You’re staring at the fridge, trying to decide if it’s too early to start the wings, while your group chat is blowing up with three different kickoff times. It’s a mess. Honestly, trying to figure out what time are the football games shouldn't feel like solving a calculus equation, but between the NFL’s international expansion and college football’s chaotic new conference alignments, the schedule is all over the place.
Timing is everything.
If you're a fan of the NFL, you’ve got a very specific rhythm to follow, but that rhythm gets interrupted the moment a game kicks off in London or Munich at 9:30 AM Eastern. For the college crowd, it’s even weirder now that Big Ten teams are playing in Pacific Time and former Pac-12 teams are waking up for "Big Noon Kickoff" on the East Coast.
The Standard NFL Window: When the Pros Take the Field
Most people asking what time are the football games are looking for that classic Sunday afternoon slate. In the NFL, the "early window" almost always starts at 1:00 PM ET. This is the bulk of the action. If you’re on the West Coast, you’re eating breakfast with your football, because that’s a 10:00 AM start for you.
The "late window" is where things get a bit flexible. Usually, you’re looking at a 4:05 PM ET or 4:25 PM ET start. That twenty-minute difference actually matters for the networks—CBS and Fox juggle these starts to make sure they don't have "dead air" between the early games ending and the marquee matchups beginning.
Then there’s the primetime stuff.
Sunday Night Football on NBC is a staple. It’s almost always an 8:20 PM ET kickoff. Monday Night Football follows a similar pattern at 8:15 PM ET, though ESPN has started doing these "doubleheaders" where games might overlap or start at 7:30 PM ET. It’s annoying. You basically have to keep two screens going if you want to see everything.
👉 See also: Why the Marlins Won World Series Titles Twice and Then Disappeared
College Football’s Triple Threat Schedule
College football is a different beast entirely. It’s a marathon that starts at noon and ends when the sun is coming up on the East Coast.
The "Noon Slate" is the first big hurdle. Programs like Big Noon Kickoff on Fox have turned the 12:00 PM ET slot into one of the most-watched windows of the day. If you’re a fan of a team like Michigan or Ohio State, you’re used to this. But if you’re a UCLA fan playing an away game at Rutgers, that 9:00 AM local start time feels downright criminal.
Mid-afternoon games usually land around 3:30 PM ET. This is the "CBS Window" (though now widely shared with ABC/ESPN after the recent TV deal shifts). This is usually the Game of the Week.
Then we get into the night games.
7:00 PM, 7:30 PM, or 8:00 PM ET—take your pick. The atmosphere is better, the lights are on, and the crowd is usually three drinks deeper. But wait. There’s more. The "Pac-12 After Dark" vibe hasn't totally died just because the conference dissolved. We still see Mountain West or ACC/Big 12 matchups kicking off at 10:00 PM or 10:30 PM ET.
International Games and the 9:30 AM ET Wildcard
We have to talk about the London and Germany games.
✨ Don't miss: Why Funny Fantasy Football Names Actually Win Leagues
When the NFL goes overseas, the question of what time are the football games gets a very weird answer: 9:30 AM ET. For folks in California, that’s 6:30 AM. That is an absurd time to watch football, yet millions do it. These games are usually standalone broadcasts on NFL Network or Disney+, meaning there's no competition. It’s just you, your coffee, and a stadium full of British fans wearing jerseys of teams that aren't even playing in that game.
Why Do Kickoff Times Keep Changing?
Flex scheduling. It’s the bane of every fan who tries to plan a tailgate three weeks in advance.
The NFL uses "flexible scheduling" for Sunday Night Football to ensure they don't end up with a blowout between two losing teams in December. Starting in Week 5, the league can move games from the afternoon to primetime. They even started doing this with Thursday Night Football and Monday Night Football recently, though with more restrictions.
Broadcasters like NBC, Fox, and CBS have "protected" games, but at the end of the day, the league wants the highest ratings. If a matchup looks like a dud, they’ll slide it to 1:00 PM and move a divisional rivalry into the spotlight.
How to Check Your Specific Game Time Today
If you’re looking for a specific kickoff right now, the most reliable sources are the direct league sites.
- NFL.com/schedules: This is the source of truth. It will usually auto-detect your time zone, which saves you from doing the "Eastern minus three" math in your head.
- ESPN App: Good for real-time updates, especially if a game is in a weather delay.
- The Athletic: They often provide "how to watch" guides that include the announcing crews, which is a nice touch if you’re trying to avoid certain commentators.
Weather is the big variable. A lightning strike within eight miles of the stadium triggers an automatic 30-minute delay. If you see a game that was supposed to start at 1:00 PM still showing "Pre-game" at 1:15, check the local radar.
🔗 Read more: Heisman Trophy Nominees 2024: The Year the System Almost Broke
Actionable Steps for the Weekend
Don't get caught off guard by a kickoff you missed.
First, sync your digital calendar. Both the NFL and major college programs offer an "ICS" file on their websites that puts every game directly into your Google or Apple calendar, adjusted for your local time. It takes ten seconds and prevents you from being the person asking "Is the game on yet?" while it's already in the second quarter.
Second, account for the 'True' kickoff. A game listed at 1:00 PM rarely sees the ball hit the tee at exactly 1:00:00. Usually, there’s about four to seven minutes of intros, anthems, and coin tosses. If you're rushing home, you usually have a five-minute grace period.
Third, verify the network. With games moving to Peacock, Amazon Prime, and Paramount+, knowing the time is only half the battle. You need to know which app to open. Prime Video is the exclusive home for Thursday Night Football, so don't go looking for it on cable.
Finally, if you're watching a game in a different time zone, double-check the 'ET' or 'PT' labels. It’s the most common mistake fans make. Most national sports media defaults to Eastern Time. If you see "8:00 PM" and you're in Chicago, remember that's 7:00 PM for you. Set your alarms accordingly.