In the history of the College Football Playoff, there have been a lot of thrilling games, filled with last-minute endings, superstar performances and dramatic upsets. These contests have permanently shaped the modern era of the sport.
Throughout the Playoff's history, there has also been a fair share of shootouts; some of the ones that stand out include Sony Michel and Georgia beating Oklahoma at the Rose Bowl 54-48 back in 2017, or Joe Burrow throwing eight touchdown passes in a 63-point performance against the Sooners in 2019. But there have also been low-scoring games.
This was the case at the 2025 Orange Bowl, where No. 5 Oregon and No. 4 Texas Tech played a low-scoring affair. With two of the best defenses in the country taking center stage, fans might be wondering what the lowest-scoring games the Playoff actually were.
AllSportsPeople gives you the five lowest-scoring games in College Football Playoff history.
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What is the lowest-scoring CFP game?
The record for the lowest-scoring game in College Football Playoff history belongs to the 2025 First Round matchup between Miami and Texas A&M, a defensive slugfest won by the Hurricanes 10-3. In a game marked by stifling defensive line play, the contest was entirely scoreless at halftime — a first for the CFP — before Miami broke the deadlock with a field goal in the third quarter.
The decisive score came on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Malachi Toney with less than two minutes remaining, sealing the victory for the Hurricanes and sending them on to the quarterfinals after holding the potent Aggies offense to just three points.
| Rank | Date | Total Points | Game (CFP Round) | Final Score |
| 1 | Dec. 20, 2025 | 13 | First Round | Miami 10, Texas A&M 3 |
| 2 | Jan. 1, 2026 | 23 | Orange Bowl (Quarterfinal) | Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0 |
| 3 | Jan. 1, 2018 | 30 | Sugar Bowl (Semifinal) | Alabama 24, Clemson 6 |
| 4 | Dec. 31, 2016 | 31 | Peach Bowl (Semifinal) | Alabama 24, Washington 7 |
| 5 | Dec. 31, 2016 | 31 | Fiesta Bowl (Semifinal) | Clemson 31, Ohio State 0 |
Less than two weeks later, Oregon shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in the 2026 Orange Bowl, marking the second-lowest total for a CFP game. The Ducks caused Behren Morton and the Red Raiders' offense to turn the ball over four times en route to the dominant win.
Before those defensive battles, the lowest total belonged to the 2018 Sugar Bowl Semifinal, where Alabama dominated defending champion Clemson 24-6. The game was an uncharacteristic offensive dud for the rivals' third playoff meeting, as the Crimson Tide defense held Clemson to just 188 total yards. Alabama went on to win the national championship, beating Georgia in overtime.
Another famous defensive performance was the 2016 Fiesta Bowl, where Clemson shut out Ohio State 31-0 on their way to a national title. These games are followed by Alabama's wins over Washington (24-7) and Cincinnati (27-6), two programs that were making their first-ever Playoff appearance.
MORE: Where Miami vs. Ohio State ranks in College Football Playoff upsets
What is the lowest-scoring college football game?
The lowest non-zero score in major college football history, an improbable 2-0 victory, was secured by Fordham over Missouri in the 1942 Sugar Bowl. The single score came from a Missouri safety — the result of a defensive play pushing an offensive player back into their own end zone. Before modern overtime rules eliminated ties in 1996, defensive battles ending 0-0 were relatively common, with the last FBS occurrence coming in 1983.
| Rank | Date | Combined Score | Final Score |
| 1 | Jan. 1, 1942 | 2 | Fordham 2, Missouri 0 |
| 2 | Oct. 25, 2008 | 5 | Auburn 3, Mississippi State 2 |
| 3 | Dec. 31, 2008 | 6 | Oregon State 3, Pittsburgh 0 |
| 4 | Nov. 2, 1996 | 6 | Kansas State 6, Oklahoma 0 |
| 5 | Dec. 20, 2025 | 13 | Miami 10, Texas A&M 3 |
| 6 | Oct. 23, 2004 | 10 | Iowa 6, Penn State 4 |
| 7 | Sep. 12, 1981 | 10 | Rutgers 10, Virginia 0 |
| 8 | Nov. 22, 2014 | 12 | Wake Forest 6, Virginia Tech 3 |
| 9 | Oct. 17, 2015 | 15 | Georgia 9, Missouri 6 |
| 10 | Sep. 23, 2023 | 21 | Iowa 15, Wisconsin 6 |
In the modern FBS era, the benchmark for offensive struggle remains the 2008 victory by Auburn over Mississippi State, which ended with a combined score of just five points: 3-2. Auburn managed a field goal, while Mississippi State's only points came from a safety.
MORE: Which program has the most losses in NCAA history?