December 22, 2025
Primary-market face-value tickets for many College Football Playoff (CFP) games sell out quickly. For fans who still need seats, we offer fee-free College Football Playoff tickets.
This year’s College Football Playoff ticket market is behaving differently at every stage of the bracket, and the differences matter for fans trying to time a purchase. Using last season as a reference point helps clarify what’s changing — and why prices are more likely to rise than reset as the playoff progresses.
With the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchups now set, the ticket market has begun to separate sharply based on who is playing where. While betting odds provide context, actual price movement is being driven primarily by the combination of matchup composition and geographic accessibility.
Across the CFP quarterfinals, average ticket prices sit just over $800, but that headline number masks wide variation driven by the specifics of each bowl game.
Sugar Bowl (Georgia vs. Ole Miss) — New Orleans
The Sugar Bowl, featuring Georgia vs. Ole Miss, is the clear pricing leader among the quarterfinals.
Average ticket prices have climbed to $989, up nearly 40% in the past week, while get-in prices have risen to $252. This is the strongest price move of any quarterfinal matchup.
The explanation is straightforward. Both fan bases are within driving distance of New Orleans, which has allowed demand to materialize quickly and decisively. Inventory near team sections tightened almost immediately after the matchup was confirmed, lifting prices across lower bowl, club, and upper levels. This game is behaving more like a regional championship than a neutral-site playoff.
Rose Bowl (Alabama vs. Indiana) — Pasadena
The Rose Bowl matchup between Alabama and Indiana shows a more measured pricing profile.
Average ticket prices currently sit around $826, with get-in prices near $257. While the Rose Bowl’s prestige supports demand, both fan bases must travel long distances, which has slowed buying and kept prices from spiking.
Alabama’s familiarity with CFP travel and Indiana’s more cautious, first-time postseason demand have combined to create steady but controlled price movement, with ample inventory preventing sharp increases.
Cotton Bowl (Ohio State vs. Miami) — Arlington
The Cotton Bowl, featuring Ohio State vs. Miami, remains the most price-sensitive quarterfinal.
Average prices have softened to roughly $520, while get-in prices are hovering near $113, making it the most accessible game in the round.
Despite strong brands on both sides, the lack of regional proximity and overlapping travel commitments have weighed on demand. Buyers have shown patience, and sellers have adjusted prices downward to clear inventory.
Orange Bowl (Oregon vs. Texas Tech) — Miami Gardens
The Orange Bowl matchup between Oregon and Texas Tech sits between the extremes.
Average ticket prices are around $927, with get-in prices near $156. Miami’s destination appeal provides a pricing floor, but neither fan base benefits from close proximity to the venue.
As a result, demand has remained solid but controlled, without the rapid tightening seen in New Orleans.
What the Quarterfinal Market Is Showing
Across all four quarterfinals, the pattern is consistent:
Games featuring regional matchups are driving early, durable price increases.
Games requiring long-distance travel are seeing slower buying and more price sensitivity.
Venue prestige alone is not enough to push prices higher without geographic alignment.
The Takeaway
As the quarterfinals approach, CFP ticket prices are being dictated by matchup and location rather than ranking or odds. Markets where fans can attend easily and feel urgency are firming quickly, while destination-heavy games remain more flexible.
The ticket market has already sorted the bracket — not by who is favored, but by who can realistically show up.
First Round:
The first round remains the most volatile and most forgiving round for buyers. Historically, this is where uncertainty is highest and sellers are quickest to discount. Last season, first-round average prices fell nearly 49% and get-in prices dropped 52% late in the cycle as inventory flooded the market. This year, prices have softened but far less dramatically, suggesting sellers are more disciplined and buyers are more informed. The takeaway is that first-round tickets can still offer deals, but the extreme late collapses seen last year are less likely to repeat.
Quarterfinals:
Last year, quarterfinals were the first true inflection point. After first-round prices collapsed, quarterfinal averages rebounded roughly 28%, with get-ins up about 16% once matchups were finalized and fans committed to travel. This season, that rebound appears largely priced in already. Quarterfinal averages are sitting closer to $850–$900, near where last year’s prices ended, not where they began. That means less downside and more risk in waiting. Once betting favorites like Ohio State or Georgia are slotted into specific bowl locations, history suggests quarterfinal prices are more likely to firm than soften, especially in accessible destinations.
Semifinals:
Semifinal pricing has traditionally hovered in the $850–$1,000 average range, with get-in prices between $190 and $430, depending on matchup and city. This year’s semifinals are already near the top of that historical range before teams are even known. That signals a market waiting for confirmation, not discounting risk. If favorites advance — particularly into the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, where travel friction is lowest — both average and get-in prices have historically moved higher quickly, leaving fewer late buying opportunities than fans saw in past years.
National Championship:
The biggest departure from history is the title game. Most recent CFP championships averaged $1,600–$3,600, with major spikes occurring only after finalists were set. This year’s championship in Miami is already averaging around $5,200, making it one of the most expensive CFP finals ever before matchups are known. Several factors are driving that premium: Miami’s appeal as a January escape from winter weather, a concentrated betting market led by Ohio State, Indiana, and Georgia, and the expectation that at least one high-demand program will reach the final. If a favorite advances, prices may tighten rather than spike dramatically because much of the upside is already built in. If a proximity-driven scenario emerges — such as Miami reaching the title game at Hard Rock Stadium — get-in prices could accelerate sharply as low-cost inventory disappears.
The Big Picture:
Last season showed that the biggest price jumps came after clarity, not at announcement. This year, clarity will arrive into a market that is already elevated across every round beyond the first. Quarterfinals look less like a rebound phase and more like a continuation. Semifinals are priced closer to historical peaks than troughs. And the championship is already in premium territory. For buyers, that shifts the risk: the danger isn’t overpaying early — it’s waiting until certainty arrives, when prices have historically moved fastest and most decisively.
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.
