College football bowl schedule: Games, dates, kickoff times and TV channels
It’s the best time of year for college football fans as they prepare for an all-you-can-eat buffet of action that lasts through the holiday season and into 2026. The college football bowl season offers fans the opportunity to see their team one last time and get a glimpse of the future as young players step into the game.
The bowl program begins with the HBCU Celebration Bowl on December 13 and continues through January 2. The College Football Playoff takes us from there to January 19, when two teams will compete for a national championship in Miami Gardens, Florida.
CBS will once again broadcast the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. on December 31 in El Paso, Texas. Additionally, December 27 is one of the busiest days of the year as eight bowl games will take place on that day, including the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Texas Bowl, and the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop (yes, that’s the official name).
College Football Playoff picture: Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech get byes; Miami against Notre Dame
David Cobb
Below is a detailed look at the complete schedule for the 2025-26 college football season, including dates, locations and TV channels. All times are Eastern.
College Football Playoffs
|
January 19 (Monday) |
College Football Playoff National Championship |
7:30 a.m. (ESPN) |
Semi-final winners |
|
January 9 (Friday) |
Fishing (CFP Semi-final) |
7:30 p.m. (ESPN) |
To be determined or to be determined |
|
January 8 (Thursday) |
Fiesta (CFP semi-final) |
7:30 p.m. (ESPN) |
To be determined or to be determined |
| January 1 (Thursday) | Sucre (CFP quarter-final) New Orleans, Louisiana | 8:00 p.m. (ESPN) | (3) Georgia against (11/6) winner |
| January 1 (Thursday) | Rose (CFP quarter-final) Pasadena, California | 4:00 p.m. (ESPN | (1) Indiana against (8/9) winner |
| January 1 (Thursday) | Orange (CFP Quarterfinal) Gardens of Miami, Florida | 12:00 p.m. (ESPN) | (3) Texas Tech vs. (12/5) winner |
| December 31 (Wednesday) | Cotton (CFP Quarter-final) Arlington, TX | 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) | (2) Ohio State vs. (10/7) winner |
| December 20 (Saturday) | CFP first round match | 7:30 p.m. (TNT) | (12) James Madison vs. (5) Oregon |
| December 20 (Saturday) | CFP first round match | 3:30 p.m. (TNT) | (11) Tulane vs. (6) Ole Miss |
| December 20 (Saturday) | CFP first round match | 12:00 p.m. (ABC) | (10) Miami at (7) Texas A&M |
| December 19 (Friday) | CFP first round match | 8:00 p.m. (ABC) | (9) Alabama at (8) Oklahoma |
Other ball games
|
December 13 (Saturday) |
12:00 p.m. ABC |
Cricket Celebration Bowl |
Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia |
South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M |
|
December 13 (Saturday) |
8:00 p.m. ESPN |
LA Bowl hosted by Gronk |
SoFi Stadium Inglewood, California |
Boise State vs. Washington |
|
December 16 (Tuesday) |
9:00 p.m. ESPN |
Salute to the Veterans Bowl |
Cramton bowl Montgomery, Alabama |
Troy vs. Jacksonville State |
|
December 17 (Wednesday) |
5:00 p.m. ESPN |
Healing Bowl |
Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida |
Old Dominion vs. South Florida |
| December 17 (Wednesday) | 8:30 p.m. ESPN | Bol 68 Companies | Hancock Stadium White Mobile, Alabama | Louisiana vs. Delaware |
| December 18 (Thursday) | 9:00 p.m. ESPN2 | Xbox bowl | Ford Center Frisco, TX |
Arkansas State vs. Missouri State |
| December 19 (Friday) | 11:00 a.m. ESPN | Myrtle Beach Bowl | Brooks Stadium Conway, South Carolina | Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan |
| December 19 (Friday) | 2:30 p.m. ESPN | Gasparilla bowl | Raymond-James Stadium Tampa, Florida | |
