ESPN Kicks Off First-Ever Expanded 12-Team College Football Playoff with Extensive On-Site Studio Programming
Published: December 19, 2024 — ESPN Kicks Off First-Ever Expanded 12-Team College Football Playoff with Extensive On-Site Studio Programming
First Round begins with back-to-back College GameDay shows in South Bend and Columbus, Friday and Saturday
ESPN’s expansive studio programming surrounding the expanded 12-team 2024-25 College Football Playoff kicks off on Friday, Dec. 20, with College GameDay Built by The Home Depot making its first campus Playoff visit live from South Bend, Ind., while SEC This Morning kicks off from 9 a.m. – noon. GameDay continues its First Round road trip with a second stop on Saturday, Dec. 21, in Columbus, Ohio. Surrounding coverage of the first-ever 12-team expanded Playoff will extensively cover the Championship run from CFP First Round Presented by Allstate through the trophy raising in Atlanta at the CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T on Monday, Jan. 20.
ESPN will have live pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage throughout the month from game sites across the country. More than 40 hours of on-site analysis and insight will be offered during the final run to the National Championship.
College GameDay Playoff Run Begins
College GameDay Built by The Home Depot – coming off the most-viewed regular season in its 38-year history – gears up for the new, expanded College Football Playoff with two First Round trips beginning Friday, Dec. 20. The show will be live from South Bend, Ind., from 3:30 – 8 p.m. ET, before Notre Dame hosts Indiana. The crew will make a quick turnaround for a three-hour show (9 a.m. – noon) on Saturday, Dec. 21, in Columbus, Ohio, ahead of the Buckeyes’ matchup with Tennessee.
GameDay will continue its Playoff run with special editions originating from the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential on Wednesday, Jan. 1 (10 a.m. – 1 p.m.), followed by back-to-back episodes from both Semifinals – Thursday, Jan. 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Orange Bowl, and Friday, Jan. 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. live from the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
The season culminates at the CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T in Atlanta on Monday, Jan. 20, with a special episode from 5-7:30 p.m. before the big game (7:30 p.m.).
Rece Davis leads the show in his 10th season at the helm, joined at the desk by GameDay analysts Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban. Reporters Jen Lada and Jess Sims, along with college football insider Pete Thamel and college football betting analyst ‘Stanford Steve’ Coughlin round out the GameDay on-air crew.
SEC Network
SEC Network’s coverage for the first 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday, as Peter Burns hosts SEC This Morning, alongside Chris Doering live from the Charlotte studios. On-site coverage then begins from Austin, Texas with #FinebaumFriday. The Paul Finebaum Show Presented by Allstate – hosted by the Mouth of the South – is live from Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium from 3-7 p.m. on Friday.
Saturday morning, SEC Nation Presented by Allstate hits the airways at 10 a.m. live from DKR with Laura Rutledge and analysts Roman Harper, Paul Finebaum, Jordan Rodgers and Tim Tebow as the crew readies fans with the latest insights.
Heading up to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday – Marty & McGee Presented by Allstate brings its southern roots north as Marty Smith and Ryan McGee are live from the Buckeyes’ campus from 6-7 p.m. ahead of No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State. Directly following Marty & McGee, SEC Now Presented by Allstate is set to air with host Dari Nowkhah. He is joined by Doering and Benjamin Watson as the trio gets fans ready all the way until kick at 8:15 p.m.
During the game, SEC Network will offer a Skycast option, featuring the Tennessee Volunteers Radio Network. The MegaCast offering gives viewers an aerial view of the action as the Volunteers and Buckeyes battle it out for a spot in the quarterfinals. Closing out the night, the quartet of Nowkhah, McGee, Doering and Watson recap the game action on SEC Football Final Presented by Allstate.
