2024-25 FBS bowl games and all-star games
The schedule and television details for all but one postseason game was revealed on June 6, while the Holiday Bowl fleshed out its details on Aug. 29.
By far the huge story was the expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12. The four major conference winners all received byes, and eight other teams (including another conference champion) played in the first round at campus sites just before Christmas. The teams with byes entered the playoff in the quarterfinal at one of four major bowl games. The semifinal then followed at the other two major bowls, with the National Championship final after that. TV coverage also changed, with ABC simulcasting with ESPN on some first-round games, and TNT showing others.
The rest of the bowl lineup was then scheduled around the playoff, with some games moving to new dates and times. The NCAA changed a by-law, allowing two games to be played as early as the Army-Navy Game and Heisman Trophy week. (One of those was the Celebration Bowl, which will be listed separately with the FCS postseason.)
Some bowl tie-ins were taken by teams that left conferences in the major offseason realignments, so for example the Alamo Bowl matched up two teams that were in the same conference, although those schools did not meet in the regular season.
The Bahamas Bowl returned after a one-year absence, and three other games changed their names: Camellia Bowl to Salute to Veterans Bowl, Quick Lane Bowl to GameAbove Sports Bowl, and the word "Guaranteed" was dropped from the Rate Bowl. In addition, the Holiday Bowl moved from one stadium in San Diego (Petco Park) to another (Snapdragon Stadium).
The Sugar Bowl was the first major college football game to be postponed by a terrorist attack since 9/11 wiped out an entire week's schedule in 2001.
In the following CFP listings, the seed is the small number, but the actual final rankings are in parentheses.
Television
College Football Playoff
In all games, audio feeds from the participating teams were synced to video and put on the ESPN app.
Friday 12/20
1st rd.: 10 (8)Indiana @ 7 (5)Notre Dame, 8:00, ESPN/ABC - Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, Katie George
First Notre Dame home game not to be shown on an NBCUniversal service since 1990
"Command center" on ESPN2, "SkyCast" on ESPNews
Saturday 12/21
1st rd.: 11 (10)SMU @ 6 (4)Penn State, 12:00, TNT/TBS/TruTV - Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Tom Luginbill(f), Quint Kessenich
1st rd.: 12 (16)Clemson @ 5 (3)Texas, 4:00, TNT/TBS/TruTV - Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor, Laura Rutledge
1st rd.: 9 (7)Tennessee @ 8 (6)Ohio State, 8:00, ESPN/ABC - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Marty Smith
Pat McAfee hosted on ESPN2, "command center" on ESPNU, "SkyCast" on ESPNews and SEC Network.
Tuesday 12/31
Qtr: Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, AZ) - 6 (4)Penn State vs. 3 (9)Boise State, 7:30, ESPN - Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Tom Luginbill(f), Kris Budden
"Command center" on ESPN2, "SkyCast" on ESPNU.
Wednesday 1/1
Qtr.: Peach Bowl (Atlanta) - 5 (3)Texas vs. 4 (12)Arizona State, 1:00, ESPN - Joe Tessitore, Jesse Palmer, Katie George, Taylor McGregor
"Command center" on ESPN2, "SkyCast" on ESPNU and SEC Network.
Qtr.: Rose Bowl Game (Pasadena, CA) - 8 (6)Ohio State vs. 1 (1)Oregon, 5:00, ESPN2/ESPN(JIP) - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Stormy Buonantony
ESPN JIP'ed at 5:18 ET and with 13:36 to go in the 1st quarter. Until then, the main telecast was on ESPN2, Pat McAfee's show was on ESPNews, and "SkyCast" was only on SEC Network. For the remainder of the contest, McAfee was on ESPN2 and "SkyCast" was on ESPNews also. "Command center" was on ESPNU from the beginning.
