Primary-market face-value tickets for many College Football Playoff (CFP) games sell out quickly. For fans who still need seats, TicketIQ offers fee-free secondary-market listings and a Refund Guarantee that refunds buyers if an event is canceled or deemed unfit for attendance. That combination of lower fees and consumer protections makes TicketIQ a go-to option for CFP buyers who want transparent pricing and peace of mind.

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2025–26 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF: FORMAT & SCHEDULE (AT-A-GLANCE)

The expanded 12-team CFP format continues this season. Key structural points:

• First Round: Four on-campus games (seeds 5–12) determine which teams advance to the Quarterfinals.
  
  
• Quarterfinals: Four games held at New Year’s Six bowl venues.
  
  
• Semifinals: Two CFP semifinal games hosted at rotating bowl sites.
  
  
• National Championship: Single neutral-site final.
  
  

Below are the matchups and the ticket pricing data used for analysis:

First Round

• No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama — Get-in $227 (Average list price $591)
  
  
• No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M — Get-in $393 (Average list price $1,378)
  
  
• No. 11 Tulane vs. No. 6 Ole Miss — Get-in $342 (Average list price $522)
  
  
• No. 12 James Madison vs. No. 5 Oregon — Get-in $191 (Average list price $389)
  Round average list price: $763
  
  

Quarterfinals

• Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Miami/Texas A&M winner vs. No. 2 Ohio State) — Get-in $375 (Average list price $945)
  
  
• Capital One Orange Bowl (JMU/Oregon winner vs. No. 4 Texas Tech) — Get-in $212 (Average list price $1,042)
  
  
• Rose Bowl (Alabama/Oklahoma winner vs. No. 1 Indiana) — Get-in $324 (Average list price $812)
  
  
• Allstate Sugar Bowl (Tulane/Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Georgia) — Get-in $219 (Average list price $668)
  Round average list price: $867
  
  

Semifinals

• Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (State Farm Stadium, Glendale) — Get-in $302 (Average list price $878)
  
  
• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta) — Get-in $212 (Average list price $979)
  Round average list price: $929
  
  

National Championship (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens)

• Get-in $2,169 — Average list price $5,295
  
  

HOW MUCH ARE CFP TICKETS IN 2025–26? KEY TAKEAWAYS

Using the get-in figures above, several clear patterns emerge:

• Cheapest get-in overall: James Madison vs. Oregon (First Round) — $191.
  
  
• Most expensive get-in (all games): National Championship — $2,169.
  
  
• Most expensive non-championship get-in: Miami vs. Texas A&M (First Round) — $393.
  
  
• Average get-in across all CFP games: ≈ $451.
  
  

Two immediate conclusions: first-round get-ins are surprisingly variable — ranging from sub-$200 to nearly $400 — and second, the championship game remains by far the single biggest price outlier on the secondary market.

BREAKDOWN BY ROUND: WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN

First Round — volatility and local premiums

First-round get-ins average about $288 per game. The spread here is large: the James Madison–Oregon ticket floor sits at $191, while Miami–Texas A&M is at $393. On-campus and regional demand drives variability: games hosted at schools or in regions with concentrated fanbases command premiums, while less-traveled matchups show more affordable floors.

Buying note: If you want the best value for early CFP action, target smaller on-campus venues or less marquee matchups — those are where you’ll find sub-$200 get-ins.

Quarterfinals — New Year’s Six still commands a premium

Quarterfinals show a slightly higher get-in average (~$283), but the highest non-championship get-in is in this pool as well (Cotton Bowl — $375). The Rose and Sugar Bowls sit in the mid-$200s to low-$300s, reflecting their marquee status and bowl-associated travel packages.

Buying note: Quarterfinal pricing is sensitive to which teams advance. If a blockbuster matchup forms, expect immediate price spikes. Conversely, some bowls (notably the Orange/Capital One in this cycle) retain lower floors that can soften in the weeks after matchups are set.

Semifinals — expensive, but more stable than finals

Semifinal get-in floors — $212 (Peach) and $302 (Fiesta) — average roughly $257. These games are premium events, but the two-game structure means pricing tends to compress: demand concentrates on fewer tickets but also spreads across two semifinal sites.

Buying note: Historically, the cheapest seats for semifinal games drop materially (often 30%–50%) in the 7–14 days after matchups are set. That’s a window for opportunistic buyers who can wait.

National Championship — the outlier

The championship get-in of $2,169 dwarfs all other floors. Average list price above $5,000 demonstrates the immense secondary-market premium for neutral-site title games, where scarcity and national demand combine to push prices into a separate tier.

Buying note: If attending the championship is essential, expect to pay a substantial premium. Consider premium packages and hospitality if certainty is worth the cost; otherwise, plan well in advance and monitor price shifts closely.

WILL PRICES DROP BEFORE GAME DAY?

Yes — historically. For semifinals and many high-profile bowl/quarterfinal games, the cheapest ticket prices on the secondary market have declined 30%–50% between the time matchups are announced and game-day. Most of that downward movement happens in the first 10–14 days after matchups are set; after that window prices tend to stabilize or drift modestly downward.

Expect similar behavior this season:

• Short-term buyers (within a week of matchups): likely to face higher floors.
  
  
• Buyers who can wait (10–14 days): often see the best opportunities for sub-floor deals, especially for semifinals and quarterfinal bowls.
  
  
• Championship buyers: less likely to see dramatic drops; expect persistent premium pricing.
  
  

BEST STRATEGIES FOR BUYERS

If you want the absolute lowest price: wait 10–14 days after pairings are set and monitor TicketIQ for price dips, particularly for semifinals and quarterfinals.

If you want certainty (and a seat near midfield/floor): buy earlier and consider Ticketmaster Official Platinum or premium resale options — these will cost more but reduce uncertainty.

If you’re budget-conscious and flexible on seating: target first-round games with lower get-in floors (e.g., the James Madison–Oregon matchup at $191) or bowl sites that historically maintain high inventory (the Rose or Sugar Bowls when demand is softer).

Use TicketIQ for fee-free comparison and its Refund Guarantee to reduce risk if you must buy early.

BOTTOM LINE

This CFP season presents a wide range of ticketing outcomes. While the National Championship remains a clear price outlier, substantial opportunities exist for price-conscious fans in the first round, certain quarterfinal bowls, and — most reliably — the 10–14 day window after matchups are announced. Buyers who combine patience with active price tracking on fee-free resale marketplaces like TicketIQ will often find the best balance between value and certainty.