Iowa State v Miami - Pop-Tarts Bowl
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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). 

Bowl projections: Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech headline College Football Playoff bracket
Brad Crawford
Bowl projections: Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Texas Tech headline College Football Playoff bracket

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

DateBowlTime (TV)Matchup

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)TBA vs. TBA
Jan. 1 (Thursday)Rose (CFP Quarterfinal) Pasadena, California4 p.m. (ESPNTBA vs. TBA
Jan. 1 (Thursday)Orange (CFP Quarterfinal) Miami Gardens, Florida12 p.m. (ESPN)TBA vs. TBA
Dec. 31 (Wednesday)Cotton (CFP Quarterfinal) Arlington, Texas7:30 p.m. (ESPN)TBA vs. TBA
Dec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
7:30 p.m. (TNT)TBA vs. TBA
Dec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
3:30 p.m. (TNT)TBA vs. TBA
Dec. 20 (Saturday)CFP First Round Game
12 p.m. (ABC)TBA vs. TBA
Dec. 19 (Friday)CFP First Round Game8 p.m. (ABC)TBA vs. TBA

Other bowl games

DateTime (TV channel)BowlLocationMatchup

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

Dec. 16 (Tuesday)

9 p.m. ESPN

Salute to Veterans Bowl

Cramton Bowl Montgomery, Alabama

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, Alabama
Dec. 18 (Thursday)9 p.m. ESPN2Xbox BowlFord Center
Frisco, Texas
Arkansas State vs. Missouri State
Dec. 19 (Friday)11 a.m. ESPNMyrtle Beach BowlBrooks Stadium Conway, South Carolina
Dec. 19 (Friday)2:30 p.m. ESPNGasparilla BowlRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida
Dec. 22 (Monday)
2 p.m. ESPNFamous Idaho Potato BowlAlbertsons Stadium Boise, Idaho
Dec. 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, Louisiana
Dec. 23 (Tuesday)9 p.m. ESPNFrisco BowlFord Center at The Star
Frisco, Texas

Dec. 24 (Wednesday)8 p.m. ESPNHawai'i BowlClarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex Honolulu, HawaiiCal vs. Hawai'i
Dec. 26 (Friday)1 p.m. ESPNGameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field
Detroit, Mich.

Dec. 26 (Friday)4:30 p.m.  ESPNRate Bowl
Chase Field
Phoenix, Ariz.

Dec. 26 (Friday)8 p.m.  ESPNFirst Responder BowlGerald J. Ford Stadium Dallas, Texas
Dec. 27 (Saturday)11 a.m. ESPNMilitary BowlNavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, Maryland
Dec. 27 (Saturday)12 p.m. ABCPinstripe BowlYankee Stadium Bronx, New York
Dec. 27 (Saturday)2:15 p.m. ESPNFenway BowlFenway Park Boston, Massachusetts
Dec. 27 (Saturday)3:30 p.m. ABCPop-Tarts BowlCamping World Stadium Orlando, Florida
Dec. 27 (Saturday)4:30 p.m. The CWSnoop Dogg Arizona Bowl Presented By Gin & Juice By Dre and SnoopArizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona
Dec. 27 (Saturday)5:45 p.m. ESPNNew Mexico BowlBranch Field at University Stadium Albuquerque, New Mexico
Dec. 27 (Saturday)7:30 p.m.  ABCGator BowlEverBank Stadium Jacksonville, Florida
Dec. 27 (Saturday)9:15 p.m. ESPNTexas BowlNRG Stadium Houston, Texas
Dec. 29 (Monday)2 p.m. ESPNBirmingham BowlProtective Stadium Birmingham, Alabama
Dec. 30 (Tuesday)2 p.m. ESPNIndependence BowlIndependence Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana
Dec. 30 (Tuesday)5:30 p.m. ESPNMusic City BowlNissan Stadium Nashville, Tennessee
Dec. 30 (Tuesday)9 p.m. ESPN
Alamo BowlAlamodome San Antonio, Texas
Dec. 31 (Wednesday)12 p.m. ESPNReliaQuest BowlRaymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida
Dec. 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, Florida
Dec. 31 (Wednesday)3:30 p.m. ESPNLas Vegas BowlAllegiant Stadium Las Vegas, Nevada
Jan. 2 (Friday)1 p.m. ESPNArmed Forces BowlAmon Carter Stadium Fort Worth, Texas
Jan. 2 (Friday)4:30 p.m. ESPNLiberty BowlSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium Memphis, Tennessee
Jan. 2 (Friday)8 p.m. ESPNMayo BowlBank of America Stadium Charlotte, North Carolina
Jan. 2 (Friday)8 p.m. FOXHoliday BowlSnapdragon Stadium San Diego, California