College Football Bowl Schedule 2025-26: Dates, Times, TV Channels

As the holidays creep closer, college football fans everywhere are buzzing—bowl season is nearly here. This time around, the action starts on December 13, 2025, with the HBCU Celebration Bowl and stretches all the way to January 19, 2026, when it all wraps up in Miami Gardens, Florida, at the College Football Playoff National Championship.

The schedule is absolutely packed. There are plenty of chances to catch both veteran stars and up-and-comers making their mark. If you’re a college football fan, this bowl season’s shaping up to be a real treat.

2025-26 College Football Bowl Schedule Overview

This year’s bowl season launches with the HBCU Celebration Bowl on December 13. It all winds down with the big one—the College Football Playoff National Championship—on January 19.

There’s no shortage of variety. Fans can expect everything from the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop. Gotta admit, some of these names are wild.

Key Dates and Highlights

Let’s break down some of the can’t-miss dates and matchups for the 2025-26 college football bowl season:

• December 13: Cricket Celebration Bowl at 12 p.m. ET—South Carolina State faces Prairie View A&M at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
• December 27: One of the busiest days, with eight games on tap, including the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Texas Bowl, and Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop.
• December 31: Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl airs on CBS at 2 p.m. ET, with Duke taking on Arizona State.
• January 1: The College Football Playoff Quarterfinals—Sugar Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Orange Bowl—all play out on New Year’s Day.
• January 19: It all ends with the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami Gardens, Florida.

College Football Playoff: Teams and Matchups

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is, as always, the main event. This year, Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech have snagged byes.

The first round of the CFP brings some spicy matchups:

• December 19: (9) Alabama at (8) Oklahoma, 8 p.m. ET on ABC
• December 20: (10) Miami at (7) Texas A&M, 12 p.m. ET on ABC
• December 20: (11) Tulane vs. (6) Ole Miss, 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT
• December 20: (12) James Madison vs. (5) Oregon, 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Quarterfinals and Semifinals

Quarterfinals go down on January 1, 2026, and here’s what’s on the slate:

• Sugar Bowl: (3) Georgia vs. (11/6) winner, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Rose Bowl: (1) Indiana vs. (8/9) winner, 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Orange Bowl: (4) Texas Tech vs. (12/5) winner, 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Cotton Bowl: (2) Ohio State vs. (10/7) winner, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

The semifinals are set for January 8 and 9. The Fiesta Bowl happens in Glendale, Arizona, and the Peach Bowl takes place in Atlanta, Georgia.

Winners from those games will meet in the National Championship on January 19. That’s the one everyone’s got circled.

Notable Bowl Games

Outside the CFP, a bunch of other bowls deserve a look:

• LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk: December 13, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN—Boise State vs. Washington
• Salute to Veterans Bowl: December 16, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN—Troy vs. Jacksonville State
• Hawai’i Bowl: December 24, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN—Cal vs. Hawai’i
• Music City Bowl: December 30, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN—Tennessee vs. Illinois
• Holiday Bowl: January 2, 8 p.m. ET on FOX—Arizona vs. SMU

Unique and Fun Bowls

This season’s lineup also includes some bowls with names that are just plain fun:

• Xbox Bowl: December 18, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2—Arkansas State vs. Missouri State
• Pop-Tarts Bowl: December 27, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC—Georgia Tech vs. BYU
• Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop: December 27, 4:30 p.m. ET on The CW—Fresno State vs. Miami (OH)

Final Thoughts

The 2025-26 college football bowl season already feels like it could be one for the books. There’s a packed schedule, and honestly, it’s hard not to get a little hyped about the mix of established stars and those fresh faces ready to break out.

Some of the bowl names are just wild—seriously, who comes up with these? But hey, it adds a bit of fun. Every college football fan will find something to latch onto this year, no matter what you’re into.

If you want the full schedule or more info, check out CBS Sports.