes to ticket prices for the College Football Playoff’s inaugural quarterfinals. Ranked from most to least expensive, here’s a look at all the action from the next round:
Looking Ahead: CFP Quarterfinals
Here’s what it takes to get in the door for the College Football Playoff—at first-round campus games and quarterfinal Bowl games.
