College Football Playoff: How to watch the first round of the inaugural 12-team playoff

How to watch the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff

The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff is upon us.

For the first time in the sport’s history 12 teams will square off in a single-elimination tournament, building towards the National Championship Game set for January 20, 2025 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

First-round action kicks off this weekend, and in one of the more fascinating twists of the inaugural 12-team playoff, rather than these four games being played at neutral sites they are being held at the stadium of the higher-ranked team. That could make weather a factor in a few of these contests.

Here is how you can watch the first round of the 2024-2025 College Football Playoff.

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame

• When: Friday, December 20, 8:00 p.m. Eastern
• Where: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
• TV/Streaming: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
• Weather: Current forecasts are calling for a high of 33 degrees Friday in South Bend, with “occasional snow and flurries.”

No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State

• When: Saturday, December 21, 12:00 p.m. Eastern
• Where: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
• TV/Streaming: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
• Weather: Current forecasts are calling for a high of 29 degrees Saturday in University Park, with “breezy” conditions. Snow showers are also a possibility.

No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas

• When: Saturday, December 21, 4:00 p.m. Eastern
• Where: DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, Austin, Texas
• TV/Streaming: TNT/Max
• Weather: If you can get to one of these four games, this will be the best choice, at least weather-wise. Forecasts are calling for a high of 61 degrees Saturday with “plenty of sunshine.”

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State

• When: Saturday, December 21, 8:00 p.m. Eastern
• Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
• TV/Streaming: ABC/ESPN/ESPN+
• Weather: Current forecasts are calling for a high of 30 degrees with a low of 22, but there is no precipitation expected.

Why are two games on TNT/Max?

If you are anything like me, you might have a specific question after seeing the schedule.

That question: Why are two of the games on TNT/Max?

Back in May, ESPN announced an agreement with TNT Sports to broadcast 16 College Football Playoff games over the next five seasons. ESPN has an exclusive contract with the CFP through the 2031-2032 season, and under its rights in that contract the network can sublicense games.

This season TNT will broadcast the two first-round games, which will continue over the next five seasons. Starting in 2026 TNT will add a pair of quarterfinal games, for the final three years of the five-year agreement.

How to stream games on Max

For those interested in streaming games on Max, subscription plans start at $10 per month.

You can also bundle Max along with Disney+ and Hulu, and those packages start at $17 per month.

Will there be a MegaCast option for the first-round games?

Long-time college football fans may be wondering if ESPN will incorporate any of their “MegaCast” offerings for the first-round games.

If that sounds like you, then you are in luck. Both Friday night’s game between Indiana and Notre Dame, and Saturday night’s game between Ohio State and Tennessee are getting the “MegaCast” treatment.

For the Indiana-Notre Dame game, there will be a main telecast on ABC/ESPN; a “Command Center” telecast on ESPN2 which offers a “multi-angle presentation,” including up to four different angles at a time, along with real-time statistics; a “SkyCast” angle on ESPNEWS; a Spanish language broadcast on ESPN Deportes, as well as coverage of the marching bands streaming on ESPN+.

Saturday night’s game between Ohio State and Tennessee includes the main telecast on ABC/ESPN; an edition of “Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN2; Command Center on ESPNU, SkyCast on ESPNEWS, the Spanish language broadcast on ESPN Deportes, as well as coverage of the marching bands streaming live on ESPN+.