It’s the most wonderful time of the college football season – Bowl season! Selection Day has come and gone, and the College Football Playoff Selection Committee has finalized its rankings, officially sending teams to one of this year’s 40+ bowl games.
To help you get ready for all the action, we’ve pulled together everything you need to know, from kickoff times to TV networks and must-watch matchups.
Set, Hut!
What is the College Bowl Schedule for 2025-26?
The following table lays out the entire 2025-26 College Football bowl schedule, with the dates, times, matchups and information on how to watch the bowl games live.
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| Date | Time | Bowl Game | Matchup | How to Watch |
| Sat, Dec 13 | 8 p.m. | LA Bowl | Boise State (9-4) vs. Washington (8-4) | ABC |
| Tue, Dec 16 | 9 p.m. | Salute to Veterans Bowl | Jacksonville State (8-5) vs. Troy (8-5) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 17 | 5 p.m. | Cure Bowl | Old Dominion (9-3) vs. South Florida (9-3) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 17 | 8:30 p.m. | 68 Ventures Bowl | Delaware (6-6) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (6-6) | ESPN |
| Thu, Dec 18 | 9 p.m. | Xbox Bowl | Arkansas State (6-6) vs. Missouri State (7-5) | ESPN2 |
| Fri, Dec 19 | 11 a.m. | Myrtle Beach Bowl | Kennesaw State (10-3) vs. Western Michigan (9-4) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 19 | 2:30 p.m. | Gasparilla Bowl | North Carolina State (7-5) vs. Memphis (8-4) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 19 | 8 p.m. | College Football Playoff | Oklahoma (10-2) vs. Alabama (10-3) | ABC/ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 20 | 12 p.m. | College Football Playoff | Texas A&M (11-1) vs. Miami (10-2) | ABC/ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 20 | 3:30 p.m. | College Football Playoff | Mississippi (10-2) vs. Tulane (11-2) | TNT/truTV |
| Sat, Dec 20 | 7:30 p.m. | College Football Playoff | Oregon (11-1) vs. James Madison (12-1) | TNT/truTV |
| Mon, Dec 22 | 2 p.m. | Idaho Potato Bowl | Utah State (6-6) vs. Washington State (6-6) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 23 | 2 p.m. | Boca Raton Bowl | Louisville (8-4) vs. Toledo (8-4) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 23 | 5:30 p.m. | New Orleans Bowl | Western Kentucky (8-4) vs. Southern Mississippi (7-5) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 23 | 9 p.m. | Frisco Bowl | UNLV (10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 24 | 8 p.m. | Hawaii Bowl | California (7-5) vs. Hawaii (8-4) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 26 | 1 p.m. | GameAbove Sports Bowl | Central Michigan (7-5) vs. Northwestern (6-6) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 26 | 1 p.m. | Rate Bowl | Minnesota (7-5) vs. New Mexico (9-3) | ESPN |
| Fri, Dec 26 | 8 p.m. | First Responder Bowl | Florida International (7-5) vs. UTSA (6-6) | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 11 a.m. | Military Bowl | Pittsburgh (8-4) vs. East Carolina (8-4) | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 12 p.m. | Pinstripe Bowl | Clemson (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6) | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 2:15 p.m. | Fenway Bowl | Army (6-5) vs. Connecticut (9-3) | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 3:30 p.m. | Pop-Tarts Bowl | Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. BYU (11-2) | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 4:30 p.m. | Arizona Bowl | Miami (Ohio) (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4) | CW |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 5:45 p.m. | New Mexico Bowl | San Diego State (9-3) vs. North Texas (11-2) | ESPN |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 7:30 p.m. | Gator Bowl | Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4) | ABC |
| Sat, Dec 27 | 9:15 p.m. | Texas Bowl | Houston (9-3) vs. LSU (7-5) | ESPN |
| Mon, Dec 29 | 2 p.m. | Birmingham Bowl | Georgia Southern (6-6) vs. TBA | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 30 | 2 p.m. | Independence Bowl | Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 30 | 5:30 p.m. | Music City Bowl | Illinois (8-4) vs. Tennessee (8-4) | ESPN |
| Tue, Dec 30 | 9 p.m. | Alamo Bowl | USC (9-3) vs. TCU (8-4) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 31 | 12 p.m. | ReliaQuest Bowl | Iowa (8-4) vs. Vanderbilt (10-2) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 31 | 2 p.m. | Sun Bowl | Arizona State (8-4) vs. Duke (8-5) | CBS |
