This college football postseason is set to be unprecedented in the sport’s background. Marking the inaugural year of the expanded playoff system, the season will extend into the third week of January. Throughout this period, 11 games will determine the national champion, featuring contests held on campus for the very first time, along with the […]
This college football postseason is set to be unprecedented in the sport’s background. Marking the inaugural year of the expanded playoff system, the season will extend into the third week of January. Throughout this period, 11 games will determine the national champion, featuring contests held on campus for the very first time, along with the six major bowl games.
The initial round of games is scheduled for Dec. 20 and 21, followed by the quarterfinals on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The semifinal matches will occur at the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10, respectively. The national championship showdown is slated for Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
In addition to the quest for the national title, a comprehensive series of bowl games will commence on Dec. 14, running alongside the playoffs until the conclusion of the Bahamas Bowl on Jan. 4.
UPDATES: Analyzing winners and losers from the playoff announcement
BOWL PREDICTIONS: Projecting the full postseason schedule
An overview of the entire 46-game postseason timetable, complete with dates, times, and television details, including all matchups to take you through the holiday season and beyond:
Salute to Veterans Bowl
MATCHUP: South Alabama vs. Western Michigan
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 14, Montgomery, Ala., 9 p.m., ESPN
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Frisco Bowl
MATCHUP: Memphis vs. West Virginia
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 17, Frisco, Texas, 9 p.m., ESPN
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Boca Raton Bowl
MATCHUP: James Madison vs. Western Kentucky
DETAILS: Wednesday, Dec. 18, Boca Raton, Fla., 5:30 p.m., ESPN
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LA Bowl
MATCHUP: UNLV vs. California
DETAILS: Wednesday, Dec. 18, Inglewood, Calif., 9 p.m., ESPN
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New Orleans Bowl
MATCHUP: Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston State
DETAILS: Thursday, Dec. 19, New Orleans, 7 p.m., ESPN2
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Cure Bowl
MATCHUP: Ohio vs. Jacksonville State
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 20, Orlando, Fla., noon, ESPN
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Gasparilla Bowl
MATCHUP: American, ACC or SEC
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 20, Tampa, Fla., 3:30 p.m., ESPN
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College Football Playoff
MATCHUP: Indiana at Notre Dame
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 20, campus site, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN
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College Football Playoff
MATCHUP: SMU at Penn State
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 21, campus site, noon, TNT
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College Football Playoff
MATCHUP: Clemson at Texas
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 21, campus site, 4 p.m., TNT
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College Football Playoff
MATCHUP: Tennessee at Ohio State
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 21, campus site, 8 p.m., ABC/ESPN
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Myrtle Beach Bowl
MATCHUP: Coastal Carolina vs. Texas-San Antonio
DETAILS: Monday, Dec. 23, Conway, S.C., 11 a.m., ESPN
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Idaho Potato Bowl
MATCHUP: Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State
DETAILS: Monday, Dec. 23, Boise, Idaho, 2:30 p.m., ESPN
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Hawaii Bowl
MATCHUP: South Florida vs. San Jose State
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 24, Honolulu, 8 p.m., ESPN
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GameAbove Sports Bowl
MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. MAC
DETAILS: Thursday, Dec. 26, Detroit, 2 p.m., ESPN
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Rate Bowl
MATCHUP: Rutgers vs. Kansas State
DETAILS: Thursday, Dec. 26, Phoenix, 5:30 p.m., ESPN
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68 Ventures Bowl
MATCHUP: Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green
DETAILS: Thursday, Dec. 26, Mobile, Ala., 9 p.m., ESPN
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Birmingham Bowl
MATCHUP: ACC, SEC or American
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 27, Birmingham, Ala., noon or 3:30 p.m., ESPN
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Armed Forces Bowl
MATCHUP: American vs. Conference USA
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 27, Fort Worth, Texas, noon or 3:30 p.m., ESPN
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Liberty Bowl
MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. SEC
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 27, Memphis, Tenn., 7 p.m., ESPN
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Holiday Bowl
MATCHUP: Washington State vs. Syracuse
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 27, San Diego, 8 p.m., Fox
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Las Vegas Bowl
MATCHUP: Pac-12 vs. SEC
DETAILS: Friday, Dec. 27, Las Vegas, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
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Fenway Bowl
MATCHUP: ACC vs. American
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Boston, 11 a.m., ESPN
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Pinstripe Bowl
MATCHUP: Boston College vs. Nebraska
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, New York, noon, ABC
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New Mexico Bowl
MATCHUP: TCU vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Albuquerque, 2:15 p.m., ESPN
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Pop-Tarts Bowl
MATCHUP: Miami (Fla.) vs. Iowa State
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Orlando, Fla., 3:30 p.m., ABC
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Arizona Bowl
MATCHUP: Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado State
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Tucson, Ariz., 4:30 p.m., CW
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Military Bowl
MATCHUP: North Carolina State vs. East Carolina
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Annapolis, Md., 5:45 p.m., ESPN
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Alamo Bowl
MATCHUP: Brigham Young vs. Colorado
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, San Antonio, 7:30 p.m., ABC
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Independence Bowl
MATCHUP: American vs. Pac-12
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 28, Shreveport, La., 9:15 p.m., ESPN
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Music City Bowl
MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. SEC
DETAILS: Monday, Dec. 30, Nashville, Tenn., 2:30 p.m., ESPN
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ReliaQuest Bowl
MATCHUP: Big Ten vs. SEC
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 31, Tampa, Fla., noon, ESPN
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Sun Bowl
MATCHUP: ACC vs. Pac-12
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 31, El Paso, Texas, 2 p.m., CBS
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Citrus Bowl
MATCHUP: Illinois vs. South Carolina
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 31, Orlando, Fla., 3 p.m., ABC
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Texas Bowl
MATCHUP: Big 12 vs. SEC
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 31, Houston, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
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Fiesta Bowl
MATCHUP: Boise State vs. Penn State-SMU winner
DETAILS: Tuesday, Dec. 31, Glendale, Ariz., 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Peach Bowl
MATCHUP: Arizona State vs. Texas-Clemson victor
DETAILS: Wednesday, Jan. 1, Atlanta, 1 p.m., ESPN
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Rose Bowl
MATCHUP: Oregon vs. Ohio State-Tennessee winner
DETAILS: Wednesday, Jan. 1, Pasadena, Calif., 5 p.m., ESPN
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Sugar Bowl
MATCHUP: Georgia vs. Notre Dame-Indiana winner
DETAILS: Wednesday, Jan. 1, New Orleans, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
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Gator Bowl
MATCHUP: ACC vs. SEC
DETAILS: Thursday, Jan. 2, Jacksonville, Fla., 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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First Responder Bowl
MATCHUP: American, ACC or Big 12
DETAILS: Friday, Jan. 3, Dallas, 4 p.m., ESPN
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Duke’s Mayo Bowl
MATCHUP: Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota
DETAILS: Friday, Jan. 3, Charlotte, N.C., 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Bahamas Bowl
MATCHUP: Liberty vs. Buffalo
DETAILS: Saturday, Jan. 4, Nassau, Bahamas, 11 a.m., ESPN2
Orange Bowl
MATCHUP: College Football Playoff semifinal
DETAILS: Thursday, Jan. 9, Miami Gardens, Fla., 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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Cotton Bowl
MATCHUP: College Football Playoff semifinal
DETAILS: Friday, Jan. 10, Arlington, Texas, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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College Football Playoff championship game
MATCHUP: Winners of CFP semifinals
DETAILS: Monday, Jan. 20, Atlanta, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
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