College football bowl schedule: Games, dates, kickoff times and TV channels

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It’s the best time of the year for college football fans as they prepare for an all-you-can-watch buffet of action that lasts all the way through the holiday season and well into 2026. College football bowl season provides an opportunity for fan bases to see their team one last time and get a sneak peek into the future as younger players get into the game. 

The bowl schedule kicks off with the HBCU Celebration Bowl on Dec. 13 and goes all the way until Jan. 2. The College Football Playoff carries us from there all the way to Jan. 19, when two teams will vie for a national championship in Miami Gardens, Florida. 

CBS will once again broadcast the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Kick is set for 2 p.m. on Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas. Additionally, Dec. 27 is one of the most stacked days of the year as eight bowl games will take place on that day, including the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Texas Bowl and Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and Snoop (yes, that’s its official name). 

Below is a detailed look at the complete schedule for the 2025-26 college football season, including dates, locations and TV channels. All times are Eastern. 

College Football Playoff

Jan. 19 (Monday)

College Football Playoff National Championship
Miami Gardens, Florida

7:30 (ESPN)

Semifinal winners

Jan. 9 (Friday)

Peach (CFP Semifinal)
Atlanta, Georgia

7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

TBA vs. TBA

Jan. 8 (Thursday)

Fiesta (CFP Semifinal)
Glendale, Arizona

7:30 p.m. (ESPN)

TBA vs. TBA

Jan. 1 (Thursday)Sugar (CFP Quarterfinal) New Orleans, Louisiana8:00 p.m. (ESPN)(3) Georgia vs. (11/6) winerJan. 1 (Thursday)Rose (CFP Quarterfinal) Pasadena, California4 p.m. (ESPN(1) Indiana vs. (8/9) winnerJan. 1 (Thursday)Orange (CFP Quarterfinal) Miami Gardens, Florida12 p.m. (ESPN)(3) Texas Tech vs. (12/5) winnerDec. 31 (Wednesday)Cotton (CFP Quarterfinal) Arlington, Texas7:30 p.m. (ESPN)(2) Ohio State vs. (10/7) winnerDec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
7:30 p.m. (TNT)(12) James Madison vs. (5) OregonDec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
3:30 p.m. (TNT)(11) Tulane vs. (6) Ole MissDec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
12 p.m. (ABC)(10) Miami at (7) Texas A&MDec. 19 (Friday)CFP First Round Game8 p.m. (ABC)(9) Alabama at (8) Oklahoma Other bowl games

Dec. 13 (Saturday)

12 p.m. ABC

Cricket Celebration Bowl

Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia

South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M

Dec. 13 (Saturday)

8 p.m. ESPN

LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk

SoFi Stadium Inglewood, California

Boise State vs. Washington

Dec. 16 (Tuesday)

9 p.m. ESPN

Salute to Veterans Bowl

Cramton Bowl Montgomery, Alabama

Troy vs. Jacksonville State

Dec. 17 (Wednesday)

