To be ready for the upcoming college football season, it’s never too early. Following Ohio State’s victory in the College Football Playoffs last year in the first-ever 12-team format, the 2025 season is expected to be just as entertaining.
The start time of the 2025 college football season is available here. If games and times change, this story will be updated.
When does the college football season begin in 2025?
This year, the 2025 season will start on Saturday, August 23 during “Week Zero.” The next week will see the commencement of the season for the majority of Division I programs around the country.
The following games are presently planned on Saturday, August 23 in Week Zero:
- Aer Lingus College Football Classic: Iowa State vs. Kansas State (in Dublin, Ireland) | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Tarleton State at Portland State | 3:30 p.m. or 4 p.m. ET | ESPN2
- Fresno State at Kansas | 6:30 p.m. ET | FOX
- Sam Houston at Western Kentucky | 7 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network
- FCS Kickoff: UC Davis vs. Mercer (in Montgomery, AL) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
- MEAC/SWAC Challenge: Southern vs. North Carolina Central (in Atlanta, Georgia) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Stanford at Hawaii | 7:30 p.m. ET | CBS/Paramount+
- UIW at Nicholls | Time TBA | ESPN+
Most of the 2025 college football games are scheduled for Saturday, August 30, Labor Day weekend, and Week 1 of the season starts the following week. Here are some of the games that will start the season.
Thursday, Aug. 28
- Boise State at South Florida | 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Delaware State at Delaware | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN+
- Nebraska vs. Cincinnati (in Kansas City, Missouri) | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Towson at Norfolk State | Time TBD | ESPN+
Friday, Aug. 29
- Duke’s Mayo Classic: Appalachian State vs. Charlotte (at Bank of America State in Charlotte, North Carolina) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPNU
- Auburn at Baylor | 8 p.m. ET | Fox
- Georgia Tech at Colorado | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN
Saturday, Aug. 30
- Aflac Kickoff Game: Syracuse vs. Tennessee (in Atlanta, GA) | 12 p.m. ET | ABC
- Texas at Ohio State | 12 p.m. ET | Fox
- Duquesne at Pitt | 12 p.m. ET | ACC Network
- Alabama at Florida State | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Montana State at Oregon | 4 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network
- LSU at Clemson | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- North Carolina A&T at Tennessee State | ESPN+
- Eastern Washington at UIW | ESPN+
- Hampton at Jackson State
Sunday, Aug. 31
- Aflac Kickoff Game: South Carolina vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta, GA) | 3 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Notre Dame at Miami (FL) | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
Monday, Sept. 2
- TCU at North Carolina |8 p.m. ET | ESPN
Below are some additional early-season nonconference games to watch:
- Week 2: Saturday, September 6
- Iowa at Iowa State | 12 p.m. ET | Fox
- Oklahoma State at Oregon | 3:30 p.m. ET | CBS
- Michigan at Oklahoma | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC
- Arizona State at Mississippi State | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN2
- South Dakota State at Montana State | ESPN+
- Week 3: Saturday, September 13
- Wisconsin at Alabama | 12 p.m. ET | ABC or ESPN
- Pittsburgh at West Virginia | 3:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Texas A&M at Notre Dame | 7:30 p.m. ET | NBC
- Minnesota at California | 10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
- Week 4: Saturday, September 20
- Florida at Miami (FL)
The College Football Playoff is in its 12th year and its second in the 12-team format in 2025.
These are the dates and schedule for the upcoming College Football Playoffs. Also included are all of the New Year’s Six games:
- First round | Week of Saturday, Dec. 20
- Location: the home field of the higher-seeded team or another site designated by the higher-seeded program.
- One game | Friday, Dec. 19
- Three games | Saturday, Dec. 20
- Quarterfinal sites:
- Cotton Bowl | Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Orange Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN
- Rose Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. | ESPN
- Sugar Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 1 | 8 p.m. | ESPN
- Semifinal sites:
- Fiesta Bowl | Thursday, Jan. 8 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
- Peach Bowl | Friday, Jan. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
- CFP National Championship Game: Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 (in Miami, Florida) | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN
Miami Gardens, Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium will host the championship game. This will be the second time the CFP National Championship Game has been held in the same place.
