If you’re waking up on this Friday, January 16, 2026, and reaching for the remote to find some afternoon gridiron action, I’ve got a bit of a "good news, bad news" situation for you.
The short answer? No. There are no actual college football games on today.
It feels a little weird, right? We’ve spent the last few months conditioned to expect games on Thursday nights, Friday nights, and all-day Saturday marathons. But we are currently in that strange, quiet pocket of the postseason—the deep breath before the final plunge. The 12-team playoff bracket has been whittled down to just two survivors, and they’re currently tucked away in South Florida getting ready for the biggest night of their lives.
Why the lights are dark tonight
Basically, the schedule-makers at the NCAA and the College Football Playoff (CFP) committee have a specific rhythm for the new 12-team format. We just finished a wild semifinal round. On January 8, we saw No. 10 Miami edge out Ole Miss 31-27 in a Fiesta Bowl thriller. The very next night, January 9, No. 1 Indiana steamrolled Oregon 55-22 in the Peach Bowl to keep their perfect season alive.
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Since then? Radio silence on the field.
This ten-day gap between the semifinals and the National Championship is intentional. It gives the players time to heal their bodies—because let's be real, a 15 or 16-game season is brutal—and it gives the fans time to descend upon Miami.
What's actually happening in the world of college football today
Just because there isn't a kickoff doesn't mean the sport is dead today. Far from it.
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If you happen to be in South Florida, the 2026 CFP National Championship events officially kick off today, Friday, Jan. 16. Playoff Fan Central is opening up at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It’s basically a massive theme park for football nerds. You’ve got interactive games, clinics, and those weirdly addictive stations where you can try to kick a 20-yard field goal and realize it's way harder than it looks on TV.
Also, keep an eye on the news cycle today. This is the big "Media Day" window. You'll see Indiana coach Curt Cignetti and Miami’s Mario Cristobal doing the rounds. Expect a lot of talk about:
- The "High School" Connection: Honestly, the coolest subplot this year is that Miami’s QB, Indiana’s QB, and even the Indiana backup all played at the same high school in Miami (Christopher Columbus High).
- The "Home" Underdog: Miami is playing in their own backyard at Hard Rock Stadium, yet they are technically the visiting team and a significant betting underdog against the undefeated Hoosiers.
- Injury Reports: Everyone is watching the status of the trenches. At this point in January, everyone is playing through something, but today is when we usually get the "probables" and "questionables" for Monday.
When is the next game?
You don't have much longer to wait, but you won't find a game tomorrow or Sunday either. The schedule is locked in for Monday, January 19, 2026.
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That’s the big one. The College Football Playoff National Championship between No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami.
Game Details for Monday:
- Matchup: Miami Hurricanes vs. Indiana Hoosiers
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
- TV Channel: ESPN (with the usual "MegaCast" options on other ESPN networks)
Indiana is currently sitting as about an 8.5-point favorite. It makes sense—they are 15-0 and have looked like a freight train all year. But Miami is the "team of destiny" this season, having survived as the last seed in the playoff and winning three straight upsets to get here.
Actionable steps for your Friday
Since you can't watch a game today, here is how you can actually prep for the title game:
- Check your DVR: Make sure your recording is set for Monday night on ESPN. These games often run late, so add an extra hour to the end of the recording just in case we go to overtime like the 2025 quarterfinals did.
- Scout the rosters: Take ten minutes to look up the Mendoza brothers (Indiana) and Malachi Toney (Miami). These are the names that will dominate the broadcast on Monday.
- Handle your Monday chores today: Look, Monday night is for the couch. Get your grocery shopping or that annoying project done this afternoon so you can actually enjoy the final game of the year without guilt.
The wait is almost over. Enjoy the quiet while it lasts, because Monday night in Miami is going to be absolute chaos.