NFL-CFP Scheduling Clash Returns, and TNT Sports Takes Hit Again

The NFL, for a second consecutive year, is set to clash with the first round of the College Football Playoff, and TNT Sports will once again have to compete with the NFL for viewers while ABC and ESPN avoid the head-to-head conflicts, despite some scheduling shifts.

This week, the NFL released the kickoff times for its Week 16 Saturday doubleheader on Dec. 20, the same day three of the four first-round CFP games will be played. Here’s the schedule (all times ET):

• Noon: CFP first round (ABC/ESPN)
• 3:30 p.m.: CFP first round (TNT Sports)
• 5 p.m.: Eagles-Commanders (Fox)
• 7:30 p.m.: CFP first round (TNT Sports)
• 8:20 p.m.: Packers-Bears (Fox)

ABC and ESPN are also simulcasting a CFP first-round game on Dec. 19 at 8 p.m. CFP first-round games will be announced Sunday after the final rankings are revealed.

Not Quite Déjà Vu

The NFL vs. CFP schedule looks a little different than it did last year, when the NFL significantly outdrew the CFP games it went head-to-head with:

• Noon: Penn State 38, SMU 10: 6.4 million (TNT Sports)
• 1 p.m.: Chiefs 27, Texans 19: 15.5 million (NBC)
• 4 p.m.: Texas 38, Clemson 24: 8.6 million (TNT Sports)
• 4:30 p.m.: Ravens 34, Steelers 17: 15.4 million (Fox)

In other first-round CFP action last year, ABC and ESPN drew 13.4 million viewers for Notre Dame’s 27–17 win over Indiana on Friday night, and 14.3 million viewers for Ohio State’s 42–17 victory over Tennessee in prime time Saturday. Those games did not overlap with any NFL broadcasts.

ESPN, the CFP’s sole media-rights holder since its inception in 2014, last year struck a sublicensing deal with TNT Sports for two first-round games in 2024 and 2025, and then an additional two quarterfinal games starting in 2026. ESPN is also expected to give TNT Sports one CFP semifinal game in 2026–28.