The 2024–2025 season saw Ohio State win the College Football Playoff National Championship. The full history of the CFP title game can be seen here.
| Year (Game Date) |
Game | LOCATION |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | No. 4 Ohio State 42, No. 2 Oregon 20 | Arlington, Texas |
| 2016 | No. 2 Alabama 45, No. 1 Clemson 40 | Glendale, Arizona |
| 2017 | No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 1 Alabama 31 | Tampa, Florida |
| 2018 | No. 4 Alabama 26, No. 3 Georgia 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 2019 | No. 2 Clemson 44, No. 1 Alabama 16 | Santa Clara, California |
| 2020 | No. 1 LSU 42, No. 3 Clemson 25 | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 2021 | No. 1 Alabama 52, No. 3 Ohio State 24 | Miami Gardens, Florida |
| 2022 | No. 3 Georgia 33, No. 1 Alabama 18 | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| 2023 | No. 1 Georgia 65, No. 3 TCU 7 | Inglewood, California |
| 2024 | No. 1 Michigan 34, No. 2 Washington 13 | Houston, Texas |
| 2025 | No. 8 Ohio State 34, No. 7 Notre Dame 23 | Atlanta, Georgia |
Here’s the list of college football national champions, from 1869 to today:
| Year | Champion | Selecting Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Michigan | CFP |
| 2022 | Georgia | CFP |
| 2021 | Georgia | CFP |
| 2020 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2019 | LSU | CFP |
| 2018 | Clemson | CFP |
| 2017 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2016 | Clemson | CFP |
| 2015 | Alabama | CFP |
| 2014 | Ohio State | CFP |
| 2013 | Florida State | BCS |
| 2012 | Alabama | BCS |
| 2011 | Alabama | BCS |
| 2010 | Auburn | BCS |
| 2009 | Alabama | BCS |
| 2008 | Florida | BCS |
| 2007 | LSU | BCS |
| 2006 | Florida | BCS |
| 2005 | Texas | BCS |
| 2004 | Southern California | BCS |
| 2003 | LSU, Southern California | BCS, AP, FWAA |
| 2002 | Ohio State | BCS |
| 2001 | Miami (Fla.) | BCS |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | BCS |
| 1999 | Florida State | BCS |
| 1998 | Tennessee | BCS |
| 1997 | Michigan, Nebraska | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/ESPN |
| 1996 | Florida | AP, FWAA, NFF,USA/CNN |
| 1995 | Nebraska | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1994 | Nebraska | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1993 | Florida St. | AP, FWAA,NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1992 | Alabama | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1991 | Washington, Miami (Fla.) | FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI,AP |
| 1990 | Colorado, Georgia Tech | FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, AP, UPI |
| 1989 | Miami (Fla.) | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1988 | Notre Dame | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1987 | Miami (Fla.) | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1986 | Penn State | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1985 | Oklahoma | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1984 | Brigham Young | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1983 | Miami (Fla.) | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1982 | Penn State | AP, FWAA, NFF, USA/CNN, UPI |
| 1981 | Clemson | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1980 | Georgia | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1979 | Alabama | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1978 | Alabama, Southern California | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1977 | Notre Dame | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1976 | Pittsburgh | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1975 | Oklahoma | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1974 | Southern California, Oklahoma | FWAA, NFF, UPI, AP |
| 1973 | Notre Dame, Alabama | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1972 | Southern California | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1971 | Nebraska | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1970 | Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, NFF |
| 1969 | Texas | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1968 | Ohio State | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1967 | Southern California | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1966 | Notre Dame, Michigan State | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI, NFF |