ACC Network
ACC Network will surround the First Round of the College Football Playoff with live onsite programming from both Austin, Texas and State College, Pa. as No. 12 Clemson takes on No. 5 Texas and No. 11 SMU faces No. 6 Penn State. On Friday, Mark Packer hosts ACC PM: CFP Preview (4-6 p.m.) with insight and analysis from a bevy of guests and ACCN football analysts. On Saturday, ACC Huddle begins at 10 a.m. with a special two-hour pregame show leading into SMU at Penn State (noon, TNT/Max). A one-hour ACC Huddle will also air immediately following Clemson at Texas (4 p.m., TNT/Max), recapping both historic First Round games.
Friday and Saturday’s live coverage will include hosts and reporters in four different locations. Packer hosts Friday’s ACC PM from Charlotte while host Justin Walters and analysts Mark Herzlich and Mark Richt will be live from ACCN’s Bristol, Conn. studios. Wes Durham and Tom Luginbill, the voices of ACC Primetime Football, will report from Penn State alongside Eddie Royal. In Austin, ACC Huddle host Taylor Tannebaum provides perspective alongside analysts EJ Manuel and Eric Mac Lain, Clemson’s all-time winningest player.
ESPN Marketing Activates for First Round Playoff Parties
The First Round of the CFP on campus brings all the pageantry, traditions, and tailgating of home games to the CFP. With two primetime games on ESPN platforms, ESPN is celebrating with fans on campus, taking over bars at Notre Dame and Ohio State from 4-11 p.m. in South Bend, Ind. (Friday, Dec. 20 – Linebacker Lounge) and Columbus, Ohio (Saturday, Dec. 21 – The Little Bar). Both destinations are less than a mile walk from their respective stadiums, historic staples in their towns, and are the perfect place for a Playoff Party. With free food, custom giveaways, raffles, a DJ and more, these are can’t-miss meetups before the new era of the CFP kicks off.
Digital Programming Offers
Countdown to the CFP Semifinals Presented by AT&T will be an hour-long preview show leading into the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9, featuring Christine Williamson, Harry Douglas and Harry Lyles Jr. The trio will return for Countdown to the CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T for an hourlong preview show leading into the National Championship. Both shows will be live, on-site at the games and available to stream on digital platforms (YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN app) beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Matt Simms, Sam Ravech and Skubie Mageza will host a post-game digital show called The Wrap-Up, at the conclusion for each round. Live from the Bristol, Conn., studio, the trio will follow the last game of day and break down all the action. Available to stream live on YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN App, the show will be on Dec. 21, Jan. 1, Jan. 10 and Jan. 20.
The Kickoff, featuring Gary Striewski and Randy Scott, finishes up the college football season with three remaining episodes on Dec. 20, Dec. 27 and Jan. 17 at 11 a.m.
CFB Radio with On-Site Pregame Coverage
CFB Tailgate will be in Dallas on Friday, Jan 10, from 3-6:30 p.m. leading into game coverage of the Cotton Bowl on ESPN Radio. CFB Tailgate will also be in Atlanta for the CFP National Championship for a 4-6:30 p.m. show leading into the title game.
ESPN and TSN Team Up to CFP Season to Big Screen
ESPN has extended its theatrical distribution agreement with Theater Sports Network (TSN) to present all 11 College Football Playoff (CFP) games. To find your local listings, visit TheaterSportsNetwork.com.
In addition, Cosm locations in Los Angeles and Dallas will also offer immersive viewing experiences of games throughout this year’s College Football Playoff.
ESPN Original Inside the College Football Playoff Presented by Capital One Returns to ESPN+ on December 17 (Watch Trailer)
Expanded to five episodes this year with an hourlong season premiere, Inside the College Football Playoff Presented by Capital One returns to ESPN+. Featuring behind-the-scenes access, as well as insights and commentary from Paul Finebaum, Rece Davis, Tim Tebow, Laura Rutledge, Booger McFarland, Heather Dinich, Greg McElroy, and Roman Harper, the ESPN Original series’ sixth season offers an inside look at the inaugural 12-team CFP as teams battle for the ultimate prize – a national championship.
The ESPN+ premiere schedule is detailed below. Episodes will also be available to stream on Disney+ and will re-air on ESPN and ESPN2 (dates to be determined).
