Let the debates begin.

The first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff round was announced Sunday after incredible conference championship games and one of the most interesting regular seasons in recent memory.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Kenyon Sadiq #18 of the Oregon Ducks reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half of the 2024 Big Ten Football Championship game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 7, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Aaron J Thornton/Getty Images)

The College Football Playoff field expanded from four teammates to 12 before the start of the 2024 season. The success of the playoff format that began in 2024 made expansion possible.

The Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs, Boise State Broncos and Arizona State Sun Devils were seeds 1-4 and received first-round byes to the quarterfinals.

The Ducks won the Big Ten Championship in their first conference season. The Bulldogs defeated the Texas Longhorns in the SEC Championship. The Broncos, whose Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty won the Mountain West championship over the UNLV Rebels. The Sun Devils led the Iowa State Cyclones in the Big 12 Championship.

The Clemson Tigers, who upset the SMU Mustangs for the ACC Championship, were assigned the No. 12 seed.

(LR) Head coach Rhett Lashlee of the SMU Mustangs and head coach Dabo Swinney of the Clemson Tigers speak before the 2024 ACC Football Championship at Bank of America Stadium on December 7, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

CLEMSON’S DABO SWINNEY SAYS SMU WILL BE “BETTER” IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS AFTER BEATING THEM IN THE ACC TITLE GAME

The first round was scheduled to pit Clemson against No. 5 Texas, with the winner playing Arizona State. Penn State received the No. 6 seed and will play No. 11 SMU. The winner plays Boise State.

Notre Dame was seeded No. 7 and will play No. 10 Indiana. The winner plays against Georgia. Ohio State was seeded No. 8 and will play No. 9 Tennessee. The winner plays Oregon.

The first round matches will be played on the home field of the higher seeded player. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be played at neutral sites and in a traditional bowl game.

This is what the schedule will look like:

• No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Indiana (December 20, 8 p.m. ET)
• No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 SMU (Dec. 21, 12 p.m. ET)
• No. 5 Texas vs. No. 12 Clemson (Dec. 21, 4 p.m. ET)
• No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee (December 21, 8 p.m. ET)
• No. 3 Boise State vs. Penn State/SMU (December 31, 7:30 p.m. ET)
• No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas/Clemson (Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET)
• No. 1 Oregon vs. Ohio State/Tennessee (Jan. 1, 5 p.m. ET)
• No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame/Indiana (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. ET)

Alabama was eliminated from the group with three losses, even though the selection committee selected them last week as one of the final teams for the playoffs. Miami, which finished 10-2, was also out.

Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe (4) celebrates his touchdown run against Auburn during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The national championship will be played on January 20th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on X and subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.