ATHENS — The College Football Playoffs vibe has hit, and it will only get hotter when championship weekend kicks off tonight.

The 12-team playoffs don’t officially begin until the first-round games kick off on Dec. 20 and Dec 21, but the field will begin to take shape, in earnest, with the Mountain West Conference Championship Game in Boise at 7 tonight (TV: Fox).

If the Broncos, playing on their unique blue turf, it’s very likely they will clinch a first-round bye and begin play at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl are contracted to get the SEC and Big Ten champions, regardless of rank, while the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl can also get at-large teams without regard to conference affiliation.

DawgNation reported earlier this week that it appears likely the ACC Championship Game winner, Clemson or SMU -- will likely be playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

RELATED: Why and how Dominoes will fall for Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl after ACC title game

As for why a No. 10-ranked Boise State would be in line for a first-round bye and Fiesta Bowl trip, it’s because the Broncos are ranked higher than the teams playing in the Big 12 Championship Game — No. 15 Arizona State and No. 16 Iowa State.

The top four seeds -- and first-round byes -- go to the four highest ranked conference championship teams. The fifth-highest-ranked conference championship team is guaranteed a spot in the 12-team field, but not a bye.

• The Big Ten title game features No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State

• The SEC title game is No. 2 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia

• The ACC Championship Game is No. 8 SMU vs. No. 17 Clemson

• The Mountain West Championship Game is No. 10 Boise State vs. No. 20 UNLV

• The Big 12 title game is No. 15 Arizona State vs. No. 16 Iowa State

It seems unlikely the Big 12 Championship Game winner would jump Boise Sate if the Broncos win.

But if UNLV upsets Boise State, the No. 20-ranked Rebels would not be ranked above the Big 12 Championship Game winner or be among the top four-ranked conference champions, so they would get the No. 12 seed and open the college football playoffs on Dec. 20 or Dec. 21 on an opposing team’s campus.

Here’s a look at this week’s championship games

(Draft Kings betting lines)

Boise State - 4 vs. UNLV, Mountain West, 7 p.m. Friday, Boise, Idaho, Fox

Jacksonville State -4.5 vs. Western Kentucky, Conf.USA, 7 p.m. Friday, Jacksonville, Ala., CBS

Tulane -4.5 at Army, American Athletic, 8 p.m Friday., West Point, N.Y., ABC

Iowa State at Arizona State -1.5, Big 12, noon, Saturday, Arlington, Texas, ABC

Ohio vs. Miami, Ohio, -2, MAC, noon, Saturday, Detroit, ESPN

Miami (Ohio) -2.5 vs. Ohio, Mid-American, noon Saturday, Detroit, ESPN

Texas - 3 vs. Georgia, SEC, 4 p.m. Saturday, Atlanta, ABC

Marshall vs. Louisiana -5.5, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Lafayette, La., ESPN

Penn State vs. Oregon -3.5, 8 p.m. Saturday, Indianapolis, CBS

Clemson vs. SMU -2.5, 8 p.m., Saturday, Charlotte, N.C., ABC

2024-25 College Football Playoff schedule, dates, TV channel, sites

All times Eastern

Here are the current rankings, and each team’s next game:

1. Oregon 12-0 (vs. Penn State, Big Ten title game)

2. Texas 11-1 (vs, Georgia, SEC title game)

3. Penn State 11-1 (vs. Oregon, Big Ten title game)

4. Notre Dame 11-1 (hosting first-round CFP game)

5. Georgia 10-2 (vs. Texas, SEC title game)

6. Ohio State 10-2 (first-round CFP game)

7. Tennessee 10-2 (first-round CFP game)

8. SMU 11-1 (vs. Clemson, ACC title game)

9. Indiana 11-1 (first-round CFP game)

10. Boise State 11-1 (MWC title game)

11. Alabama 9-3 (TBD)

12. Miami 10-2 (bowl game)

13. Ole Miss 9-3 (bowl game)

14. South Carolina 9-3 (bowl game)

15. Arizona State 10-2 (Big 12 title game vs. Iowa State)

16. Iowa State 10-2 (Big 12 title game vs. Arizona State)

17. Clemson 9-3 (ACC title game vs. SMU)

18. BYU 10-2 (bowl game)

19. Missouri 9-3 (bowl game)

20. UNLV 10-2 (vs., Boise State, MWC title game)

21. Illinois 9-3 (bowl game)

22. Syracuse 9-3 (bowl game)

23. Colorado 9-3 (bowl game)

24. Army 10-1 (AAC title game vs. Tulane)

25. Memphis 10-2 (bowl game)