2025-26 College Football Bowl Schedule: Key Dates and Matchups
The 2025-26 College Football Bowl season is here, and honestly, it looks like a wild ride. There’s a stacked schedule of games that should keep fans glued to their screens all winter.
This year’s bowl lineup brings a ton of intriguing matchups, especially with the College Football Playoff games looming large. The action starts December 13, 2025, and runs all the way to the championship on January 19, 2026.
So, what should we be watching for? Let’s get into the details and see which games might steal the show.
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2025-26 Bowl Season Kickoff
The first Saturday—December 13—gets things rolling with two headline games. At noon ET on ABC, the Cricket Celebration Bowl kicks off the festivities.
Later that night, the Bucked Up LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk takes the stage at 8:00 PM ET, also on ABC. That’s not all, though.
The annual Army-Navy Game lands right in the middle at 3:00 PM ET on CBS. It’s a packed opening weekend, and honestly, it’s hard not to get a little hyped.
College Football Playoff First Round
The Playoff is bigger this year—12 teams, first-round games on campus sites. I’m curious to see how that shakes things up.
It all starts Friday, December 19, with No. 9 Alabama heading to No. 8 Oklahoma. Then, Saturday, December 20, brings three more first-round showdowns:
- No. 10 Miami at No. 7 Texas A&M
- No. 11 Tulane at No. 6 Ole Miss
- No. 12 James Madison at No. 5 Oregon
Key Matchups to Watch
Some of these first-round games could get wild. Alabama versus Oklahoma? That’s a heavyweight clash, and both fan bases are about as intense as they come.
Miami at Texas A&M and Tulane at Ole Miss both have upset potential. If you like chaos, you might want to keep an eye on those.
Christmas Eve Tradition: The Hawai’i Bowl
It wouldn’t be the holidays without the Hawai’i Bowl on Christmas Eve. This year’s game is set for December 24 at 8:00 PM ET on ESPN.
California faces Hawai’i, and honestly, the setting alone makes it worth tuning in. Something about football in paradise just feels right.
College Football Playoff Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals get underway on New Year’s Eve. The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic is up first, Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
That one’s got the Miami/Texas A&M winner taking on No. 2 Ohio State. Then, New Year’s Day brings three more huge games:
- Capital One Orange Bowl: JMU/Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech
- Rose Bowl Game: Alabama/Oklahoma vs. No. 1 Indiana
- Allstate Sugar Bowl: Tulane/Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia
New Year’s Day Showdowns
New Year’s Day and college football just go together. The Rose Bowl Game—Alabama or Oklahoma against top-seeded Indiana—stands out.
It’s going to be a day packed with drama and, probably, a few surprises. That’s just how this sport works.
College Football Playoff Semifinals
The semifinals move to the big stage. The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl hosts one on Thursday, January 8, 2026.
The other’s in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday, January 9. These are the games that decide who gets a shot at the title.
Path to the Championship
Whoever survives the semifinals heads to the College Football Playoff National Championship. That’s set for Monday, January 19, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
One last game, one last chance to make history. Can’t ask for much more than that.
Download the Full Bowl Schedule
For fans wanting to keep up with all the action, the full 2025-26 College Football Bowl Helmet Schedule is up for grabs. This printable PDF comes packed with team helmets, dates, and TV info for every bowl and playoff game this season.
If you like things a bit simpler, there’s also a version of the schedule without the images. Sometimes less is more, right?
Bowl season is almost here, and honestly, it’s hard not to get a little hyped. Whether you’re cheering for your team or just in it for the chaos, the 2025-26 bowl games are shaping up to be a wild ride.