| Wed, Dec 31 | 3 p.m. | Citrus Bowl | Michigan (9-3) vs. Texas (9-3) | ABC |
| Wed, Dec 31 | 3:30 p.m. | Las Vegas Bowl | Nebraska (7-5) vs. Utah (10-2) | ESPN |
| Wed, Dec 31 | 7:30 p.m. | Cotton Bowl | Ohio State vs. Texas A&M–Miami winner | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan 1 | 12 p.m. | Orange Bowl | Texas Tech vs. Oregon–James Madison winner | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan 1 | 4 p.m. | Rose Bowl | Indiana vs. Oklahoma–Alabama winner | ESPN |
| Thu, Jan 1 | 8 p.m. | Sugar Bowl | Georgia vs. Mississippi–Tulane winner | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 2 | 1 p.m. | Armed Forces Bowl | Rice (5-7) vs. Texas State (6-6) | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 2 | 4:30 p.m. | Liberty Bowl | Navy (10-2) vs. Cincinnati (7-5) | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 2 | 8 p.m. | Duke’s Mayo Bowl | Wake Forest (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (5-7) | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 2 | 8 p.m. | Holiday Bowl | Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4) | Fox |
| Thu, Jan 8 | 7:30 p.m. | Fiesta Bowl | CFP Semifinal | ESPN |
| Fri, Jan 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Peach Bowl | CFP Semifinal | ESPN |
| Mon, Jan 19 | 7:30 p.m. | CFP National Championship | Semifinal Winners | ESPN |
And for more information on how the new 12-team College Football Playoffs format will shake the end of the season up, check out this post.
Is Notre Dame Playing a Bowl Game?
One of the biggest stories from the December 7, 2025 College Football Playoff Selection Day was Notre Dame – one of the sport’s most storied programs – finishing as the “first team out” of the expanded 12-team playoff field after landing at No. 11 in the final rankings.
Despite a 10–2 regular-season record and a run to last year’s CFP National Championship game, the Fighting Irish were left out of the postseason bracket. Shortly after the playoff field was revealed, Notre Dame announced it would opt out of the 2025–26 bowl season, meaning the Irish will not participate in any bowl game this year.
As a result, even though Notre Dame easily qualified for a bowl based on record, fans will not see a postseason matchup featuring the Irish – a rare occurrence for the program. This marks just the second time since 2009 that Notre Dame will not appear in a bowl game, making the decision one of the most surprising postseason developments of 2025.
Why Are Colleges Declining Bowl Games?
Programs skip bowl games for many reasons including roster shortages, coaching changes, injury concerns and strategic rebuilding. Several teams have opted out in recent years. For example, teams like Missouri and Georgia Tech have passed on bowls when finishing with losing or transitional seasons. These cases typically stem from internal circumstances rather than national controversy.
Why Notre Dame’s 2025 Opt-Out Was Different
Notre Dame’s decision was far more unusual. The Irish opted out because of frustration surrounding how the final CFP rankings unfolded.
Notre Dame entered Selection Day at No. 10 the previous week and had been within striking distance of a playoff berth all season. But when the final rankings were released, the Irish were dropped to No. 11, making them the first team left out of the 12-team field.
Adding to the sting is the memorandum finalized last year stating that, beginning in 2026, any team ranked in the top 12 is guaranteed a playoff spot. Under next year’s rules, Notre Dame would have been safely in the playoff — but under this year’s system, they were out.
The combination of the near miss, the impending rule change and the program’s high expectations ultimately led Notre Dame to decline a bowl bid — a rare protest-like move in modern college football.
Watch College Football with DIRECTV
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is College Football Bowl Season?
The 2025 College Football Bowl Season starts on December 13 with the LA Bowl between Boise State (9-4) vs. Washington (8-4) at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
How many College Football Bowl Games are there this season?
41
What's the difference between Bowl Season and College Football Playoffs?
Only 12 teams make it to the CFP, whereas many teams with a variety of records can play in Bowl Games. There are many more Bowl Games than CFP matchups, but CFP matchups can be Bowl Games.
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