2025-26 College Football Bowl Schedule: Dates, Times, and Matchups
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The 2025-26 college football bowl season is underway, culminating in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 19. From the kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 13, through the championship showdown, fans will witness a thrilling series of matchups across the nation. This article provides a comprehensive, up-to-date schedule of all bowl games, including scores as they become final, TV channels, and key matchup information. All times listed are Eastern Time (ET).
Early Bowl Results: December Domination
The bowl season kicked off with a flurry of action in mid-December. The Celebration Bowl saw South Carolina State defeat Prairie View A&M in a high-scoring affair, 40-38, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The LA Bowl followed, with Washington dominating Boise State 38-10 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Further contests included the Salute to Veterans Bowl, where Jax State edged out Troy 17-13 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The Cure Bowl saw Old Dominion triumph over South Florida 24-10 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, while the 68 Ventures Bowl featured Delaware defeating Louisiana 20-13 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
Thursday, Dec. 18, brought the Xbox Bowl, with Arkansas State overcoming Missouri State 34-28 at Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. The following day, the Myrtle Beach Bowl saw Western Michigan overpower Kennesaw State 41-6 at Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina, and the Gasparilla Bowl witnessed NC State defeat Memphis 31-7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
The College Football Playoff also began its first round with several key games. No. 9 Alabama defeated No. 888 Solalaya 34-24 in Norman, Oklahoma, while No. 10 Miami (Fla.) upset No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in College Station, Texas. No. 6 Ole Miss secured a victory over No. 20 Tulane 41-10 in Oxford, Mississippi, and No. 5 Oregon triumphed over No. 24 James Madison 51-34 in Eugene, Oregon.
Rounding out December’s early games, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl saw Washington State beat Utah State 34-21 in Boise, Idaho, the New Orleans Bowl featured Western Kentucky defeating Southern Miss 27-16 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and the Frisco Bowl ended with Ohio defeating UNLV 17-10. The Hawai’i Bowl saw Hawai’i defeat Cal 35-31 in Washington, DC, while the GameAbove Sports Bowl saw Northwestern beat Central Michigan 34-7 in Detroit, Michigan. The Rate Bowl saw Minnesota defeat New Mexico 20-17 in Phoenix, Arizona, and the First Responder Bowl saw UTSA dominate FIU 57-20 in Dallas, Texas.
December 27th brought more action with the Military Bowl where East Carolina defeated Pitt 23-17, the Pinstripe Bowl with Penn State beating Clemson 22-10, the Fenway Bowl where Army defeated UConn 41-16, the Pop-Tarts Bowl where No. 12 BYU defeated No. 22 Georgia Tech 25-21, the Arizona Bowl where Fresno State defeated Miami (Ohio) 18-3, the New Mexico Bowl where No. 25 North Texas defeated San Diego State 49-47, the Gator Bowl where No. 19 Virginia defeated Missouri 13-7, and the Texas Bowl where Houston defeated LSU 38-35.
Upcoming Bowl Schedule: January Showdowns
As the calendar turns to January, the bowl season intensifies. Here’s a look at the upcoming schedule:
Wednesday, Dec. 31
- ReliaQuest Bowl: No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt, 12 p.m. | ESPN, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.
- Sun Bowl: Arizona State vs. Duke, 2 p.m. | CBS, Sun Bowl, El Paso, Texas
- Citrus Bowl: No. 13 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan, 3 p.m. | ABC, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
- Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska vs. No. 15 Utah, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nev.
- College Football Playoff Quarterfinal: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami (Fla.), 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN, AT&T Stadium (Cotton Bowl), Arlington, Texas
Thursday, Jan. 1
- College Football Playoff Quarterfinal: No. 4 Texas Tech vs. No. 5 Oregon, 12 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN, Hard Rock Stadium (Orange Bowl), Miami Gardens, Fla.
- College Football Playoff Quarterfinal: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama, 4 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN, Rose Bowl (Rose Bowl), Pasadena, Calif.
- College Football Playoff Quarterfinal: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 6 Ole Miss, 8 p.m. | ESPN, WatchESPN, Caesars Superdome (Sugar Bowl), New Orleans, La.
Friday, Jan. 2
- Armed Forces Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice, 1 p.m. | ESPN, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
- Liberty Bowl: Navy vs. Cincinnati, 4:30 p.m. | ESPN, Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, Tenn.
- Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest, 8 p.m. | ESPN, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, N.C.
- Holiday Bowl: No. 17 Arizona vs. SMU, 8 p.m. | FOX, Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, Calif.
Thursday, Jan. 8
- College Football Playoff Semifinal: 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, State Farm Stadium (Fiesta Bowl), Glendale, Ariz.
Friday, Jan. 9
- College Football Playoff Semifinal: 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Peach Bowl), Atlanta, Ga.
Monday, Jan. 19
- College Football Playoff National Championship Game: 7:30 p.m. | ESPN, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Fla.
A Legacy of Championship Moments: The College Football Playoff History
Since its inception in 2014, the College Football Playoff has delivered unforgettable moments. Here’s a look back at the championship results:
- 2014: Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20
- 2015: Alabama defeated Clemson 45-40
- 2016: Clemson defeated Alabama 35-31
- 2017: Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 (OT)
- 2018: Clemson defeated Alabama 44-16
- 2019: LSU defeated Clemson 42-25
- 2020: Alabama defeated Ohio State 52-24
- 2021: Georgia defeated Alabama 33-18
- 2022: Georgia defeated TCU 65-7
- 2023: Michigan defeated Washington 34-13
The 2025-26 bowl season promises another chapter of thrilling competition and memorable finishes. As the games unfold, this article will be continuously updated with the latest scores and information, ensuring fans stay connected to all the action.
