2025-26 College Football Bowl Schedule Finalized: Key Matchups and Dates
The College Football Bowl Schedule for the 2025-26 season is finally set. Fans everywhere are buzzing with excitement and anticipation.
This year’s lineup stretches from mid-December to mid-January. There’s a lot to look forward to, and honestly, it’s shaping up to be one of the best yet.
Let’s dig into the details—key matchups, dates, and TV coverage. Here’s what you need to keep up with your favorite teams.
Contents
Kickoff to Bowl Season: Early December Matchups
The action begins on Saturday, December 13, 2025, with the Cricket Celebration Bowl. The South Carolina State Bulldogs go up against the Prairie View A&M Panthers, airing on ABC at noon ET.
Later that night, the Bucked Up LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk takes the spotlight at 9:00pm ET, also on ABC. It’s the Boise State Broncos versus the Washington Huskies.
Mid-December Showdowns
From Tuesday, December 16 to Friday, December 19, six more bowl games fill out the calendar. These games set the tone before the first round of the College Football Playoff.
- IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl: Troy vs. Jacksonville State on Tuesday, December 16 at 9:00pm ET on ESPN.
- StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Old Dominion vs. South Florida on Wednesday, December 17 at 5:00pm ET on ESPN.
- Xbox Bowl: Missouri State vs. Arkansas State on Thursday, December 18 at 9:00pm ET on ESPN2.
- Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs. Western Michigan on Friday, December 19 at 11:00am ET on ESPN.
College Football Playoff First Round
The playoff kicks off on Friday evening, December 19. The No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide head to Norman to face the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners, with ESPN and ABC airing the game at 8:00pm ET.
Saturday’s First Round Action
The rest of the first-round games happen on Saturday, December 20. Here’s what’s on tap:
- No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M (Noon ET, ESPN and ABC)
- No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss (3:30pm ET, TNT/truTV/HBO Max)
- No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon (7:30pm ET, TNT/truTV/HBO Max)
Resuming Bowl Games: Late December
Bowl games pick back up on Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23 with four matchups. On Christmas Eve, the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl features the California Golden Bears against the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors at 8:00pm ET on ESPN.
Action-Packed End to December
Between Friday, December 26 and Tuesday, December 30, there are 15 bowl games lined up. A few standouts:
- Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State on Monday, December 22 at 2:00pm ET on ESPN.
- New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss on Tuesday, December 22 at 5:30pm ET on ESPN.
- Pop-Tarts Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. BYU on Saturday, December 27 at 3:30pm ET on ABC.
- TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Virginia vs. Missouri on Saturday, December 27 at 7:30pm ET on ABC.
New Year’s Eve and Day: Quarterfinals and More
New Year’s Eve brings five games, wrapping up with the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. No. 2 Ohio State will take on either Miami or Texas A&M at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
New Year’s Day Quarterfinals
New Year’s Day—Thursday, January 1, 2026—features three College Football Playoff Quarterfinals:
- Capital One Orange Bowl: James Madison or Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech (Noon ET, ESPN)
- Rose Bowl Game: Alabama or Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Indiana (4:00pm ET, ESPN)
- Allstate Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss or Tulane vs. No. 3 Georgia (8:00pm ET, ESPN)
Early January: Semifinals and National Championship
Four more bowl games are set for Friday, January 2, 2026. After that, there’s a bit of a breather before the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
The first semifinal lands on Thursday, January 8 at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, airing at 7:30pm ET on ESPN. The second semifinal follows at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday, January 9, also at 7:30pm ET on ESPN.
National Championship Showdown
The winners of the two semifinal contests will square off in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 19, 2026. The showdown’s set for Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
ESPN’s got the broadcast at 7:30pm ET. Not much beats the energy of a title game under the Miami lights, right?
If you’re after the full schedule or more details on the 2025-26 College Football Bowl games, check out the official schedule page.
