College Football Playoff 2026-27 Schedule Excludes New Year’s Eve Games
The College Football Playoff (CFP) schedule for the 2026-27 season is out. This time, ESPN and TNT Sports are teaming up for an expanded broadcast package.
ESPN, which has owned the CFP since 2015, is sublicensing five games to TNT Sports. That’s a pretty big shift, honestly.
The first-round games will be played at campus sites. We’ll find out the actual locations on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6.
The quarterfinals, semifinals, and National Championship will take place at classic bowl game venues. These games will air on both ESPN and TNT networks.
It feels like this new setup could make the CFP even more accessible for fans across the country. More ways to tune in, more excitement—what’s not to like?
Contents
First-Round Game Schedule and Broadcast Details
The first round kicks off with four matchups, spread over two days in December. Here’s what’s on tap:
- Friday, Dec. 18: 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) on ESPN
- Saturday, Dec. 19: 11 a.m. (noon ET) on ABC and ESPN
- Saturday, Dec. 19: 2:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. ET) on TNT
- Saturday, Dec. 19: 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) on TNT
Games on ESPN networks will also stream on the ESPN App. TNT and truTV games will be available on HBO Max.
Plenty of options for catching the action live, whether you’re on your couch or sneaking a look on your phone.
Significance of Campus Sites
Having first-round games on campus sites is a game-changer. The home-field advantage and wild crowd energy will be something else.
We’ll know which campuses get to host after Selection Day. That’s always a fun reveal—fans are definitely going to be watching for it.
Quarterfinal Round Overview
The quarterfinals will be played at some of college football’s most iconic bowl venues. Here’s the schedule:
- Wednesday, Dec. 30: 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) on TNT
- Friday, Jan. 1: 11 a.m. (noon ET) on TNT
- Friday, Jan. 1: 3 p.m. (4 p.m. ET) on ABC and ESPN
- Friday, Jan. 1: 7 p.m. (8 p.m. ET) on ABC and ESPN
These games will be held at the Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl Classic, and Rose Bowl Game. Each place is packed with tradition and history—pretty fitting for games of this magnitude.
Broadcasting Collaboration
This is the first time TNT Sports gets to broadcast CFP games. The sublicensing deal with ESPN opens the door for a fresh approach and maybe some surprises in the coverage.
Semifinal Round and National Championship
The semifinals go down in mid-January, featuring two big matchups:
- Thursday, Jan. 14: 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) from the Orange Bowl on TNT
- Friday, Jan. 15: 6:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) from the Sugar Bowl on ABC and ESPN
This is TNT Sports’ first shot at a CFP Semifinal broadcast—a pretty big deal for them and their partnership with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery.
The National Championship game is set for Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. It’ll be broadcast on all ESPN networks and ABC.
Historic Viewership
Last year’s CFP final, with Indiana coming out on top, drew 30.1 million viewers. That’s the biggest college football audience since January 2015, and the second-most watched title game in the CFP era.
It was also the No. 2 cable telecast ever. College football just keeps pulling in massive crowds, doesn’t it?
The 2026-27 College Football Playoff schedule is shaping up to be something special. Fans can catch the action on ESPN and TNT Sports, which honestly just gives everyone more options—never a bad thing.
This year, the first round will be played at campus sites. That’s a big shift and, honestly, it should make for some wild atmospheres.
Later rounds move to the classic bowl venues. There’s something about those places that just screams college football tradition.
If you want the nitty-gritty on the schedule or how to watch, check out the official announcement.
