2026-27 College Football Playoff and Bowl Game Schedule Revealed

College football fans, you might want to get your calendars out for this one. The 2026-27 college football bowl season is shaping up to be wild, with 46 games on the slate—35 bowl games and 11 College Football Playoff (CFP) matchups.

There’s a lot going on this year. We’re talking about a brand new bowl in Puerto Rico and the CFP National Championship landing in Las Vegas.

Games stretch over six weeks. From the very first kickoff to the final whistle, it’s a lot to take in, honestly.

Kickoff to Bowl Season

The Cricket Celebration Bowl gets things started at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. That’s happening Saturday, December 12, at noon ET on ABC.

This game usually brings together the MEAC and SWAC champs. It’s always a tone-setter for bowl season.

New Additions to the Schedule

Here’s something fresh: the Puerto Rico Bowl is making its debut this year. It’s set for Tuesday, December 22, at Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium in Bayamón, Puerto Rico.

Honestly, an international bowl game? That’s pretty cool. It gives fans an excuse for a little football-inspired getaway.

First-Round Playoff Games

The College Football Playoff fires up with four first-round games at campus sites on December 18-19. These are the games that launch the playoff chaos.

• Game 1: Friday, December 18, 8 p.m. on ESPN
• Game 2: Saturday, December 19, Noon on ABC
• Game 3: Saturday, December 19, 3:30 p.m. on TNT
• Game 4: Saturday, December 19, 7:30 p.m. on TNT

Quarterfinals and Semifinals

Quarterfinals run from December 30 to January 1. Four games, three days—yeah, it’s a lot.

Then, just when you think you’ve caught your breath, the semifinals roll around January 14-15. That’s when things really get serious.

Quarterfinal Matchups

• Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: Wednesday, December 30, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
• Quarterfinals Game 2: Friday, January 1, Noon on TNT
• Quarterfinals Game 3: Friday, January 1, 4 p.m. on ABC
• Quarterfinals Game 4: Friday, January 1, 8 p.m. on ESPN

Semifinal Matchups

• Capital One Orange Bowl: Thursday, January 14, 7:30 p.m. on TNT
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: Friday, January 15, 7:30 p.m. on ABC

National Championship Game

The grand finale? That’s the 2027 CFP National Championship. It’s happening Friday, January 25, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on ABC. Winner takes all, as usual.

Other Notable Bowl Games

Outside the playoff, there’s a whole buffet of bowl games to watch (or at least keep an eye on):

• IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl: Tuesday, December 15, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Frisco Football Classic: Tuesday, December 15, 9 p.m. on ESPN
• Boca Raton Bowl: Friday, December 18, 11 a.m. on ESPN
• Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Friday, December 18, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Myrtle Beach Bowl: Monday, December 21, 11 a.m. on ESPN
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Monday, December 21, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
• StaffDNA Cure Bowl: Tuesday, December 22, 5 p.m. on ESPN
• Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Tuesday, December 22, 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
• New Orleans Bowl: Wednesday, December 23, 2 p.m. on ESPN
• Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Wednesday, December 23, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Frisco Bowl: Wednesday, December 23, 9 p.m. on ESPN
• Isleta New Mexico Bowl: Thursday, December 24, 2:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl: Thursday, December 24, 7 p.m. on ESPN
• Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Saturday, December 26, Noon on ABC
• Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Saturday, December 26, 2 p.m. on ESPN
• Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Saturday, December 26, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
• 68 Ventures Bowl: Saturday, December 26, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Cactus Bowl: Saturday, December 26, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
• The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl: Sunday, December 27, 4:30 p.m. on The CW
• Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl: Monday, December 28, 2 p.m. on ESPN
• JLab Birmingham Bowl: Tuesday, December 29, 2 p.m. on ESPN
• Pop-Tarts Bowl: Tuesday, December 29, 5:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Valero Alamo Bowl: Tuesday, December 29, 9 p.m. on ESPN
• TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Wednesday, December 30, 11:30 a.m. on ESPN
• Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl: Wednesday, December 30, 3 p.m. on ESPN
• ReliaQuest Bowl: Thursday, December 31, Noon on ESPN
• Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Thursday, December 31, 2 p.m. on CBS
• Las Vegas Bowl: Thursday, December 31, 3:45 p.m. on ESPN
• Kinder’s Texas Bowl: Thursday, December 31, 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
• Citrus Bowl: Saturday, January 2, Noon on ABC
• SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Saturday, January 2, 3:30 p.m. on ABC
• AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Saturday, January 2, 7:30 p.m. on ABC

Conclusion

The 2026-27 college football bowl season looks like it could be a wild ride. There’s a packed schedule, and honestly, there’s probably a game for just about every kind of fan.

From the first kick at the Cricket Celebration Bowl, all the way to the national championship in Las Vegas, there’s a sense that this season might deliver something special. Will it live up to the hype? Hard to say, but it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on.

If you want to stay in the loop or just need the latest updates and schedules, you can always check ESPN. Who knows what surprises are in store?