| 1965 | Michigan State, Alabama | FWAA, NFF, UPI, AP |
| 1964 | Alabama, Arkansas, Notre Dame | AP, UPI, FWAA, NFF |
| 1963 | Texas | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1962 | Southern California | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1961 | Alabama, Ohio State | AP, NFF, UPI, FWAA |
| 1960 | Minnesota, Mississippi | AP, NFF, UPI, FWAA |
| 1959 | Syracuse | AP, FWAA, NFF, UPI |
| 1958 | LSU, Iowa | AP, UPI, FWAA |
| 1957 | Ohio State, Auburn | FWAA, UPI, AP |
| 1956 | Oklahoma | AP, FWAA, UPI |
| 1955 | Oklahoma | AP, FWAA, UPI |
| 1954 | UCLA, Ohio State | FWAA, UPI, AP |
| 1953 | Maryland | AP, UPI |
| 1952 | Michigan State | AP, UPI |
| 1951 | Tennessee | AP, UPI |
| 1950 | Oklahoma | AP, UPI |
| 1949 | Notre Dame | AP |
| 1948 | Michigan | AP |
| 1947 | Notre Dame | AP |
| 1946 | Notre Dame | AP |
| 1945 | Army | AP |
| 1944 | Army | AP |
| 1943 | Notre Dame | AP |
| 1942 | Ohio State | AP |
| 1941 | Minnesota | AP |
| 1940 | Minnesota | AP |
| 1939 | Texas A&M | AP |
| 1938 | Texas Christian | AP |
| 1937 | Pittsburgh | AP |
| 1936 | Minnesota | AP |
| 1935 | Minnesota | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1934 | Minnesota | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1933 | Michigan | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1932 | Southern California | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1931 | Southern California | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1930 | Alabama, Notre Dame | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1929 | Notre Dame | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1928 | Georgia Tech. | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1927 | Illinois, Yale | HAF, NCF, CFRA |
| 1926 | Alabama, Stanford | CFRA, HAF, NCF, HAF |
| 1925 | Alabama | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1924 | Notre Dame | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1923 | Illinois, Michigan | CFRA, HAF, NCF, NCF |
| 1922 | California, Cornell, Princeton | NCF, HAF, CFRA, NCF |
| 1921 | California, Cornell | CFRA, NCF, HAF |
| 1920 | California | CFRA, HAF, NCF |
| 1919 | Harvard, Illinois, Notre Dame, Texas A&M | CFRA, HAF, NCF, CFRA, NCF, NCF |
| 1918 | Michigan, Pittsburgh | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1917 | Georgia Tech | HAF, NCF |
| 1916 | Pittsburgh | HAF, NCF |
| 1915 | Cornell | HAF, NCF |
| 1914 | Army | HAF, NCF |
| 1913 | Harvard | HAF, NCF |
| 1912 | Harvard, Penn St. | HAF, NCF, NCF |
| 1911 | Penn State., Princeton | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1910 | Harvard, Pittsburgh | HAF, NCF, NCF |
| 1909 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1908 | LSU, Pennsylvania | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1907 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1906 | Princeton | HAF, NCF |
| 1905 | Chicago | HAF, NCF |
| 1904 | Michigan, Pennsylvania | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1903 | Michigan, Princeton | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1902 | Michigan | HAF, NCF |
| 1901 | Michigan | HAF, NCF |
| 1900 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1899 | Harvard | HAF, NCF |
| 1898 | Harvard | HAF, NCF |
| 1897 | Pennsylvania | HAF, NCF |
| 1896 | Lafayette, Princeton | NCF, HAF, NCF |
| 1895 | Pennsylvania | HAF, NCF |
| 1894 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1893 | Princeton | HAF, NCF |
| 1892 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1891 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1890 | Harvard | HAF, NCF |
| 1889 | Princeton | HAF, NCF |
| 1888 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1887 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1886 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1885 | Princeton | HAF, NCF |
| 1884 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1883 | Yale | HAF, NCF |
| 1882 | Yale | NCF |
| 1881 | Yale | NCF |
| 1880 | Princeton, Yale | NCF, NCF |
| 1879 | Princeton | NCF |
| 1878 | Princeton | NCF |
| 1877 | Yale | NCF |
| 1876 | Yale | NCF |
| 1875 | Harvard | NCF |
| 1874 | Yale | NCF |
| 1873 | Princeton | NCF |
| 1872 | Princeton | NCF |
| 1871 | None selected | NCF |
| 1870 | Princeton | NCF |
| 1869 | Princeton, Rutgers | NCF |
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