Bowl season kicks off with a bang
ESPN Events has unveiled the 2026‑27 college football bowl schedule, confirming 17 postseason games that span 10 FBS and two FCS conferences. The action begins on Dec. 12 with the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta, setting the stage for a month‑long showcase of college football’s finest.
Alongside the traditional December lineup, four early‑season kickoff games will test teams before the holiday rush. The Liberty Mutual Music City Kickoff opens the season on Sept. 6, pitting Louisville against Ole Miss, while the FCS Kickoff and the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge Kickoff promise additional high‑profile matchups to start the year.
Holiday bowl highlights and milestone celebrations
December brings a packed slate of bowl games, including the Isleta New Mexico Bowl and the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl on Dec. 24, followed by the JLab Birmingham Bowl marking its 20th anniversary on Dec. 29. New Year’s Eve will feature a doubleheader headlined by the Las Vegas Bowl and Kinder’s Texas Bowl, before the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl wraps up the postseason on Jan. 2.
While the schedule offers a festive array of contests, ESPN Events cautions that dates and venues remain subject to change. Further details, including broadcast information and ticket sales, will be announced after the bowl selections are finalized in December.