The calendar for college football just doesn't look the way it used to. Honestly, if you’re looking for a simple date for when is the Cotton Bowl, you have to specify which "season" you're actually talking about because the expansion of the College Football Playoff (CFP) has turned the traditional bowl schedule into a bit of a moving target. For the current cycle, fans are looking at the 90th edition of this classic game, which is officially the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
It’s happening on December 31, 2025.
That’s New Year’s Eve. While many people associate the big "New Year's Six" bowls with New Year's Day, the 2025-2026 playoff schedule has the Cotton Bowl serving as a Playoff Quarterfinal. Because the CFP expanded to 12 teams, the logistics are a nightmare for organizers and a dream for fans who want more high-stakes games. This specific matchup is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 PM CT at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. If you're planning to go, you’re looking at Jerry World in all its massive, high-definition glory.
The Shift in Timing: Why the Cotton Bowl Date Moves
Wait, didn't it used to be on New Year’s Day? Yeah, mostly. But the TV networks—specifically ESPN—and the CFP committee have to juggle a massive inventory of games now. Since the Cotton Bowl is a quarterfinal this year, it has to fit into a window that allows the winners enough time to rest before the semifinals in early January.
Football schedules are basically a giant puzzle of viewership metrics and player safety. If they played it on January 2nd, the turnaround for the next round would be too tight. Consequently, we get the New Year's Eve slot. It’s a bit of a throwback, actually. Back in the day, the Cotton Bowl was an early morning staple, the appetizer for the Rose Bowl. Now, it’s a primetime heavyweight.
Who is actually playing?
You won't know the teams until Selection Day, which is December 7, 2025. This is the part that drives travel-planning fans crazy. Because the Cotton Bowl is a quarterfinal, it will feature one of the top four seeded conference champions against a winner from the first-round "on-campus" games.
👉 See also: Why the 2025 NFL Draft Class is a Total Headache for Scouts
Imagine a scenario where a team like the Texas Longhorns or the Ohio State Buckeyes secures a top-four seed. They’d get a bye in the first round and then potentially head to Arlington. It’s basically a home game for any Big 12 or SEC team within driving distance of Dallas. The atmosphere is usually electric, but when a local powerhouse is involved, the ticket prices on the secondary market like StubHub or SeatGeek go absolutely nuclear.
A Look at the Venue: AT&T Stadium Logistics
Arlington isn't Dallas. It’s important to keep that in mind if you’re booking a hotel. If you stay in downtown Dallas, you’re looking at a 20-to-30-minute drive without traffic, which, let’s be real, doesn't exist on game day. AT&T Stadium is nestled right next to Globe Life Field (where the Rangers play) and the Texas Live! entertainment complex.
- Parking: It’s expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $125 depending on how close you want to be to the Miller Lite House entrance.
- The Screen: You’ll find yourself watching the massive 160-foot wide jumbotron even though the players are right in front of you. It’s a reflex.
- Roof Status: The Cotton Bowl is technically an "outdoor" bowl tradition, but in Arlington, it’s almost always played with the roof closed. Texas weather in late December is unpredictable. It could be 70 degrees; it could be 25 degrees with ice.
The Evolution of the "Classic"
The Cotton Bowl started in 1937 at the actual Cotton Bowl stadium at Fair Park. It’s steeped in history. We’re talking about the game where Joe Montana had the "Chicken Soup" comeback in 1979, leading Notre Dame to a win over Houston despite playing through the flu in freezing temperatures.
When the game moved to Arlington in 2010, some purists hated it. They missed the cold, the wind, and the history of Fair Park. But the move saved the bowl’s status. Without a modern, world-class stadium, the Cotton Bowl likely would have been left out of the playoff rotation. Now, it’s a permanent fixture in the elite tier of postseason college football.
What most people get wrong about the schedule
People often confuse the "Cotton Bowl" with the "Dallas Bowl" or other smaller games. There’s only one Cotton Bowl Classic. Also, don't assume the game will always be at the same time every year. Next year, when the Cotton Bowl might be a semifinal or just a regular New Year's Six game, the date will shift again.
✨ Don't miss: Liverpool FC Chelsea FC: Why This Grudge Match Still Hits Different
Consistency is dead in college football scheduling.
The 12-team playoff format means that the "when" is dictated by where the game sits in the bracket. In the 2025-2026 season, the quarterfinals are spread across December 31 and January 1. The Cotton Bowl shares its New Year's Eve date with the Orange Bowl, while the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl take their traditional January 1st spots.
Realities of Attending: Tickets and Travel
If you’re searching for when is the Cotton Bowl because you want to buy tickets, you need to act fast once the bracket is released in early December. The initial allotment goes to the participating universities and season ticket holders. Whatever is left goes to the public.
- Check the official Goodyear Cotton Bowl website for the primary ticket office.
- If it’s sold out, use verified resale sites. Beware of "speculative" tickets sold before the teams are announced; you're often paying a massive premium for a seat that might not even be in the section you want.
- Hotel rates in Arlington and Fort Worth usually spike by 40% the moment the matchup is set.
Honestly, the best way to do it is to book a "refundable" hotel room in the DFW area in November if you think your team has a shot at a top-four seed. You can always cancel if they stumble in the conference championship.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you're serious about being there for the kickoff on December 31, here is how you should handle the next few months. Don't just wait for the news to hit your feed.
🔗 Read more: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
Monitor the CFP Rankings starting in late October. The top four teams are the ones likely headed to the quarterfinal sites like the Cotton Bowl. If your team is sitting at #2 or #3, start looking at flights into DFW or Love Field. DFW is a massive hub for American Airlines, so you’ll have plenty of options, but Love Field is much closer if you're flying Southwest.
Verify your kickoff time again on Christmas week. While 6:30 PM CT is the slotted time, TV networks have been known to tweak windows by 30 minutes to accommodate the preceding games. Nothing is worse than arriving at the stadium during the second quarter because the pre-game traffic was worse than expected and the game started earlier than you thought.
Gear up for the weather. Even though the game is indoors, the tailgate won't be. Texas "Northers" can drop the temperature 30 degrees in an hour. Layering is your friend.
Ultimately, the Cotton Bowl remains one of the "Big Ones." Whether it’s a quarterfinal or a semifinal, the prestige remains. Just make sure you’re in your seat by 6:00 PM on New Year's Eve, or you're going to miss one of the most intense atmospheres in American sports.