It’s been a long time coming, but the 12-team College Football Playoff era finally kicks off this weekend with four great first-round matchups.
Whether you’re a casual observer or a diehard fan, there’s a bounty of storylines to follow in every game. Blueblood teams like Ohio State and Texas just missed a bye, but they’ll still host raucous home games in Columbus and Austin. On the other end, upstarts like SMU and Indiana will try to snag the upset against similarly fierce competition.
Can Ohio State shake the yips and bad vibes? Which underdog could sneak into the quarterfinals? Here’s everything you’ll need to know about watching every 2024 College Football Playoff first-round game.
Watch College Football Playoff first-round games for free
Looking for free ways to watch the 2024 College Football Playoff first-round games? As part of some offseason wheeling and dealing, the games will be split between TNT, Max, ABC, and ESPN.
You can watch Indiana vs. Notre Dame and Tennessee vs. Ohio State for free with an over-the-air (OTA) antenna like the Mohu Leaf 50, since they’ll be simulcast on ABC. Antennas allow you to watch national networks like ABC without a TV subscription.
However, we’d recommend Fubo for most people because it carries TNT, ABC, and ESPN. It also has a great seven-day free trial for new customers and availability on most major smart TV platforms. Check out our full Fubo Free Trial guide to learn more.
ESPN First Round Megacast schedule
As with every college football postseason game, ESPN’s wheeling the Megacast out of storage for both first-round games. Here’s what you can expect across every ESPN platform on Friday and Saturday night.
Indiana vs. Notre Dame Megacast Schedule (Friday, Dec. 20 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN/ABC)
Tennessee vs. Ohio State Megacast Schedule (Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8:00 p.m. ET)
How to watch College Football Playoff first-round games
The Battle for Indiana kicks off with Friday’s opening night matchup between Notre Dame and Indiana. Both teams sport identical 11–1 records and racked up wins in a similar fashion.
The Hoosiers mostly ran roughshod through a manageable schedule, but their lone blemishes were a narrow win against Michigan and a tough Ohio State loss. As for the Irish, they rebounded from their early-season Northern Illinois upset to the tune of 11 straight wins.
Oddsmakers still have the taste of Indiana’s Ohio State loss in their mouth, as the Hoosiers are touchdown dogs to Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman’s club should be able to take care of business on Friday. But Indiana will need a clean game from Kurtis Rouke, along with their running game and special teams, if they hope to pull the upset.
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SMU snuck into this year’s playoff bracket after their narrow loss to Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, but they got rewarded with one of the first round’s toughest draws.
Penn State handled its business this year, as the Nittany Lions’ sole losses have been to Ohio State and Oregon. The Penn State offense also hit another gear against Oregon, as their 518 offensive yards tied a season-high against Power 4/non-Purdue opponents.
But SMU could make things interesting against Penn State. The Mustangs rank fourth in rushing defense with only 93.4 yards allowed per game, and quarterback Kevin Jennings can handle his business if Penn State’s Abdul Carter can get into the backfield.
Based on positive EPA rate versus pressure, SMU's Kevin Jennings has been the most consistent QB versus pressure among this year's playoff participants.
— CFB Film Room (@CFBFilmRoom) December 10, 2024
On the flip side, Georgia's offense has been derailed by pressure this season. pic.twitter.com/FGmYU9LXrf
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Speaking of ACC teams backing into playoff bids! Clemson’s looked the part of its 9–3 record this year, but they grabbed the last auto-bid after winning the ACC Conference Championship Game. Accordingly, there are more than a few reasons why the Tigers are this weekend’s biggest underdogs (to the tune of 11.5 points as of this writing).
Texas is coming off of another chokeout against Georgia. But Bulldogs notwithstanding, their defense remains elite, and their offense has enough firepower to dominate lesser opponents. Clemson’s offense has its share of playmakers but cooled off in the back half of the season.
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The first round wraps up on Saturday night with a doozy of a primetime matchup.
Tennessee had a respectable 10–2 record that was headlined by a win over Alabama, although they suffered bad losses to Arkansas and Georgia. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava went through his share of growing pains this season, but the Vols passing game ended the year with two four-touchdown games against UTEP and Vanderbilt.
By comparison, the vibes in Columbus remain downright subterranean after last month’s loss to Michigan. The Buckeyes have the talent to match up with anyone in the country, but they’ll have their work cut out for them against a Vols defense that ranks top 10 in multiple metrics.
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How to watch College Football Playoff first-round games FAQ
When are the College Football Playoff first-round games?
This year’s first-round games start Friday, Dec. 20, with Notre Dame vs. Indiana and end Saturday, Dec. 21, with Tennessee vs. Ohio State.
Where can I watch the College Football Playoff first-round games for free?
You can watch the Indiana–Notre Dame and Tennessee–Ohio State games free on ABC using an OTA antenna. Otherwise, a free streaming trial to a service like Fubo will get you all four first-round games.
What channel is the College Football Playoff first-round game on?
Friday’s Indiana vs. Notre Dame game will air on ABC and ESPN. On Saturday, Clemson vs. Texas, Ohio State vs. Indiana, and SMU vs. Penn State will be split between TNT and Max or ABC and ESPN.
Why you should trust us
Our sports experts created this guide by researching this year’s College Football Playoff first-round game schedule and channel details. We verified the TV information with official broadcast sources and analyzed the best viewing options. Additionally, we examined team stats and storylines to provide an in-depth preview of the matchup.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