Thursday 1/2
Qtr.: Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) - 7 (5)Notre Dame vs. 2 (2)Georgia, 4:00, ESPN - Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath, Laura Rutledge
Moved from 8:45 on 1/1 due to truck attack near stadium. As a result, and due to a high-school football telecast moved to ESPN2, "command center" moved to ESPNU and "SkyCast" to ESPNews, with a simulcast of the latter on SEC Network.
Thursday 1/9
Semi.: Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, FL) - 7 (5)Notre Dame vs. 6 (4)Penn State, 7:30, ESPN - Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Katie George, Molly McGrath
Pat McAfee hosted on ESPN2, "command center" on ESPNU, "SkyCast" on ESPNews
Friday 1/10
Semi.: Cotton Bowl Classic (Arlington, TX) - 8 (6)Ohio State vs. 5 (3)Texas, 7:30, ESPN - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Laura Rutledge
Pat McAfee hosted on ESPN2, "command center" on ESPNU, "SkyCast" on ESPNews with a simulcast on SEC Network
Monday 1/20
Natl. champ. (Atlanta): 8 (6)Ohio State vs. 7 (5)Notre Dame, 7:30, ESPN - Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit, Holly Rowe, Molly McGrath
Pat McAfee hosts on ESPN2, "command center" on ESPNU, "SkyCast" on ESPNews
Remaining schedule
Saturday 12/14
Salute to Veterans Bowl (Montgomery, AL): South Alabama vs. Western Michigan, 9:00, ESPN - Wes Durham, Tom Luginbill, Dana Boyle
Tuesday 12/17
Frisco Bowl (Frisco, TX): 25 Memphis vs. West Virginia, 9:00, ESPN - Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport
Wednesday 12/18
Boca Raton Bowl: Western Kentucky vs. James Madison, 5:30, ESPN - Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Coley Harvey
Game moved from 12/17 due to conflict with college basketball
LA Bowl (Inglewood, CA): 24 UNLV vs. California, 9:00, ESPN - Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Kris Budden
Thursday 12/19
New Orleans Bowl: Sam Houston vs. Georgia Southern, 7:00, ESPN2 - Jorge Sedano, Orlando Franklin, Morgan Uber
Friday 12/20
Cure Bowl (Orlando, FL): Ohio vs. Jacksonville State, 12:00, ESPN - Brian Custer, Rod Gilmore, Lauren Sisler
Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, FL): Florida vs. Tulane, 3:30, ESPN2 - Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra
Originally scheduled for ESPN.
Monday 12/23
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA, 11:00AM, ESPN - Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, ID): Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois, 2:30, ESPN - Lowell Galindo, Fozzy Whittaker, Tori Petry
Tuesday 12/24
Hawaii Bowl (Honolulu): San Jose State vs. South Florida, 8:00, ESPN - Tiffany Greene, Jay Walker, Marilyn Payne
Thursday 12/26
GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit): Pittsburgh vs. Toledo, 2:00, ESPN - Matt Schumacker, Dustin Fox, Harry Lyles Jr.
Rate Bowl (Phoenix, AZ): Rutgers vs. Kansas State, 5:30, ESPN2/ESPN(JIP) - Wes Durham, Tom Luginbill, Dana Boyle
ESPN JIP'ed at 6:46 ET and with 5:27 left in the 2nd quarter.
68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile, AL): Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green, 9:00, ESPN2/ESPN(JIP) - Clay Matvick, Roddy Jones, Ashley Stroehlein
ESPN JIP'ed at 9:15 ET and with 13:36 to go in the 1st quarter.