| December 22 (Monday) | 2:00 p.m. ESPN | Idaho’s Famous Potato Bowl | Albertson Stadium Boise, Idaho | Utah State vs. Washington State |
| December 23 (Tuesday) | 2:00 p.m. ESPN | Boca Raton Bowl | Flagler Credit Union Stadium Boca Raton, Florida | |
| December 23 (Tuesday) | 5:30 p.m. ESPN | New Orleans Bowl | Caesar’s Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana | Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss |
| December 23 (Tuesday) | 9:00 p.m. ESPN | Frisco Bowl | Ford Center at the Star Frisco, TX |
UNLV vs. Ohio |
| December 24 (Wednesday) | 8:00 p.m. ESPN | Hawaii bowl | Clarence TC Ching Athletic Complex Honolulu, Hawaii | Cal vs. Hawaii |
| December 26 (Friday) | 1:00 p.m. ESPN | GameAbove Sports Bowl | Ford Field Detroit, Michigan. |
Central Michigan vs. Northwest |
| December 26 (Friday) | 4:30 p.m. ESPN | Rate the bowl | Hunting field Phoenix, Arizona. |
New Mexico vs. Minnesota |
| December 26 (Friday) | 8:00 p.m. ESPN | First Responders Bowl | Gerald J. Ford Stadium Dallas, TX | |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 11:00 a.m. ESPN | Military bowl | Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, Maryland | |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 12:00 p.m. ABC | Pinstripe bowl | Yankee Stadium Bronx, New York | |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 2:15 p.m. ESPN | Fenway Bowl | Fenway Park Boston, Massachusetts | UConn vs. Army |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 3:30 p.m. ABC | Bowl of Pop-Tarts | Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida | |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 4:30 p.m. The CW | Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop | Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona | Fresno State vs. Miami (OH) |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 5:45 p.m. ESPN | New Mexico Bowl | Secondary field at university stadium Albuquerque, New Mexico | North Texas vs. San Diego State |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 7:30 p.m. ABC | Alligator bowl | EverBank Stadium Jacksonville, Florida | |
| December 27 (Saturday) | 9:15 p.m. ESPN | Texas Bowl | NRG Stadium Houston, TX | LSU vs. Houston |
| December 29 (Monday) | 2:00 p.m. ESPN | Birmingham Bowl | Protective stage Birmingham, Alabama | |
| December 30 (Tuesday) | 2:00 p.m. ESPN | Independence Bowl | Independence Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana | Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech |
| December 30 (Tuesday) | 5:30 p.m. ESPN | Musical City Bowl | Nissan Stadium Nashville, Tennessee | Tennessee vs. Illinois |
| December 30 (Tuesday) | 9:00 p.m. ESPN | Alamo Bowl | Alamodome San Antonio, TX | USC vs. TCU |
| December 31 (Wednesday) | 12:00 p.m. ESPN | ReliaQuest Bowl | Raymond-James Stadium Tampa, Florida | Vanderbilt vs. Iowa |
| December 31 (Wednesday) | 2:00 p.m. CBS | Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, Texas | |
| December 31 (Wednesday) | 3 p.m. ABC | Citrus bowl | Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida | Michigan vs. Texas |
| December 31 (Wednesday) | 3:30 p.m. ESPN | Las Vegas Bowl | Allegiant Stadium Las Vegas, Nevada | Nebraska vs. Utah |
| January 2 (Friday) | 1:00 p.m. ESPN | Armed Forces Bowl | Amon Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX | |
| January 2 (Friday) | 4:30 p.m. ESPN | Liberty Bowl | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium Memphis, Tennessee | Navy vs. Cincinnati |
| January 2 (Friday) | 8:00 p.m. ESPN | Bowl of mayonnaise | Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, North Carolina | |
| January 2 (Friday) | 8:00 p.m. FOX | Holiday Bowl | Snapdragon Stadium San Diego, California |