5 p.m. ESPN

Cure Bowl

Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida

Old Dominion vs. South Florida

Dec. 17 (Wednesday)8:30 p.m. ESPN68 Ventures BowlHancock White Stadium Mobile, AlabamaLouisiana vs. DelawareDec. 18 (Thursday)9 p.m. ESPN2Xbox BowlFord Center
Frisco, TexasArkansas State vs. Missouri StateDec. 19 (Friday)11 a.m. ESPNMyrtle Beach BowlBrooks Stadium Conway, South CarolinaKennesaw State vs. Western MichiganDec. 19 (Friday)2:30 p.m. ESPNGasparilla BowlRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida
Dec. 22 (Monday)
2 p.m. ESPNFamous Idaho Potato BowlAlbertsons Stadium Boise, IdahoUtah State vs. Washington StateDec. 23 (Tuesday)2 p.m. ESPNBoca Raton BowlFlagler Credit Union Stadium Boca Raton, Florida
Dec. 23 (Tuesday)5:30 p.m. ESPNNew Orleans BowlCaesars Superdome New Orleans, LouisianaWestern Kentucky vs. Southern MissDec. 23 (Tuesday)9 p.m. ESPNFrisco BowlFord Center at The Star
Frisco, TexasUNLV vs. OhioDec. 24 (Wednesday)8 p.m. ESPNHawai’i BowlClarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex Honolulu, HawaiiCal vs. Hawai’iDec. 26 (Friday)1 p.m. ESPNGameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field
Detroit, Mich.Central Michigan vs. NorthwesternDec. 26 (Friday)4:30 p.m.  ESPNRate Bowl
Chase Field
Phoenix, Ariz.New Mexico vs. MinnesotaDec. 26 (Friday)8 p.m.  ESPNFirst Responder BowlGerald J. Ford Stadium Dallas, TexasFIU vs. UTSADec. 27 (Saturday)11 a.m. ESPNMilitary BowlNavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, MarylandPittsburgh vs. East CarolinaDec. 27 (Saturday)12 p.m. ABCPinstripe BowlYankee Stadium Bronx, New YorkPenn State vs. ClemsonDec. 27 (Saturday)2:15 p.m. ESPNFenway BowlFenway Park Boston, MassachusettsUConn vs. ArmyDec. 27 (Saturday)3:30 p.m. ABCPop-Tarts BowlCamping World Stadium Orlando, FloridaGeorgia Tech vs. BYUDec. 27 (Saturday)4:30 p.m. The CWSnoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and SnoopArizona Stadium Tucson, ArizonaFresno State vs. Miami (OH)Dec. 27 (Saturday)5:45 p.m. ESPNNew Mexico BowlBranch Field at University Stadium Albuquerque, New MexicoNorth Texas vs. San Diego StateDec. 27 (Saturday)7:30 p.m.  ABCGator BowlEverBank Stadium Jacksonville, FloridaMissouri vs. VirginiaDec. 27 (Saturday)9:15 p.m. ESPNTexas BowlNRG Stadium Houston, TexasLSU vs. HoustonDec. 29 (Monday)2 p.m. ESPNBirmingham BowlProtective Stadium Birmingham, Alabama
Dec. 30 (Tuesday)2 p.m. ESPNIndependence BowlIndependence Stadium Shreveport, LouisianaCoastal Carolina vs. Louisiana TechDec. 30 (Tuesday)5:30 p.m. ESPNMusic City BowlNissan Stadium Nashville, TennesseeTennessee vs. IllinoisDec. 30 (Tuesday)9 p.m. ESPN
Alamo BowlAlamodome San Antonio, TexasUSC vs. TCUDec. 31 (Wednesday)12 p.m. ESPNReliaQuest BowlRaymond James Stadium Tampa, FloridaVanderbilt vs. IowaDec. 31 (Wednesday)2 p.m. CBSTony the Tiger Sun BowlSun Bowl Stadium El Paso, Texas
Dec. 31 (Wednesday)
3 p.m. ABCCitrus BowlCamping World Stadium Orlando, FloridaMichigan vs. TexasDec. 31 (Wednesday)3:30 p.m. ESPNLas Vegas BowlAllegiant Stadium Las Vegas, NevadaNebraska vs. UtahJan. 2 (Friday)1 p.m. ESPNArmed Forces BowlAmon Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TexasTexas State vs. RiceJan. 2 (Friday)4:30 p.m. ESPNLiberty BowlSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium Memphis, TennesseeNavy vs. CincinnatiJan. 2 (Friday)8 p.m. ESPNMayo BowlBank of America Stadium Charlotte, North CarolinaMississippi State vs. Wake ForestJan. 2 (Friday)8 p.m. FOXHoliday BowlSnapdragon Stadium San Diego, CaliforniaArizona vs. SMU