College football

College football bowl games: Who plays today, Friday Dec. 19? Teams, times and matchups

Oklahoma and Alabama headline Friday’s bowl-season schedule, as the 2025-26 College Football Playoff gets underway.

James Lang

British journalist and translator who joined Diario AS in 2013. Focuses on soccer – chiefly the Premier League, LaLiga, the Champions League, the Liga MX and MLS. On occasion, also covers American sports, general news and entertainment. Fascinated by the language of sport – particularly the under-appreciated art of translating cliché-speak.

Update: Dec 19th, 2025 04:20 EST

A trio of games are on Friday’s bowl-season slate - including the opening clash in the College Football Playoff first round.

CFP curtain-raiser follows Myrtle, Gasparilla Bowls

In the day’s final matchup, the Oklahoma Sooners host the Alabama Crimson Tide in a CFP showdown between the tournament’s eighth and ninth seeds, with a quarterfinal place at stake.

The 10-2 Sooners are chasing their first national championship since 2000; the 10-3 Crimson Tide, on the other hand, is bidding to win its seventh title this century, and its fourth since the CFP format was introduced in 2014.

Tighten the stitches. It’s Playoff time.#CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/lGqkbgg2Lv
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) December 18, 2025

Earlier, Friday’s play kicks off with the sixth edition of the Myrtle Bowl, which sees the 10-3 Kennesaw State Owls take on the 9-4 Western Michigan Broncos in Conway, South Carolina. Both teams are making their debut at the event.

The action then moves to Tampa, where the 8-4 Memphis Tigers and the 7-5 NC State Wolfpack will each be making their second appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl. NC State won the game’s 2014 edition - beating the UCF Knights 34-37 - while the Tigers were beaten in the event’s inaugural iteration.

Big energy, big crowds, and two fanbases ready to bring the heat. We’re just getting started.

If you had fun at the Block Party tonight, join us tomorrow from 11–2 for the @RedditCFB Fan Invasion!

More fans. More hype. More Gasparilla energy leading you straight into kickoff. pic.twitter.com/8NOP9ARHf9
— Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (@GasparillaBowl) December 19, 2025

Friday, Dec. 19 - full bowl-season schedule:

Myrtle Beach Bowl: Kennesaw State vs Western Michigan

Where: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC

When: 11:00 a.m. ET/8:00 a.m. PT

How to watch: ESPN

Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs North Carolina State

Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

When: 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT

How to watch: ESPN

CFP first round: Oklahoma vs Alabama

Where: Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK

When: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT

How to watch: ESPN/ABC

You can stream ESPN and ABC on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free, introductory trial.

Who’s playing tomorrow, Dec. 20?

CFP first round: Texas A&M vs Miami (FL)

Where: Kyle Field, College Station, TX

When: 12 noon ET/9:00 a.m. PT

How to watch: ESPN/ABC

CFP first round: Ole Miss vs Tulane

Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, MS

When: 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT

How to watch: TNT/HBOMax/truTV

CFP first round: Oregon vs James Madison

Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR

When: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT

How to watch: TNT/HBO Max/truTV

Bowl season 2025-26 - results so far:

Saturday, Dec. 13:

Celebration Bowl: South Carolina State 40-38 Prairie View A&M
L.A. Bowl: Washington 38-10 Boise State

Tuesday, Dec. 16:

Salute to Veterans Bowl: Jacksonville State 17-3 Troy

Wednesday, Dec. 17:

Cure Bowl: Old Dominion 24-10 South Florida
68 Ventures Bowl: Delaware 20-13 Louisiana

Thursday, Dec. 18:

Xbox Bowl: Arkansas State 34-28 Missouri State