News

College Football Playoff opens with 1 game Dec. 19 and 3 more on Dec. 20; TV and kickoff times set

College Football Playoff opens with 1 game Dec. 19 and 3 more on Dec. 20; TV and kickoff times set

FILE - A playoff logo is seen on an end zone marker during the first half between Texas and Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Dec. 21, 2024, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, file) Photo: Associated Press


IRVING, Texas (AP) — The College Football Playoff will open with one first-round game on Dec. 19 and three more on Dec. 20, CFP administrators announced Tuesday.
The Friday night game will start at 8 p.m. EST and be televised by ABC and ESPN, as will the noon game on Saturday. TNT, truTV and HBO Max will carry the 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. games on Saturday. Each of the first four games will be played on campuses of the higher-seeded teams.
The quarterfinals begin at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. The other quarterfinals are New Year’s Day at the Orange Bowl at noon, Rose Bowl at 4 p.m. and Sugar Bowl at 8 p.m.
Semifinals are Jan. 8 at the Fiesta Bowl and Jan. 9 at the Peach Bowl, and the championship game is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, on Jan. 19. All three of those games start at 7:30. ESPN will televise all quarterfinals and semifinals and the championship game.
The initial CFP rankings will be released Tuesday night.
___
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Latest News

4 hours ago in National, Trending

Trump spares turkeys — but not his political opponents — at annual pardoning ceremony

President Donald Trump didn't bring much holiday cheer Tuesday when bestowing ceremonial pardons on two Thanksgiving turkeys, dispensing more insults than goodwill at the traditional White House ritual.

4 hours ago in Entertainment

How Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal found the emotional power of ‘Hamnet’

In "Hamnet," Chloé Zhao's adaptation of Maggie O'Farrell's prizewinning 2020 novel, Paul Mescal plays William Shakespeare and Jessie Buckley his wife, Agnes. It's a fictional, speculative drama with basis in historical fact.

4 hours ago in Lifestyle, Trending

What’s open on Thanksgiving? Not much, as many stores rest — or prepare — ahead of Black Friday

With Thanksgiving and the formal launch of the holiday shopping season this week, Americans will again gather for Turkey Day meals before knocking off items on their Christmas gift lists.

4 hours ago in Sports, Trending

Under a cloud, the Olympic flame begins its journey to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics

The Olympic flame began its journey Wednesday to the Milan Cortina Winter Games — missing a little of its usual magic. Bad weather lashing western Greece forced organizers to move the torch-lighting ceremony indoors, from Olympia's ancient stadium and temples to a nearby museum.

23 hours ago in Charlottesville City, Local, Local Sports, Sports, UVA, UVA Sports

UVA men’s basketball received $5 million gift

UVa basketball Nov 2025

The University of Virginia has announced the CEO of a Salem-based Caterpillar machinery dealership has given $5 million to the men's basketball program.