College Football Playoff 2025 Schedule: Dates, Times, Channels, and Streaming Options
Bowl season is finally here, and college football fans are buzzing about the College Football Playoff (CFP). This year’s playoff lineup looks wild—top teams are fighting for their shot at the National Championship, and honestly, who knows what might happen?
From the first-round battles to that final, can’t-miss game, here’s a rundown of the CFP schedule, start times, channels, and where you can actually stream everything live online.
Contents
First-Round Games: December 20
Kicking things off, No. 8 Oklahoma squared up against No. 9 Alabama. That game’s got everyone talking, but three more first-round matchups are coming up today, December 20.
No. 10 Miami @ No. 7 Texas A&M
The day starts early—12:00 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN—with No. 10 Miami taking on No. 7 Texas A&M. Both squads have been gritty all year, so this one could go either way.
No. 11 Tulane @ No. 6 Ole Miss
Next, at 3:30 p.m. ET, No. 11 Tulane travels to face No. 6 Ole Miss. You can catch it on TNT, HBO Max, or truTV. Ole Miss has the home crowd, but Tulane’s not backing down easily.
No. 12 James Madison @ No. 5 Oregon
Wrapping up the day, No. 12 James Madison goes up against No. 5 Oregon at 7:30 p.m. ET. That one’s also on TNT, HBO Max, and truTV. Oregon’s favored, but James Madison’s dreaming big.
Second-Round Games: December 31 and January 1
The first-round winners move on, and the top four teams—Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech—are just waiting to see who they’ll play. These games are set for December 31 and January 1.
The Cotton Bowl: TBD @ No. 2 Ohio State
The Cotton Bowl features one of the first-round winners against No. 2 Ohio State. Mark your calendar for December 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Ohio State’s offense is no joke.
The Orange Bowl: TBD @ No. 4 Texas Tech
On January 1, Texas Tech faces a first-round winner in the Orange Bowl at 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Their defense is about to get a real test.
The Rose Bowl: TBD @ No. 1 Indiana
Later that day, the Rose Bowl has No. 1 Indiana taking on a challenger at 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Indiana’s been strong all season, but playoff games are a different animal.
The Sugar Bowl: TBD @ No. 3 Georgia
The Sugar Bowl wraps up the second round on January 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. No. 3 Georgia is hoping to punch their ticket to the next round.
Semifinals: Fiesta and Peach Bowls
Next up, it’s the Fiesta and Peach Bowls. Winners from the second round will battle for a shot at the National Championship.
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl goes down January 8, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Two heavyweights, one ticket to the final.
Peach Bowl
The Peach Bowl follows on January 9, 2026, also at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. This one’s got all the makings of a classic.
National Championship: January 19, 2026
It all comes down to this: the National Championship on January 19, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The last two teams standing will fight for college football glory. Can’t imagine a better way to end the season.
How to Watch the College Football Playoff Live Online
Trying to catch every play live? You’ve got a bunch of choices:
- ESPN and ABC: If you have a cable login, just head to the ESPN website, ABC app, or ABC.com to stream the games airing on those channels.
- ESPN’s Unlimited Bundle: This one’s got ESPN, Hulu, and Disney+ bundled together for $29.99 a month for a year. Or, if you only want ESPN, it’s the same monthly price.
- Streaming Services: You can also stream games live on ESPN or ABC with subscriptions to fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV. Most of these throw in a free trial for new users, which is always nice.
- TNT and truTV: Games airing on TNT and truTV are available to stream on their websites with a cable login. Alternatively, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV have you covered here too.
- HBO Max: You can stream live sports on HBO Max if you grab their “Standard” ($18.49/month or $184.99/year) or “Premium” ($22.99/month or $229.99/year) plans. HBO Max is also an add-on for Prime Video, but that’ll run you $18.49/month extra.
If you want the full rundown on how to catch every College Football Playoff game online, check out Decider’s comprehensive guide.