Friday 12/27
Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, TX): Navy vs. Oklahoma, 12:00, ESPN - Courtney Lyle, Rene Ingoglia, Morgan Uber
Birmingham Bowl: Vanderbilt vs. Georgia Tech, 3:30, ESPN/ESPNU - Dave Neal, Aaron Murray, Ashley ShahAhmadi
Game resumed at 7:31 after a weather delay of about 55 minutes
Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN): Arkansas vs. Texas Tech, 7:00, ESPN - Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra
Holiday Bowl (San Diego): 21 Syracuse vs. Washington State, 8:00, FOX - Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft
Las Vegas Bowl (Paradise, NV): Texas A&M vs. USC, 10:30, ESPN - Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Stormy Buonantony
Saturday 12/28
Fenway Bowl (Boston): North Carolina vs. UConn, 11:00AM, ESPN - Chris Cotter, Mark Herzlich, Coley Harvey
Pinstripe Bowl (The Bronx): Nebraska vs. Boston College, 12:00, ABC - Mike Monaco, Kirk Morrison, Dawn Davenport
New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque): TCU vs. Louisiana, 2:15, ESPN - Brian Custer, Rod Gilmore, Lauren Sisler
Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando): 18 Iowa State vs. 13 Miami, 3:30, ABC - Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic(f)
Arizona Bowl (Tucson): Miami [OH] vs. Colorado State, 4:30, The CW - Thom Brennaman, Max Browne, Snoop Dogg (2H), Treavor Scales
Military Bowl (Annapolis, MD): East Carolina vs. NC State, 5:45, ESPN - Jay Alter, Rocky Boiman, Alex Chappell
Alamo Bowl (San Antonio): 17 BYU vs. 23 Colorado, 7:30, ABC - Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor
Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA): Louisiana Tech vs. 22 Army, 9:15, ESPN - Lowell Galindo, Fozzy Whittaker, Tori Petry
LTCH replaced Marshall, which lost 28 players to transfer portal after head coach Charles Huff accepted the Southern Miss job.
Monday 12/30
Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN): 19 Missouri vs. Iowa, 2:30, ESPN - Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Alyssa Lang
Tuesday 12/31
ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa): 11 Alabama vs. Michigan, 12:00, ESPN - Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Sherree Burruss
Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX): Louisville vs. Washington, 2:00, CBS - Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson, Jenny Dell
Citrus Bowl (Orlando): 15 South Carolina vs. 20 Illinois, 3:00, ABC - Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich
Texas Bowl (Houston): LSU vs. Baylor, 3:30, ESPN - Roy Philpott, Sam Acho, Taylor Davis
Thursday 1/2
Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, FL): Duke vs. 14 Ole Miss, 8:00, ESPN - Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor
Start time delayed from 7:30 due to postponement of Sugar Bowl.
Friday 1/3
First Responder Bowl (Dallas): Texas State vs. North Texas, 4:00, ESPN - Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic(f)
Duke's Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, NC): Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota, 7:30, ESPNews/ESPN(JIP) - Matt Barrie, Aaron Murray, Harry Lyles Jr.
Murray replaced Dan Mullen (new head coach at UNLV). ESPN JIP'ed at 7:52 ET and with 8:39 to go in the 1st half.
Saturday 1/4
Bahamas Bowl (Nassau): Liberty vs. Buffalo, 11:00 AM, ESPN2 - Matt Schumacker, Dustin Fox, Coley Harvey
All-star games
Thursday 1/30
East-West Shrine Bowl (Arlington, TX), 8:00, NFLN
Saturday 2/2
