2026-27 College Football Playoff Schedule: Dates, TV Coverage, Host Venues
The 2026-27 College Football Playoff (CFP) season is shaping up to be wild, with a 12-team bracket. This marks the third year of the expanded format, and, honestly, it still feels weird to say “12 teams.”
This year, the broadcast setup gets a shakeup, making it easier for fans to catch games. For the first time, one game per round will be simulcast on ABC, so even folks without cable can tune in.
TNT Sports is jumping into the mix, too. They’ll broadcast their first CFP semifinal, which should be interesting to see.
The whole thing stretches over 39 days and wraps up at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027. If you’re planning your holidays around football, you’ll want to keep these dates handy.
2026-27 College Football Playoff Schedule
The CFP schedule this season is packed with big games and a few new twists in how you can watch. Here’s a quick rundown of the key dates and times for each round:
Selection Day
It all kicks off on Sunday, December 6 with Selection Day. That’s when we finally get the full bracket—12 seeds and four first-round matchups.
Fans always get a little antsy waiting to see how the committee sorts things out. Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s stuck with the toughest road?
First Round
The first round starts with a single primetime game on Friday, December 18 at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Then, on Saturday, December 19, there’s a tripleheader that pretty much takes over the whole day.
All these games are at the higher seed’s home stadium, which always adds a bit of chaos. Here’s the lineup:
- Friday, December 18: 8 p.m. on ESPN
- Saturday, December 19: 12 p.m. on ABC/ESPN
- Saturday, December 19: 3:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV/HBO Max
- Saturday, December 19: 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV/HBO Max
Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals bring four bowl games, starting with the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona. That one’s on Wednesday, December 30 at 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV/HBO Max.
The rest of the quarterfinals happen on New Year’s Day—Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Goodyear Cotton Bowl in Arlington, and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Times are 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m., but the exact order gets announced on Selection Day.
- Wednesday, December 30: Fiesta Bowl, 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV/HBO Max
- Friday, January 1: Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Peach Bowl in the 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. windows
Semifinals
The semifinals are back-to-back weeknights. First up, the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens on Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 p.m. TNT Sports gets its first crack at a CFP semifinal with this one.
Then, the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans follows on Friday, January 15 at 7:30 p.m. This one’s on ABC, so you won’t need cable if you’re just using an antenna.
- Thursday, January 14: Orange Bowl, 7:30 p.m. on TNT/truTV/HBO Max
- Friday, January 15: Sugar Bowl, 7:30 p.m. on ABC/ESPN
National Championship
The season wraps with the National Championship game on Monday, January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff’s at 7:30 p.m. on ABC—4:30 p.m. local time in Vegas, which feels a little early, but hey, it’s Vegas.
It’s the first time the title game lands in Las Vegas, and honestly, that should be a spectacle all on its own.
Broadcast Changes and Viewer Impact
This year’s broadcast tweaks are supposed to open things up for more fans. Simulcasting a game per round on ABC means you don’t have to pay for cable just to watch playoff football, which is a relief.
TNT Sports taking a bigger role, including its first CFP semifinal, adds a bit of variety to how folks can watch. I’m curious to see how fans respond to all the different platforms.
Last season’s title game—Indiana’s 27-21 win over Miami—pulled in an average of 30.1 million viewers. That was the second-most-watched CFP title game ever, which pretty much says people want easy ways to watch.
Historical Context and Future Outlook
The expanded 12-team format has already turned heads. Last season’s games averaged 16.3 million viewers across the full 11-game bracket.
The championship game? It drew the most viewers of any non-NFL sports telecast since Game 7 of the 2016 World Series. That’s not something you see every day.
These numbers really show just how much people love college football. It’s wild to think how much it’s grown.
What about the future? The CFP has already picked out some big spots for upcoming championships:
- 2028: New Orleans, Caesars Superdome, January 24
- 2029: Tampa, Raymond James Stadium, January 22
- 2030: Miami Gardens, Hard Rock Stadium, January 21
If you want the full schedule or more details about the 2026-27 College Football Playoff, you can check out the official schedule page. There’s a lot to look forward to, honestly.
