• Loading stock data...
Sunday, August 24, 2025
The biggest names in sports media. All in one room. Buy tickets now!

CFP Title Game and Inauguration Falling on Same Day for First Time

CFP executive director Rich Clark said having the inauguration and the CFP on the same day is a “good thing” for the country.

USA Today—Imagn Images

ATLANTA — Ohio State fan JD Vance wanted to attend the College Football Playoff national championship game in Atlanta to watch the Buckeyes take on Notre Dame. But he has something else on his schedule for Monday. 

“Hopefully,” Vance, the vice president-elect, wrote on X after the Buckeyes punched their ticket on Jan. 10, “everyone is cool with me skipping the inauguration so I can go to the national title game.” 

For the first time in CFP history, the title game will take place on the same day as Inauguration Day, thanks to the new 12-team schedule. President-Elect Donald Trump’s swearing-in is slated for around noon ET indoors, at the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. Then, the CFP title game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET several hundred miles south in Atlanta. 

CFP executive director Rich Clark—himself deeply familiar with federal government operations as an Air Force lieutenant general—said having the inauguration and the CFP on the same day is a “good thing.” 

“It’s a big day for the country,” he told reporters Saturday. “And then, everybody can take a breather and watch a great football game at night—a whole different part of our American fabric. … And it’s MLK Day, which is also a significant day for all of us.” 

Earlier in the season, the first 12-team CFP rankings reveal coincided with Election Day. ESPN revealed the rankings just before the first big wave of polls closed on Nov. 5, ensuring viewers that they would be able to focus on the game and the poll results without much overlap. 

ESPN, however, has dealt with navigating CFP bracket reveals during elections before. The national championship, however, will have the inauguration as a pregame for the first time.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Nov 23, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks at quarterback Drew Allar (15) during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Private Equity Enters College Sports—Without the Equity

As college football starts, lending agreements have become PE’s best way in.

SEC Adopts 9-Game Conference Schedule As CFP Changes Loom

The conference matches schedule formats used by the Big Ten and Big 12.
Mo Vaughn

How Michael Bloomberg Jump-Started Mo Vaughn’s Business Career

The Red Sox legend had a sprawling housing empire before starting a podcast.

Featured Today

Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Sep 8, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Eric Gray (20) returns a kickoff against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium.
August 18, 2025

‘Fauxbacks’ Throw Back to a Retro Uniform That Never Existed

Many throwback jerseys are brand-new designs or “Franken-Unis.”
August 17, 2025

‘Labubu Gang’: The Creepy-Cute Dolls Sweeping Pro Sports

The creepy-cute doll is the hottest collectible—and fashion statement.
McDonald's All-American

NCAA Considers Making High School Athletes Register NIL Deals

The rule would likely be tested in court if adopted.
Justin Harrington (4) runs drills during an OU football practice in Norman, Okla., on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023.
August 21, 2025

Federal Courts Lean Toward Striking NCAA JUCO Eligibility Restrictions

A federal judge granted four West Virginia football players eligibility this year.
Pat Fitzgerald
August 21, 2025

Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern Settle Lawsuit Over Firing

Fitzgerald has insisted he had no knowledge of hazing on the team.
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
Julian Edelman
August 19, 2025

Julian Edelman: ‘Outrageous’ NIL Makes Colleges ‘Look Like an NFL Parking Lot’

The Patriots legend called the current state of college football the “Wild West.”
August 19, 2025

Virginia Tech’s Perceived $56M Budget Gap Shows New Challenges

Virginia Tech AD Whit Babcock wants a $200 million budget.
August 19, 2025

Texas AD Del Conte Signs $38M Deal, but Still Not Highest-Paid AD

Del Conte could receive another raise before the new expiration date.
Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Woodi Washington (5) runs after a reception during the Armed Forces Bowl football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Navy Midshipmen at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, Friday, Dec. 27, 2024.
August 19, 2025

Oklahoma Selling Fans Tickets to Press Conferences

Press conference tickets for the Sooners’ season opener are already sold out.