Senior Bowl (Mobile, AL), time TBD, NFLN
Radio
Salute to Veterans Bowl, BwlSzn - JD Byars, Chad Pilcher, Kyle Tait
Frisco Bowl, BwlSzn - Brian Estridge, Landry Burdine, Michelle Montaine
Boca Raton Bowl, ESPN - Chris Carlin, Freddie Coleman, Evan Cohen
LA Bowl, ESPN - Roxy Bernstein, Max Starks
New Orleans Bowl, ESPN - Dave Neal, Aaron Murray
Cure Bowl, BwlSzn - Jamie Seh, Rene Ingoglia, Despina Barton
Gasparilla Bowl, BwlSzn - Bill Roth, John Denton, Bridget Howard
CFP 1st rd.: Indiana @ Notre Dame, ESPN - Mike Couzens, Max Starks, Alyssa Lang
CFP 1st rd.: SMU @ Penn State, ESPN - Bob Wischusen, Louis Riddick, Dawn Davenport
CFP 1st rd.: Clemson @ Texas, ESPN - Taylor Zarzour, Matt Stinchcomb, Dana Boyle
CFP 1st rd.: Tennessee @ Ohio State, ESPN - Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons
Myrtle Beach Bowl, BwlSzn - Travis Jones, Jay Sonnhalter, Molly Cotten
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, BwlSzn - Scott Garrard, Hans Olsen, Tim Murray
Hawaii Bowl, ESPN - Kevin Winter, Trevor Matich
GameAbove Sports Bowl, BwlSzn - Kyle Wiggs, John Denton, Adam Jaksa
Rate Bowl, ESPN - Jorge Sedano, Taylor McHargue
68 Ventures Bowl, BwlSzn - Mike Grace, Terry Harvin, Randy Kennedy
Armed Forces Bowl, BwlSzn - Brian Estridge, Marshall Newhouse, Chris Mycoskie
Birmingham Bowl, BwlSzn - Joe Fisher, Jay Sonnhalter, Marilyn Payne
Liberty Bowl, ESPN - Noah Reed, Charles Arbuckle
Holiday Bowl, SXM 82 - Chris King, Alex Brink, Jessamyn McIntyre (Washington State simulcast)
Las Vegas Bowl, ESPN - Roxy Bernstein, Jordan Reid
Fenway Bowl, BwlSzn - Kevin Gehl, John Denton, Kyle Tait
Pinstripe Bowl, ESPN - Chris Carlin, Steve Addazio
New Mexico Bowl, BwlSzn - Paul Loeffler, Dontrell Moore
Pop-Tarts Bowl, ESPN - Mike Couzens, Max Starks
Arizona Bowl, BwlSzn - Brian Hanni, Mike Sanford, Tim Murray
Military Bowl, BwlSzn - Travis Jones, Jay Sonnhalter, Molly Cotten
Alamo Bowl, ESPN - Jorge Sedano, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons
Independence Bowl, BwlSzn - Toby Rowland, Justin Fuente, Chris Mycoskie
Music City Bowl, ESPN - Kevin Winter, Orlando Franklin
Reliaquest Bowl, ESPN - Chris Carlin, Aaron Murray, Mike Peasley
Sun Bowl, BwlSzn - Bruce Howard, John Denton, Colin Deaver
Citrus Bowl, ESPN - Sean Kelley, Rene Ingoglia, Marilyn Payne
Texas Bowl, BwlSzn - Kevin Eschenfelder, Justin Fuente, J.P. Heath; KILT - Brett Dolan, John Harris
Kevin Eschenfelder replaced Brian Estridge after Estridge's flight from Phoenix to Houston was canceled.
Fiesta Bowl, ESPN - Mike Couzens, Max Starks, Lauren Sisler
Peach Bowl, ESPN - Anish Shroff, Andre Ware, Paul Carcaterra
Rose Bowl Game, ESPN - Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons
Sugar Bowl, ESPN - Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers, Cole Cubelic(f)
Gator Bowl, TD - JP Shadrick, Gino Torretta
First Responder Bowl, BwlSzn - Brian Estridge, Marshall Newhouse, Elvis Gallegos
Newhouse replaced Gallegos as analyst, and Gallegos replaced Chris Mycoskie as reporter after Mycoskie's daughter was admitted to the ICU Dec. 29.
Duke's Mayo Bowl, BwlSzn - Jim Szoke, John Denton, Molly Cotten
Bahamas Bowl, BwlSzn - Kyle Wiggs, Rene Ingoglia
Orange Bowl, ESPN - Dave Pasch, Roddy Jones, Kris Budden, Taylor McGregor
Cotton Bowl Classic, ESPN - Marc Kestecher, Kelly Stouffer, Ian Fitzsimmons, Quint Kessenich
CFP Natl. Champ., ESPN - Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Ian Fitzsimmons, Katie George
East-West Shrine Bowl, BwlSzn
Senior Bowl, NFL Radio