The 2025-26 college football bowl season is shaping up to be a wild ride. Games kick off on Saturday, December 13, and run all the way to the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship, which lands on Monday, January 19.
Fans, get ready—there’s a packed schedule ahead. Here’s a quick look at bowl game dates, scores, TV channels, and times, so you can keep track and maybe even plan a few watch parties.
Key Matchups and Bowl Games
The bowl season starts with a handful of matchups that are honestly pretty intriguing. Each game brings its own drama and storylines.
Let’s check out a few of the top ones:
Celebration Bowl: South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M
This year’s Celebration Bowl is set for Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. South Carolina State faces Prairie View A&M at 12 p.m. ET on ABC.
If you follow these programs, you probably won’t want to miss this one.
LA Bowl: Boise State vs. Washington
Boise State takes on Washington in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET, also on ABC.
It should be a fun one—there’s just something about a night game in a shiny new NFL stadium.
College Football Playoff First Round
The CFP First Round brings four games, all with real stakes. Teams are fighting for a spot in the quarterfinals, and, honestly, who doesn’t love a good playoff upset?
No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama
This matchup happens at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, with an 8 p.m. ET start time on ESPN and ABC. Two powerhouses, lots of history, and probably a few nerves on both sidelines.
No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.)
Texas A&M hosts Miami at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. The game kicks off at 12 p.m. ET and will be shown on ESPN and ABC.
Both teams bring a lot of firepower—could be a shootout, could be a defensive slugfest. Who knows?
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 20 Tulane
Ole Miss squares off against Tulane at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi. This one’s got a unique twist: it’ll air on TNT and HBO Max at 3:30 p.m. ET.
Rebels, Green Wave—should be a wild game, honestly.
No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 24 James Madison
Oregon meets James Madison at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Game time is 7:30 p.m. ET, and you can catch it on TNT and HBO Max.
The Ducks are favorites, but James Madison has a habit of surprising people.
Other Notable Bowl Games
There’s more to bowl season than just the CFP. A few other games are worth circling on your calendar.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State
Washington State and Utah State play at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Boca Raton Bowl: Louisville vs. Toledo
Louisville faces Toledo at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. This one’s also at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Could be closer than folks expect.
New Orleans Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss
Western Kentucky and Southern Miss renew their rivalry at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Game time is 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
College Football Playoff Quarterfinals
After the dust settles from the first round, the winners move on to the quarterfinals. Here’s what’s coming up:
No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 7 Texas A&M/No. 10 Miami (Fla.) winner
This matchup is at AT&T Stadium (Cotton Bowl) in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN.
No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon/No. 24 James Madison winner
Texas Tech will play at Hard Rock Stadium (Orange Bowl) in Miami Gardens, Florida. This one’s set for 12 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN.
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 8 Oklahoma/No. 9 Alabama winner
The top-seeded Hoosiers play at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Game time is 4 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN.
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss/No. 20 Tulane winner
Georgia’s up at Caesars Superdome (Sugar Bowl) in New Orleans, Louisiana. This matchup starts at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and WatchESPN.
College Football Playoff Semifinals and Championship
The path to the national title gets even tougher in the semifinals. Both games are set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
- State Farm Stadium (Fiesta Bowl) in Glendale, Arizona
- Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Peach Bowl) in Atlanta, Georgia
CFP National Championship Game
The season wraps up with the CFP National Championship Game, kicking off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. This year, it’s happening at Hard Rock Stadium down in Miami, Florida.
The last two teams standing will go head-to-head for college football’s top prize. Stakes don’t really get much higher than this.
If you want to dig into all the scores from every College Football Playoff since 2014—or just need the nitty-gritty on schedules and updates—check out the NCAA’s official page.
Honestly, the 2025-26 bowl season is shaping up to be something special. Mark your calendar, because you probably won’t want to miss it.
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