Editors:
Below are some of AP’s coverage plans tied to the 2025-26 college football postseason, including playoff/bowl selection day on Dec. 7 and the major awards. Please contact Dave Zelio (dzelio@ap.org) with any questions.
An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page.
This advisory may be updated. All times Eastern.
FBC--CFP-COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF -- The College Football Playoff announces its second 12-team bracket as memories of the bowl system at the heart of the postseason for more than a century fade even further way. The winners will play for the national championship Jan. 19 in suburban Miami. By Eddie Pells. 750 words, photos by 4 p.m. Developing from noon ET announcement Dec. 7.
With:
-- FBC--CFP-SUGAR BOWL -- Profile of the CFP first-round campus matchup and path to the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal. By Eric Olson. 650 words, photos by 5 p.m.
-- FBC--CFP-ROSE BOWL -- Profile of the CFP first-round campus matchup and path to the Rose Bowl quarterfinal. By Greg Beacham. 650 words, photos by 5 p.m.
-- FBC--CFP-ORANGE BOWL -- Profile of the CFP first-round campus matchup and path to the Orange Bowl quarterfinal. By Tim Reynolds. 650 words, photos by 5 p.m.
-- FBC--CFP-COTTON BOWL -- Profile of the CFP first-round campus matchup and path to the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal. By Stephen Hawkins. 650 words, photos by 5 p.m.
-- FBC--CFP-LEFT OUT -- There will be no shortage of controversy going into the College Football Playoff as teams are left out despite mostly sterling records. The Big Ten and Southeastern conferences for a second straight year dominated the CFP rankings ahead of Selection Sunday at the expense of the ACC and Big 12, not to mention the Group of Five. By Mark Long. 600 words, photos by 5 p.m.
-- FBC--T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL -- The final regular-season AP Top 25 poll is released, setting the table for the postseason. By Eric Olson. 500 words, photos by 11 a.m.
AP will provide game stories and boxes for every bowl and photo coverage of major games. Preview content will focus on CFP matchups and select other games.
The final AP Top 25 poll of the season will be sent by noon on Jan. 20, the day after the College Football Playoff championship game.
— Dec. 8: AP All-ACC team. By Aaron Beard. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 9: AP All-Big Ten team. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 10: AP All-SEC team. By Mark Long. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 11: AP Player Of The Year announcement, noon. By Eric Olson. 500 words, photos.
— Dec. 11: AP All-Big 12 team. By Stephen Hawkins. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 13: Heisman Trophy announcement, approximately 7 p.m. 550 words, photos.
— Dec. 15: AP All-America team, noon. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 16: AP Coach of the Year, noon. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 16: AP FCS All-America team, 1 p.m.. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 17: AP Division II All-America team, noon. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 18: AP Division III All-America team, noon. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
— Dec. 19: AP NAIA All-America team, noon. By Eric Olson. 450 words, photos.
A paginated preview of the college football bowl season will be available in AP Newsroom by 5 p.m. Dec. 9 by searching for “Sports Extra” under the Graphics tab. Three page sizes are available – full broadsheet, half broadsheet and tabloid – with space for local advertising or content. The pages list all the bowls and look at the matchups in the College Football Playoff. Please contact Barry Bedlan at bbedlan@ap.org with any questions.
