Where is College GameDay? How to watch ESPN kick off the College Football Playoff

What you need to know as College GameDay and ESPN hit the road to help kick off the first round of the College Football Playoff action in 2025.
ESPN and College GameDay are in town to help kick off the first round of the College Football Playoff.
ESPN and College GameDay are in town to help kick off the first round of the College Football Playoff. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Where is College GameDay this week? ESPN and College GameDay hit the road again this weekend, planting their flag in SEC country in anticipation of the big showdown between Texas A&M and Miami in the first round postseason game as part of the wider College Football Playoff festivities.

The network’s flagship college football program will air live from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, Dec. 20 ahead of the showdown between the Aggies and the Hurricanes and the other 2025 playoff games across the country.

What's on for the College Football Playoff first round

Where is College GameDay? How to watch ESPN kick off the College Football Playoff today
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

All times Eastern

Miami at Texas A&M

An ACC vs. SEC matchup between two solid defenses that failed to play for their respective conference championships. A&M has a strong home-field edge, but the Hurricanes boast serious skill weapons. 12 p.m. on ABC/ESPN

More: Texas A&M vs. Miami prediction

Tulane at Ole Miss

A rematch of a 45-10 win for the Rebels from earlier this year, but this time much more is on the line and without Lane Kiffin on the sideline after he bolted for the LSU gig. 3:30 p.m. on TNT

More: Ole Miss vs. Tulane prediction

James Madison at Oregon

The game with the biggest point spread as the Ducks are roughly three-touchdown favorites over the Dukes, but this is the moment for the Sun Belt champs to show they belong here. 7:30 p.m. on TNT

More: Oregon vs. James Madison prediction

College GameDay in 2025

Where is College GameDay? ESPN kicks off the College Football Playoff
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN and College GameDay were on site for the most consequential conference championship event of the season, as Georgia and Alabama faced off for the SEC title.

True home teams have dominated with College GameDay in town this season, with those schools enjoying a 10-4 overall advantage so far in the 2025 campaign. Good news for the Aggies?

Championship Week: Atlanta Ga. for the SEC Championship Game... Georgia def. Alabama, 28-7

Week 14: Ann Arbor, Mich... Ohio State def. Michigan, 27-9

Week 13: Eugene, Ore... Oregon def. USC, 42-27

Week 12: Pittsburgh, Pa... Notre Dame def. Pittsburgh, 37-15

Week 11: Lubbock, Tex... Texas Tech def. BYU, 29-7

Week 10: Salt Lake City, Utah... Utah def. Cincinnati, 45-14

Week 9: Nashville, Tenn... Vanderbilt def. Missouri, 17-10

Week 8: Athens, Ga... Georgia def. Ole Miss, 43-35

Week 7: Eugene, Ore... Indiana def. Oregon, 30-20

Week 6: Tuscaloosa, Ala... Alabama def. Vanderbilt, 30-14

Week 5: State College, Pa... Oregon def. Penn State, 30-24

Week 4: Miami, Fla... Miami def. Florida, 26-7

Week 3: Knoxville, Tenn... Georgia def. Tennessee, 44-41

Week 2: Norman, Okla... Oklahoma def. Michigan, 24-12

Week 1: Columbus, Ohio... Ohio State def. Texas, 14-7

How to watch College GameDay today

When: Sat., Dec. 20
Where: College Station, Tex.

Time: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network

College Football Playoff bracket

Where is College GameDay? How to watch ESPN kick off the College Football Playoff today
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

First Round Byes

No. 1 Indiana
No. 2 Ohio State
No. 3 Georgia
No. 4 Texas Tech

12 James Madison at 5 Oregon
Winner plays 4 Texas Tech

11 Tulane at 6 Ole Miss
Winner plays 3 Georgia

10 Miami at 7 Texas A&M
Winner plays 2 Ohio State

9 Alabama at 8 Oklahoma
Winner plays 1 Indiana

First team out: Notre Dame

Second team out: BYU

College Football Playoff rankings

Teams included in the College Football Playoff are in bold

  1. Indiana
  2. Ohio State
  3. Georgia
  4. Texas Tech
  5. Oregon
  6. Ole Miss
  7. Texas A&M
  8. Oklahoma
  9. Alabama
  10. Miami
  11. Notre Dame
  12. BYU
  13. Texas
  14. Vanderbilt
  15. Utah
  16. USC
  17. Arizona
  18. Michigan
  19. Virginia
  20. Tulane
  21. Houston
  22. Georgia Tech
  23. Iowa
  24. James Madison
  25. North Texas

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

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Published
James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He has covered football for a decade, previously managing several team sites and publishing national content for 247Sports.com for five years. His work has also been published on CBSSports.com. He founded College Football HQ in 2020, and the site joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022 and the On SI network in 2024.