2026-27 College Football Playoff Schedule and TV Assignments Released
The College Football Playoff (CFP) has finally dropped the game times and TV assignments for the 2026-27 postseason. This time, there’s a 12-team bracket—big news for fans everywhere.
ESPN and TNT Sports are splitting coverage, which should make things interesting. The playoff starts December 18 and wraps up with the National Championship on January 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
With the expanded format and new media rights deals, there’s a lot more football to watch. Honestly, it feels like we’re in for a wild ride.
Contents
First-Round Matchups: A New Era Begins
The 2026-27 CFP gets underway on Friday, December 18. ESPN’s got the primetime first-round game at 7 p.m. CT, and it’s the only game that night.
Saturday, December 19, packs in three more first-round games:
- 11 a.m. CT: ABC/ESPN
- 2:30 p.m. CT: TNT/truTV/HBO Max
- 6:30 p.m. CT: TNT/truTV/HBO Max
All of these will be played at campus sites. We’ll find out which schools are hosting on Selection Day, December 6.
Quarterfinals: Traditional Bowl Sites Take Center Stage
The CFP Quarterfinals move to four classic bowl sites, each with its own vibe and history. Here’s how the schedule shakes out:
- December 30: Fiesta Bowl, 6:30 p.m. CT (TNT/truTV/HBO Max)
- January 1: Quarterfinal, 11 a.m. CT (TNT/truTV/HBO Max)
- January 1: Quarterfinal, 3 p.m. CT (ABC/ESPN)
- January 1: Quarterfinal, 7 p.m. CT (ESPN)
The exact bowl assignments for January 1 will be set after Selection Day. TNT Sports joining the broadcast lineup definitely shakes things up for fans looking for options.
Fiesta Bowl: A Premier Quarterfinal Matchup
The Fiesta Bowl lands on December 30 at 6:30 p.m. CT. You’ll catch it on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max.
This bowl has a reputation for wild games and a lively crowd—kind of perfect for a CFP Quarterfinal.
New Year’s Day: A Trio of Quarterfinals
New Year’s Day is packed, with three quarterfinals starting at 11 a.m. CT on TNT/truTV/HBO Max. The afternoon and evening games move over to ABC/ESPN, so you won’t miss a thing.
Semifinals: Historic First for TNT Sports
This year’s semifinals bring something new. TNT Sports is airing a CFP semifinal for the first time, thanks to a sublicensing deal with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Capital One Orange Bowl semifinal kicks off Thursday, January 14, at 6:30 p.m. CT on TNT Sports. Then, Friday night, ESPN and ABC have the Allstate Sugar Bowl semifinal from New Orleans, also at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Orange Bowl: TNT Sports Takes the Helm
The Orange Bowl is a college football classic, and now TNT Sports gets its shot at airing it. That happens January 14—should be a pretty big deal for them.
Sugar Bowl: A Classic Showdown
The Allstate Sugar Bowl keeps its spot as one of the sport’s top games. It airs January 15 on ESPN and ABC, and whoever wins is off to the national title game.
National Championship: The Grand Finale
The 2027 College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T will be Monday, January 25, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. CT, with ESPN and ABC on the call.
Last season, the Miami vs. Indiana title game pulled in 30.1 million viewers—the biggest college football audience since January 2015. Across all 11 playoff games, the average was 16.3 million. That’s a lot of eyeballs, and total viewing hit 37 billion minutes, up four percent from the year before.
Expanding Viewership and Engagement
The expanded CFP format, along with new media rights deals, has really boosted viewership. MegaCast presentations and alternate broadcasts add even more ways for fans to watch, making the experience a lot more interactive and, honestly, just more fun.
For more details, check out the official announcement on the CFP website.
The 2026-27 College Football Playoff is shaping up to be pretty special. Expanded coverage and a few historic firsts are in the cards, so fans can expect a wild ride from those first-round games all the way to the big finale in Las Vegas.
