First-round CFP locations: Where initial College Football Playoff games are held in 2024
Not only does the new College Football Playoff include 12 teams and a different seeding format, but it also includes new locations for first-round games.
In the new bracket, the higher-seeded team hosts its opponent, allowing for national championship-contention games to be set at some of college football's most historical home sites for the first time ever.
Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Indiana, SMU and Clemson will all play in the first round, with the winners set to face Oregon, Georgia, Boise State or Arizona State, each of which earned a first-round bye as the four highest-ranked conference champions this season.
Games will return to the regular New Year's Six bowl sites for the quarterfinals and semifinals of the CFP, with the national championship being held at a rotating neutral site. The national championship is at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta this season.
Here's everything to know about the first-round bowl sites for the College Football Playoff this season:
First-round CFP locations 2024
Here are the locations of each first-round game of the CFP this season:
| Matchup (bowl) | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
| No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State (CFP first round) | College Park, Pa. (Beaver Stadium) | Noon | TNT |
| No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas (CFP first round) | Austin, Texas (Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium) | 4 p.m. | TNT |
| No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State (CFP first round) | Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Stadium) | 8 p.m. | ABC |
| No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame (CFP first round) | South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame Stadium) | 8 p.m. | ABC |
What channel are CFP first-round games on?
- TV channel: TNT, ABC
- Streaming: ESPN app, Watch TNT app, Sling TV
Saturday's College Football Playoff games will air live on TNT or ABC, with streaming options available on the Watch TNT app for TNT games, the ESPN app for ABC or Sling TV, which carries TNT and ABC on its platform.
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