• Episode 1 – December 17: The stage is set for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Re-live the incredible journeys of this year’s top teams and explore how college football evolved to this exciting new era.
• Episode 2 – December 27: Experience the excitement of an atmosphere unlike any other as the CFP First Round games take place on-campus for each of the four home teams.
• Episode 3 – January 7: All-access moments take you inside the preparations as the top four conference champions play their first game of the CFP in the Quarterfinals.
• Episode 4 – January 15: The path through the Playoff only gets harder as the stakes get higher with the four remaining teams battling for their place in the CFP National Championship.
• Episode 5 – January 24: Exclusive access provides a fresh look at the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship. Tim Tebow reflects on the significance as players become legends.
Inaugural CFP Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T
For the first time ever, the College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T gives fans the chance to compete with friends, family and others by filling out CFP brackets as part of the expanded Playoff. Fans who pick the National Champion will be automatically entered into a random drawing to win $50,000 in total prizes. The College Football Playoff Bracket Challenge Presented by AT&T is open now on ESPN.com, ESPN App, and ESPN Fantasy App. Fans can complete and enter brackets until shortly before the first round kicks off on Dec. 20.
College Football Playoff Game and Studio Programming^
Date Time (ET) Programming Platform
Fri, Dec 20
3 p.m. The Paul Finebaum Show Presented by Allstate SEC Network
3:30 p.m.* College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
4 p.m. ACC PM: CFP Preview ACC Network
8 p.m. CFP First Round Game: No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ ESPNEWS/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes
Halftime* Mercedes-Benz Halftime Report ESPN
Sat, Dec 21
9 a.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
10 a.m. SEC Nation Presented by Allstate SEC Network
10 a.m. ACC Huddle ACC Network
Noon CFP First Round Game: No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State TNT/TBS/TruTV/Max/ ESPN Radio
4 p.m. CFP First Round Game: No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas TNT/TBS/TruTV/Max/ ESPN Radio
Postgame* ACC Huddle ACC Network
6 p.m. Marty & McGee Presented by Allstate SEC Network
7 p.m. SEC Now Presented by Allstate SEC Network
8 p.m. CFP First Round Game: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State ABC/ESPN/ESPN2/ ESPNEWS/ESPN Radio/ESPN Deportes
8 p.m. Field Pass with The Pat McAfee Show ESPN2
8 p.m. Skycast & Hometown Radio SEC Network
Halftime* Mercedes-Benz Halftime Report ESPN
Postgame* CFB Final ESPN
11:30 p.m. SEC Football Final Presented by Allstate SEC Network
Tue, Dec 31
7 p.m. Ram Trucks Pregame ESPN
7:30 p.m. Vrbo Fiesta Bowl ESPN
Wed, Jan 1
10 a.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
1 p.m. Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl ESPN
Halftime* Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Halftime ESPN Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential Pregame ESPN
5 p.m. Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential ESPN
Halftime* Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential Halftime ESPN Allstate Sugar Bowl Pregame ESPN
8:45 p.m. Allstate Sugar Bowl ESPN
Halftime* Allstate Sugar Bowl Halftime ESPN
Thu, Jan 9
4 p.m. College Football Live ESPN2
6 p.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
7:30 p.m. Capital One Orange Bowl ESPN
Halftime* Capital One Orange Bowl Halftime ESPN
Fri, Jan 10
4:30 p.m. College Football Live ESPN2
6 p.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
7:30 p.m. Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic ESPN
Halftime* Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Halftime ESPN
Sun, Jan 19
8 p.m. Championship Drive ESPN
Mon, Jan 20
2 p.m. College Football Live ESPN
3 p.m. Championship Drive ESPN
5 p.m. College GameDay Built by The Home Depot ESPN
7 p.m. Ram Trucks Pregame ESPN
7:30 p.m. College Football Playoff National Championship ESPN
Halftime* College Football Playoff National Championship Halftime ESPN
*All post-game and halftime timing is approximate
^Additional game coverage to be announced throughout the Playoffs
Source
ESPN
