Get ready for an exciting announcement, football fans! The 2025 College Football Playoff is about to kick off with a bang! But here's where it gets interesting... the first-round games are getting a fresh new twist with some unique start times.
The College Football Playoff (CFP), ESPN, and TNT Sports have revealed the broadcast details for the highly anticipated 2025 CFP First Round. This marks the second year of the expanded 12-team Playoff format, and it's set to be a thrilling ride.
ESPN, the exclusive home of the CFP since its inception, is bringing you all four first-round games, with a special twist. Two of these games will be sublicensed to TNT Sports, offering fans an even broader viewing experience.
The action begins on Friday, December 19, with the first CFP First Round game at 8 p.m. ET, airing on ABC and ESPN. But here's the part most people miss: the following day, Saturday, December 20, is when things get really exciting. ABC and ESPN will showcase the first game of a tripleheader at noon ET, while TNT takes over with games at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET. That's right, a full day of non-stop college football action!
All games on ESPN networks will be available on the ESPN App, and the first-round games on TNT and truTV will also be streamed on HBO Max. So, no matter where you are, you won't miss a single play. Each of these four first-round games will be played on campuses that will be announced on Selection Day, December 7.
In April, it was announced that ESPN will be presenting all the big Playoff Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the highly anticipated 2026 CFP National Championship, scheduled for Monday, January 19, at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium. The CFP National Championship is returning to Miami, marking a historic moment as it's the second consecutive season the national championship game is hosted in the same city twice.
Rich Clark, the executive director of the College Football Playoff, expressed his excitement:
