College Football Playoff 2025: ESPN and TNT First Round Schedule
The excitement is building as the College Football Playoff (CFP) gears up for its second year under the 12-team format.
ESPN and TNT Sports just dropped the kick times and broadcast info for the 2025 CFP First Round games.
This move should mean a pretty great viewing experience for fans all over the country.
With the National Football League involved, both college and pro football fans are in for a treat.
The 2025-26 Playoff will get rolling with the first CFP First Round game on Friday, Dec. 19.
Here’s what you need to know about the schedule, broadcasts, and more.
Contents
2025 CFP First Round Schedule and Broadcast Information
The 2025 College Football Playoff First Round starts with a Friday night game on Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. ET.
ABC and ESPN will carry this one, so it’ll be hard to miss.
Then on Saturday, Dec. 20, there’s a tripleheader lined up.
Saturday’s Tripleheader
Saturday kicks off at noon ET on ABC and ESPN.
TNT takes over with games at 3:30 p.m. ET and 7:30 p.m. ET.
They’re really making sure nobody misses out.
Streaming Options
If you’re more of a streamer, ESPN networks will have all the games on the ESPN App.
The first-round matchups on TNT and truTV will be up on HBO Max too, so there are plenty of ways to tune in live.
Game Locations and Selection Day
The four first-round games will be played on campuses, but we won’t know where until Selection Day on Dec. 7.
Fans are definitely going to be watching closely for those announcements.
Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and National Championship
Back in April, ESPN confirmed they’ll broadcast the four Playoff Quarterfinals, the two Semifinals, and the 2026 CFP National Championship.
The National Championship is set for Monday, Jan. 19, at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
It’s the first time Miami’s hosted since 2021, which feels like a nod to the city’s place in college football.
Viewership and Popularity
Last season, the first-ever CFP First Round pulled in an average of 10.6 million viewers across ESPN networks and TNT Sports.
The Quarterfinals hit multi-year highs, and the Semifinals broke records.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic drew 20.6 million viewers—its best ever.
Meanwhile, the Capital One Orange Bowl had its second-best numbers in nearly two decades, with 17.8 million tuning in.
2025 CFP National Championship
The 2025 CFP National Championship between Ohio State and Notre Dame brought in 22.1 million viewers.
That made it the most-watched non-NFL sporting event of the year, peaking at 26.1 million viewers.
Returning to Miami
The 2026 CFP National Championship heads back to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
It’s the second straight season the big game returns to a city for a second go, just like Atlanta did in 2018 and 2025.
Conclusion
The 2025 College Football Playoff is shaping up to be a wild ride. The schedule looks pretty tight, and broadcast coverage is all over the place in the best way.
Fans can catch the action on ESPN and TNT Sports. If you’re more of a streamer, you’ve got the ESPN App and HBO Max to choose from.
Mark Dec. 19 and 20 on your calendar now—seriously, those dates are going to sneak up fast. Game locations? We’ll all have to wait until Selection Day on Dec. 7 for that little reveal.
Curious for the nitty-gritty? Head over to the official announcement on TV Technology.
