College Football Schedule December 13, 2025
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (OnFocus) – College football enters an unusual pause this weekend. The sport moves from the end of the regular season into the first stage of bowl action, but with the expanded playoff still a few days away, today carries a mix of pageantry and opening festivities rather than high stakes. The College Football Playoff first round will not begin until December 19, which creates a small gap in the schedule. That gap gives today’s games more room to breathe, and each one brings something different to the table.
Key Games Today:
Cricket Celebration Bowl (FCS/HBCU championship): South Carolina State vs.
Prairie View A&M
Time: Noon ET
TV: ABC
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Army vs. Navy (FBS, America’s Game rivalry)
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Bucked Up LA Bowl (FBS): Boise State vs. Washington
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ABC
Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
The 2025–26 bowl season opens with the Cricket Celebration Bowl, which serves as the championship game for the top HBCU programs. South Carolina State meets Prairie View A&M at noon ET on ABC inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The matchup often draws wide attention since it gives both fan bases a national stage and delivers one of the sport’s most vibrant atmospheres.
The afternoon shifts to a tradition that stands alone on the calendar. Army and Navy meet at 3 p.m. ET on CBS, this year at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. The rivalry sits apart from the rest of the sport since it closes the regular season and focuses on ceremony as much as competition. It also arrives during this quiet stretch before the playoff begins, so the game is able to command the spotlight.
The night window brings the Bucked Up LA Bowl, where Boise State faces Washington at SoFi Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Early bowls can be unpredictable as teams adjust to coaching changes, roster movement, or the long break since their final regular season game. That unpredictability often makes these opening contests fun viewing for fans settling in for a full month of football.
There are also FCS quarterfinal matchups taking place across the weekend. These games continue the march toward the FCS title, but they run in parallel with the top tier of the sport and usually share the stage instead of dominating it. With no FBS playoff games slated for today, the spotlight stays on the bowl openers and the Army-Navy rivalry.
This weekend marks the calm before the postseason storm. The playoff arrives soon, but today’s slate offers its own mix of tradition, celebration, and early bowl intrigue. Enjoy the games.