You've probably been flipping through the channels today, Saturday, January 18, 2026, looking for a kickoff. It's that mid-January itch. The air is cold, the NFL is in full "Divisional Round" mode, and you’re wondering where the heck the college kids are.
Honestly? There aren't any college football bowl games today on TV.
It feels wrong. For decades, January was the month where you couldn't throw a rock without hitting a bowl game. But the new 12-team playoff format changed the rhythm of the season. We just finished a wild slate of semifinals, and now we're in the "eye of the storm" before the big one.
The National Championship Gap
The reason your TV is currently dominated by the NFL (specifically the Texans vs. Patriots and Rams vs. Bears today) is because the College Football Playoff (CFP) is protecting its biggest asset.
No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami have already punched their tickets.
Indiana is coming off a massive 56-22 win over Oregon in the Peach Bowl, while Miami outlasted Ole Miss 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl. They need the week to heal up. More importantly, ESPN and the CFP aren't about to compete with a Sunday NFL playoff triple-header. That’s ratings suicide.
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Instead of a bowl game today, we have the "Preview Sunday." You’ll see a lot of Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on SportsCenter, but no live snaps.
What happened to the "January 1st or Bust" rule?
Remember when every meaningful game happened on New Year's Day? That’s dead.
With the 12-team expansion, the schedule is stretched thin. The quarterfinals happened on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day (the Rose, Sugar, Orange, and Cotton Bowls). Then we had a week-long wait for the semifinals on January 8th and 9th. Now, we are in a ten-day dead zone leading up to the title game.
It’s a long wait. Fans are divided on it. Some love the anticipation; others think the "bowl season" magic dissipates when the gaps are this long.
When does the next game actually start?
If you're looking for college football bowl games today on TV, you actually have to wait about 24 hours. The CFP National Championship kicks off tomorrow:
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- Date: Monday, January 19, 2026
- Matchup: No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: ESPN
This game is basically a home game for the Hurricanes, as it’s being played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Fun fact: This is the first time in the modern playoff era that a team is playing for the title in its own regular-season stadium.
Miami is the "visiting" team on paper because Indiana is the higher seed. It's weird, but that's the rulebook for you.
What about the "Small" Bowls?
Most of the non-playoff bowls—the ones sponsored by lawnmowers or potato chips—wrapped up before the second week of January. The Celebration Bowl and Armed Forces Bowl are distant memories at this point.
The only things left after tomorrow’s title game are the all-star showcases.
- East-West Shrine Bowl: January 27, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. ET (NFL Network).
- Senior Bowl: January 31, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. ET (NFL Network).
These aren't "bowl games" in the traditional sense. They are glorified job interviews for the NFL Draft. Still, if you're a degenerate for the sport, it's the last taste of college ball you'll get until August.
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Why Miami vs. Indiana is a "Unicorn" Matchup
Most people expected Georgia, Ohio State, or Alabama to be here.
They aren't.
Indiana is 15-0. Let that sink in. A program that was the doormat of the Big Ten for decades is now the favorite to win it all. Curt Cignetti has done something that seems like a glitch in a video game.
Miami, led by Mario Cristobal, finally broke the "underachiever" curse. They entered the playoff as a No. 10 seed and knocked off the heavy hitters to get here. It’s the "Cornfed vs. Convicts" vibe, as some local radio hosts are calling it, though that's a bit of an old-school throwback to the 80s.
Actionable Steps for Today
Since there’s no live college action today, here is how you should prep for the Monday night finale:
- Check the Injury Reports: Keep an eye on the "Mendoza brothers" (Fernando and Alberto) for Miami. Their health is the biggest question mark heading into Hard Rock Stadium.
- Update Your Apps: If you aren't near a TV tomorrow, make sure your ESPN app is updated and your login for "WatchESPN" or your cable provider is ready. The National Championship usually crashes a few streams in the first quarter.
- Watch the NFL Divisional Games: Today is basically a scouting trip. Many of the guys you see on the Texans or Bears today were playing in these exact bowl games three years ago.
- Set the DVR: Tomorrow's kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET, but the actual "real" kickoff usually doesn't happen until 7:45 p.m. after the anthem and the flyovers. Plan your dinner accordingly.
The wait is almost over. Today is for the pros; tomorrow is for the history books.