Football’s Biggest Month Is Here
Look, the calendar says January 2026, which means if you aren't parked on your couch with a bag of wings, you're basically doing winter wrong. But honestly, keeping track of when is the football playoffs has become a nightmare. Between the NFL expanding its schedule and the College Football Playoff (CFP) blowing up into a 12-team bracket, the old "just check the weekend after New Year's" rule is dead.
The dates are scattered. The channels are changing. If you're looking for the short answer: the pro playoffs started January 10, and the college kids wrap it all up on January 19. But there is a lot of nuance in between those two dates.
The NFL Playoff Roadmap for 2026
We are right in the thick of it. The regular season wrapped up on January 4, 2026, and "Super Wild Card Weekend" already took a bite out of the field. If you’re trying to plan your life for the next few weeks, here is the actual flow of the 2026 NFL postseason.
Divisional Round: January 17–18
This is arguably the best weekend in all of sports. Four games, two days, and the top seeds finally have to lace up.
On Saturday, January 17, we have a double-header. The Buffalo Bills travel to Mile High to face the Denver Broncos at 4:30 p.m. ET. Later that night, the San Francisco 49ers take on the Seattle Seahawks at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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Sunday, January 18, is just as heavy. The Houston Texans are at the New England Patriots for a 3:05 p.m. ET kickoff. Then, to close the weekend, the Los Angeles Rams face the Chicago Bears at 6:40 p.m. ET. It’s a gauntlet.
Conference Championships: January 25
The AFC and NFC title games are both on Sunday, January 25. The AFC kicks off first at 3:05 p.m. ET on CBS, followed by the NFC at 6:40 p.m. ET on FOX.
Super Bowl LX: February 8
The whole circus moves to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Kickoff is usually around 6:30 p.m. ET. NBC has the broadcast this year, so expect a heavy dose of Peacock streaming ads during the commercials.
College Football’s New 12-Team Chaos
If the NFL feels predictable, college football is the complete opposite. The 2025-26 season is the second year of the 12-team format, and it has been absolute mayhem. We’re down to the final two teams now, but the path here was wild.
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The Quarterfinals happened on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. We saw the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl return to their former glory, but the big shocker was the Semifinals.
- January 8 (Fiesta Bowl): Miami (FL) outlasted Ole Miss 31–27.
- January 9 (Peach Bowl): Indiana absolutely dismantled Oregon 56–22.
The College Football Playoff National Championship is set for Monday, January 19, 2026. It’s happening at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. No. 1 Indiana versus No. 10 Miami. A 10-seed in the title game? That’s exactly why they expanded the bracket.
Why the Dates Keep Shifting
You’ve probably noticed that the "Monday Night Wild Card" game is now a permanent fixture. The NFL realized people will watch football on a Monday night even if they have work the next morning. It’s about the ratings.
In the college world, they’ve had to move games to avoid NFL overlaps. This is why you saw a playoff game on a Wednesday (December 31). It feels weird to watch a high-stakes CFP game in the middle of a work week, but that’s the reality of the 12-team era.
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How to Actually Watch These Games
Stop assuming every game is on "regular" TV. It’s 2026; the streaming wars are won in the trenches of the playoffs.
- The NFL Slate: You need access to CBS, FOX, NBC, and ESPN/ABC. But specifically, keep an eye on Peacock and Amazon Prime. Amazon had the exclusive rights to that Packers-Bears Wild Card game, and Peacock is the primary home for the Super Bowl's digital stream.
- The College Slate: ESPN still owns the CFP. If you have the ESPN app or a cable login, you’re good. The National Championship on the 19th will be an "ESPN Megacast," meaning you’ll have about twelve different ways to watch it across their various channels.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to make sure you don't miss the kickoff for the Divisional round or the CFP title, do these three things right now:
- Sync your digital calendar: Go to the official NFL or CFP websites and use their "Add to Calendar" feature. It automatically adjusts for your time zone so you aren't doing "Eastern Time math" at 2:00 p.m.
- Check your streaming logins: Don't wait until 5 minutes before kickoff to realize your Peacock subscription lapsed or you forgot your Amazon password.
- Set your DVR for the "Manningcast": For the remaining Monday night action (like the Texans/Steelers game we just saw), the alternate broadcast is often more entertaining than the standard one.
The 2026 playoffs are proving that any seed can win. Whether it’s Miami’s Cinderella run in college or the 6-seed 49ers pushing deep into the NFL bracket, the next three weeks are going to be loud. Get your snacks ready.