College Football Playoff schedule: Bowl game times, dates and how to watch

The College Football Playoff selection committee is all set to unveil its fourth top-25 ranking Tuesday night. Fans are eagerly anticipating the rankings, knowing that it will offer crucial insight into the standings for teams competing for the national title as the season heads into its final weeks.

The first round of the new 12-team College Football Playoff format kicks off in less than a month on Friday, Dec. 20, with a prime-time first-round game. This will mark the beginning of an intense postseason, during which each game will be a battle with every team vying to keep its national championship hopes alive. The first round continues with three do-or-die first-round games on Saturday, Dec. 21.

The teams that come out on top will move on to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, which will showcase the teams that earned the top four seeds and a bye through the first round. These matchups will take place in one of four prestigious bowl games: the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl. The quarterfinal games are scheduled to take place Tuesday, Dec. 31 and Wednesday, Jan. 1.

The teams that claim victory in the quarters advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals, which are set to take place on Thursday, Jan. 9. These matchups will determine which teams will compete for the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20.

Here is the information about the bowl games that comprise the College Football Playoff and when the unmissable action will begin.

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What bowl games are in College Football Playoff?

The College Football Playoff quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games:

• Cotton Bowl

• Orange Bowl

• Fiesta Bowl

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

• Rose Bowl

• Sugar Bowl

The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

When do College Football Playoff games start

The College Football Playoff first round begins on Friday, Dec. 20 and will air on ABC and ESPN at 8 p.m. ET. Fans can also stream with a Fubo subscription.

Catch CFP bowl games with a Fubo subscription

When is College Football Playoff first round?

All times Eastern.

• Game 1: Friday, Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. on ABC and ESPN

• Game 2: Saturday, Dec. 21 at noon on TNT Sports

• Game 3: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. on TNT Sports

• Game 4: Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m. on ABC and ESPN

When is College Football Playoff quarterfinals?

All times Eastern.

• Fiesta Bowl: Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

• Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 1 p.m. on ESPN

• Rose Bowl: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. on ESPN

• Sugar Bowl: Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 8:45 p.m. on ESPN

When is College Football Playoff semifinals?

All times Eastern.

• Orange Bowl: Thursday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

• Cotton Bowl: Friday, Jan. 10 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

When is College Football Playoff National Championship?

• Monday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CFP schedule 2024: Bowl games bracket, dates, time and TV