The 2025 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic promises to deliver another thrilling college football showdown as the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Miami Hurricanes in the 90th edition of this game on December 31, 2025.
No matter where your allegiances lie, I’ve got everything you need to know about watching the game live on ESPN. Read on for channel details, team info, and streaming options.
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What channel shows the Cotton Bowl?
You can watch the 2025 Cotton Bowl Classic on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, December 31.
Want radio coverage? You can listen to the Cotton Bowl’s national radio broadcast on ESPN Radio, Apple Music, SiriusXM, and TuneIn.
Cotton Bowl 2025 preview
This year’s Cotton Bowl Classic will feature two elite teams: the Ohio State Buckeyes and Miami Hurricanes.
Both teams have elite defenses. Both teams have elite quarterbacks. It’s hard to tell which team will come away with the victory.
I broke down both teams further below.
Ohio State makes a repeat Cotton Bowl appearance
The Buckeyes won the national championship last year, so there’s only one question on my mind: How hungry are they?
Ohio State went 12–1 in the regular season, earning the No. 2 seed—and the all-important first-round bye— in the College Football Playoff. So the team will be well-rested going into this CFP quarterfinal game.
The only loss the Buckeyes endured was to the still-undefeated Indiana. Before that, they won 12 straight, blowing out basically every team in the process.
The phase of Ohio State’s game that fans should watch is defense. The Buckeyes allowed just 8.2 points and 213.5 yards per game, the lowest in the entire country in both categories.
Miami pulls off the upset to advance
Miami had plenty of games this season where its defense stole the show. But nothing like what it did against Texas A&M.
The Hurricanes held an Aggies team that averaged 36.3 points per game to just one field goal en route to a 10–3 win, punching their ticket to the Cotton Bowl. It was the lowest points their defense allowed all season.
Ten points was also the lowest Miami has scored all season, and it will need much more than that to beat the Buckeyes.
Quarterback Carson Beck leads the Hurricanes with 26 touchdown passes and 3,175 passing yards. His main target is Malachi Toney, who has 89 receptions for 992 yards and eight touchdowns. CJ Daniels has seven receiving TDs.
The team’s leading rusher is Mark Fletcher Jr., who has 10 touchdowns and 857 yards heading into the Cotton Bowl.
Not done yet.
— ACC Football (@ACCFootball) December 20, 2025
Next stop: @CottonBowlGame 📍 pic.twitter.com/hCOyjCzlh3
Best Cotton Bowl TV plans
I’ve been recommending Hulu + Live TV for watching college football during the 2025–2026 season because it offers the core CFB channels and ESPN+ for comprehensive coverage. While you don’t need ESPN+ to watch the Cotton Bowl, Hulu + Live TV remains an excellent choice for following the CFB Playoffs across ESPN platforms. Just keep in mind that the live TV streaming service is a bit pricey.
If you’re only after ESPN to watch the Cotton Bowl and National Championship and don’t want to spend too much, ESPN Unlimited is the way to go. It’s the most cost-effective way to access all ESPN channels in one package, as the standalone service costs only $29.99/mo.
How to watch the Cotton Bowl FAQ
How can I stream the Cotton Bowl for free?
The only legal way to stream the Cotton Bowl for free is with a live TV streaming trial. Fubo is a great choice, offering a seven-day free trial and over 100 channels, including all ESPN networks.
When and where is the Cotton Bowl?
The 2025 Cotton Bowl will occur on Wednesday, December 31, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The CFB Playoff matchup will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Who will play in the Cotton Bowl?
The Ohio State Buckeyes will face the Miami Hurricanes.
Who has the most wins in the Cotton Bowl?
The Texas Longhorns have won 11 Cotton Bowl games in 23 appearances.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com sports editor, Taylor Kujawa, analyzed this season’s college football bowl schedule to verify the Cotton Bowl’s start time and broadcast details. Using that information, he evaluated top TV providers, prioritizing channel availability, pricing, and CFB Playoff coverage to provide the best viewing options for Cotton Bowl fans.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
