College Football Playoff on TV: How to Watch Every Game
The College Football Playoff opens Friday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, and three more first-round games follow on Saturday, Dec. 19, on ABC, ESPN and TNT. Here is where to watch every game, from the four campus-site matchups to the national championship in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.
The short version: ESPN and TNT split the 11 games, ESPN has six and TNT has five. Matchups stay TBA until the 12-team field is revealed on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6, so the schedule below shows times, channels and sites first and teams later.
The full College Football Playoff TV schedule
All 11 games, all times Eastern. The three Jan. 1 time slots are fixed; only which bowl plays in which slot is decided on Selection Day. For every other game on the calendar, from bowl season to the regular season, see the full college football TV schedule.
| Round | Date | Game (ET) | Site | TV | Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First round | Fri., Dec. 18 | TBA vs. TBA, 8 p.m. | Higher seed's campus | ESPN | ESPN app |
| First round | Sat., Dec. 19 | TBA vs. TBA, noon | Higher seed's campus | ABC & ESPN | ESPN app |
| First round | Sat., Dec. 19 | TBA vs. TBA, 3:30 p.m. | Higher seed's campus | TNT & truTV | HBO Max |
| First round | Sat., Dec. 19 | TBA vs. TBA, 7:30 p.m. | Higher seed's campus | TNT & truTV | HBO Max |
| Quarterfinal: Fiesta Bowl | Wed., Dec. 30 | TBA vs. TBA, 7:30 p.m. | Glendale, Ariz. | TNT & truTV | HBO Max |
| Quarterfinal: Cotton, Peach or Rose Bowl | Fri., Jan. 1 | TBA vs. TBA, noon | Bowl set Dec. 6 | TNT* | HBO Max |
| Quarterfinal: Cotton, Peach or Rose Bowl | Fri., Jan. 1 | TBA vs. TBA, 4 p.m. | Bowl set Dec. 6 | ABC & ESPN | ESPN app |
| Quarterfinal: Cotton, Peach or Rose Bowl | Fri., Jan. 1 | TBA vs. TBA, 8 p.m. | Bowl set Dec. 6 | ESPN | ESPN app |
| Semifinal: Orange Bowl | Thu., Jan. 14 | TBA vs. TBA, 7:30 p.m. | Miami Gardens, Fla. | TNT & truTV | HBO Max |
| Semifinal: Sugar Bowl | Fri., Jan. 15 | TBA vs. TBA, 7:30 p.m. | New Orleans | ABC & ESPN | ESPN app |
| National championship | Mon., Jan. 25 | TBA vs. TBA, 7:30 p.m. | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas | ABC & ESPN | ESPN app |
*The CFP lists the noon quarterfinal on TNT, truTV and HBO Max; ESPN's schedule lists TNT and HBO Max only. TNT and HBO Max are confirmed either way.
First round: Four games on campus
The first round is the only part of the playoff played at campus stadiums. Seeds 5 through 8 host seeds 9 through 12 at home, or at another site the higher seed picks, while the top four seeds sit out with a bye.
That makes it the only round that can be played in front of a home crowd. Everything after it moves to the six bowl sites and Las Vegas. The campus format has delivered on TV, too: the 2025-26 first round produced the two most-watched first-round games since the round began.
The four host stadiums are announced on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6, during the selection show from noon to 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, right after conference championship weekend.
Quarterfinals: Four bowls in two days
The Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., opens the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Dec. 30, at 7:30 p.m. on TNT.
New Year's Day then packs in three quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl, the Peach Bowl and the Rose Bowl. The three time slots are fixed: noon on TNT, 4 p.m. on ABC and ESPN, and 8 p.m. on ESPN. Only which bowl gets which slot is decided on Selection Day.
The top four seeds open here. No. 1 plays the 8/9 winner, No. 2 the 7/10 winner, No. 3 the 6/11 winner and No. 4 the 5/12 winner.
Semifinals and the national championship
The Orange Bowl semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Miami Gardens, Fla., is TNT Sports' first CFP semifinal. The Sugar Bowl semifinal follows on Friday, Jan. 15, at 7:30 p.m. in New Orleans, and it is ESPN's first semifinal on ABC.
The national championship is on Monday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, on ABC and ESPN. It caps a first for the playoff: one game in every round is simulcast on ABC and ESPN.
The 2025-26 national championship drew 30.1 million viewers, and that playoff's 11 games averaged 16.3 million.
How to stream the playoff without cable
Two apps cover everything: the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited plan has every ESPN and ABC game, and HBO Max on the Standard or Premium plan has every TNT game. Basic with Ads doesn't include live sports.
If you'd rather have one live TV service, these carry both networks:
| Service | ESPN & ABC games (6) | TNT & truTV games (5) | Price per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESPN app (ESPN Unlimited) | Yes | No | $31.99 |
| HBO Max (Standard or Premium) | No | Yes | From $18.49 |
| YouTube TV | Yes | Yes | $82.99 |
| Hulu + Live TV | Yes | Yes | From $89.99 |
| Sling Orange | Yes, on ESPN | Yes, on TNT | $45.99 |
Prices are the services' standard monthly rates when this guide was published and can change. Sling Orange lacks ABC and truTV, but no playoff game airs only on those two channels.
Fubo doesn't carry TNT or truTV, so it misses the five TNT games. With an antenna, you can pick up the four ABC games over the air.
How the 12-team bracket works
The selection committee picks 12 teams. The champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC get in automatically, along with the highest-ranked team from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12 and Sun Belt. Notre Dame is also in if it ranks in the committee's top 12, and at-large bids fill the rest of the field.
The four highest-ranked teams get the top four seeds and a first-round bye, whether or not they won their conference. The bracket isn't reseeded after the first round, so the path from campus game to Las Vegas is locked once the field is set.
For the rest of the season, see how to watch college football on every network.
College Football Playoff FAQs
What channel is the College Football Playoff on?
ESPN and TNT. ESPN networks have six games, including four simulcast on ABC, and TNT Sports has five, on TNT and truTV. ESPN games stream on the ESPN app, and TNT games stream on HBO Max.
What time are the first-round games?
Friday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, then Saturday, Dec. 19, at noon on ABC and ESPN, and at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT and truTV.
Where are the first-round games played?
At the home stadiums of seeds 5 through 8, or at another site the higher seed chooses. The four host schools are known once the bracket is set on Sunday, Dec. 6.
Can I stream the CFP on HBO Max?
Yes, the five TNT games: two first-round games, the Fiesta Bowl, the noon quarterfinal on Jan. 1 and the Orange Bowl semifinal. You need the Standard or Premium plan, because Basic with Ads doesn't include live sports. The ESPN and ABC games aren't on HBO Max.
Is the national championship on ABC?
Yes. The national championship is on Monday, Jan. 25, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. You can also stream it on the ESPN app.
Who plays in the first round?
Seeds 5 through 12: No. 5 vs. No. 12, No. 6 vs. No. 11, No. 7 vs. No. 10 and No. 8 vs. No. 9. The teams are revealed on Selection Day, Sunday, Dec. 6, on ESPN.
Every game, every channel
Bowl season, the College Football Playoff and every game before it, all on one schedule. Find the time and channel for every college football game.