NCAA 2025/26 - NCAA - Bowl Season & Playoffs

[aussiedude]

Saturday, December 20
College Football Playoff First Round
#9 Alabama @ #8 Oklahoma 12PM ESPN Kayo Disney+

Sunday, December 21
College Football Playoff First Round
#10 Miami @ #7 Texas A&M 4AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

College Football Playoff First Round
#11 Tulane @ #6 Ole Miss 7:30AM ESPN Kayo Disney+ HBO Max

College Football Playoff First Round
#12 James Madison @ #5 Oregon 11:30AM Disney+ HBO Max


Thursday, January, 1
College Football Playoff Quarter Final at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
#10 Miami/#7 Texas A&M Vs #2 Ohio State 11:30AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

Friday, January, 2
College Football Playoff Quarter Final at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
#12 James Madison/#5 Oregon Vs #4 Texas Tech 4AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

College Football Playoff Quarter Final at the Rose Bowl presented by Prudential
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
#9 Alabama/#8 Oklahoma Vs #1 Indiana 8AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

College Football Playoff Quarter Final at the AllState Sugar Bowl
Caesars Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana
#11 Tulane/#6 Ole Miss Vs #2 Georgia 12PM ESPN Kayo Disney+

Friday, January 9
College Football Playoff Semi Final at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
# TBD Vs # TBD 11:30AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

Saturday, January 10
College Football Playoff Semi Final at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
# TBD Vs # TBD 11:30AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

Tuesday, January 20
College Football Playoff National Championship Game presented by AT&T
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Florida
# TBD Vs # TBD 11:30AM ESPN Kayo Disney+

 

[gaskin]

Group of 5 schools will never be in the CFB playoffs again

Yeah they will. Both Klatt and Pate have on multiple occasions mentioned they are in so the G5 don't sue. It is all to do with money.

The G5 teams shouldn't be in but there is nothing we can do about it.

 

[aussiedude]

Yeah they will. Both Klatt and Pate have on multiple occasions mentioned they are in so the G5 don't sue. It is all to do with money.

The G5 teams shouldn't be in but there is nothing we can do about it.

FCS has a real playoff with the conference champions because its about the sport. FBS is all about the money and making the gap between the haves and have nots bigger.

SEC should just break away and do their own thing if they dont want others to have some crumbs

 

[gaskin]

SEC should just break away and do their own thing if they dont want others to have some crumbs

It isn't about others getting crumbs. It is about the difference between P4 and G5 getting wider and wider. Any player or coach at the G5 level that shows something gets snapped up by the P4 schools. The G5 and P4 are playing on a completely different playing field. Hell, to quote Pate, they aren't even playing the same sport. The playoffs are about the best teams in the game playing for a championship. No G5 team is ever going to get close and we are just going to see 40+ point blowouts wasting everyone's time. If they want to put 1 in then fine. But in no world should a second be in there unless they legit are a top 12 team in the country.

 

[aussiedude]

It isn't about others getting crumbs. It is about the difference between P4 and G5 getting wider and wider. Any player or coach at the G5 level that shows something gets snapped up by the P4 schools. The G5 and P4 are playing on a completely different playing field. Hell, to quote Pate, they aren't even playing the same sport. The playoffs are about the best teams in the game playing for a championship. No G5 team is ever going to get close and we are just going to see 40+ point blowouts wasting everyone's time. If they want to put 1 in then fine. But in no world should a second be in there unless they legit are a top 12 team in the country.

But it is about the crumbs. Because they need every $ they can to get players in so they can compete with the P4 schools.

Playoffs are not about the best teams. you need to earn your way in like NFL where bad divisions still send champs to the playoffs. and not like Vandy, ND or Texas were going to win it all anyway.

Texas A&M got in on a fraud schedule and lost to a not great Miami team. the mega conferences are the issue because they want a heap of their teams in and you can get bad teams like A&M who didnt play anyone and had a fake record because of it.

Sure they are on a different level, but the only way to get the G5 teams to close the gap is more exposure and better facilities which is what the playoff money can help achieve.
So if Indiana, Ohio St or Georgia blowout a P4 school next round does that also exclude them from the playoffs forever

 

[aussiedude]

Illinois State vs. Villanova (Dec 20, 2025) Live Score - ESPN

Live coverage of the Illinois State Redbirds vs. Villanova Wildcats NCAAF game on ESPN, including live score, highlights and updated stats.

www.espn.com

Unseeded Illinois St 2 mins away from the FCS championship game

 

[gaskin]

But it is about the crumbs. Because they need every $ they can to get players in so they can compete with the P4 schools.

Sure they are on a different level, but the only way to get the G5 teams to close the gap is more exposure and better facilities which is what the playoff money can help achieve.

I get that but this year is an aberration. Most other years they will get one school in and one school getting that money will mean nothing and not put them in any position to compete with P4 school unless they are a regular in the playoffs.

The G5 need their own playoffs. But, they want to play with the big boys so they won't. Even though there probably would be broadcasters who would want the product.

So if Indiana, Ohio St or Georgia blowout a P4 school next round does that also exclude them from the playoffs forever

Of course not since they are playing on far more of an even level.

The crux of the issue is 2 fold, IMO. Auto-bids and too many spots. There should be no auto-bids for anyone and it should be 8 teams at most.

 

[aussiedude]

The issue for bad games is what happens when you have more teams. We had blowouts in the 4 team system.

But people just cry more because of the names they might not recognise if they dont watch a stack of CFB. so they point to the G5 teams

 

[Dirty Bird]

Highest score vs Oregon this year.

 

[Dirty Bird]

AQ conferences in BCS era and the playoff era in the big bowl games (plus first round in last 2 years)



But apparently the ACC and Notre Dame are more worthy???????

 

[aussiedude]

Sad but not a shock given how greedy both schools are. Rivalry games dying or paused because of bullshit continues to hurt the sport

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Iamaleava staying with UCLA, new coach Chesney

Nico Iamaleava will remain with UCLA in 2026, with new coach Bob Chensey keeping the QB for his first season with the Bruins.

www.espn.com

Nico Iamastaya

 

[aussiedude]

Nice INT by the Southern Miss DE

 

[aussiedude]

The while Southern Miss team including all coaches just got an unsportsmanlike for entering the field to celebrate the INT

 

[aussiedude]

Slow TE in open space has the ball punched out while stiff arming another player.

Takes points off the board for WKU