I contend that Thanksgiving is the top fall holiday for several reasons: You get good company, better eating, and a reason to sit down and watch football all weekend.
This year’s Thanksgiving football lineup is filled with excellent matchups that’ll take you from dinner preparation to Black Friday shopping. Whether you’re an NFL or college football fan, I have what you need to know about the Thanksgiving college football and NFL game slate. Keep reading.
NFL Thanksgiving games
I’m stoked for this year’s Thanksgiving NFL games because they feature a full slate of great matchups across the league.
The NFL Thanksgiving lineup opens with the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions. The midday matchup will feature the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Dallas Cowboys, while the Thanksgiving Day nightcap will be an AFC North clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens.
If the NFL’s Thanksgiving game schedule wasn’t enough, Amazon has also gotten into the Thanksgiving NFL business. As part of Amazon’s Thursday Night Football deal, Prime Video will have a Black Friday NFC matchup between the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.
Thanksgiving NFL games schedule
| Day | Game | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions | 1:00 p.m. | FOX, Fox Deportes |
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys | 4:30 p.m. | CBS |
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens | 8:20 p.m. | NBC, Telemundo, UNIVERSO, Peacock |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles | 3:00 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video |
Data effective as of post date.
Pro tip: Want more football content? Check out our weekly NFL schedule and college football schedule guides for our top picks and football takes.
College football Thanksgiving games
Annual rivalries like the Egg Bowl, Nebraska vs. Iowa, and Georgia Tech vs. Georgia will anchor this year’s college football Thanksgiving Day lineup have me really excited. Black Friday features a full day of college football games, while Memphis vs. Navy will be the sole Thanksgiving Day college football game.
College football Thanksgiving schedule
| Day | Game | Time (ET) | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Nov. 28 | Navy at Memphis | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Arizona at Arizona State Sun Devils | TBA | FOX |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Army Black Knights at UTSA | TBA | TBA |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Ole Miss Rebels at Mississippi State | Noon | TBA |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Utah Utes at Kansas | Noon | TBA |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Iowa at Nebraska Cornhuskers | Noon | CBS, Paramount+ Premium |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Ohio at Buffalo | Noon | TBA |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Kent State at Northern Illinois | Noon |
TBA |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Air Force at Colorado State | 3:00 p.m. | FS1 |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Georgia Bulldogs at Georgia Tech | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | San Diego State at New Mexico | 3:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Boise State Broncos at Utah State | 4:00 p.m. | CBS, Paramount+ Premium |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Indiana Hoosiers at Purdue | 7:30 p.m. | NBC, Peacock |
| Friday, Nov. 29 | Texas A&M Aggies at Texas Longhorns | 7:30 p.m. | ABC |
Data effective as of post date.
How to watch football on Thanksgiving for free
*CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links. Amazon.com Price; $46.99 (as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT). Read full disclaimer.
The NFL Thanksgiving Day games are all shared between FOX, NBC, and CBS, so you have multiple ways to tune in on Thanksgiving Day. All three channels are included on cable and streaming TV plans, so you’re set if you already have a TV setup.
If you want to watch NFL Thanksgiving football for free, we recommend installing an over-the-air (OTA) antenna like the Mohu Leaf on your TV. OTA antennas pull from local broadcast feeds and let you watch major channels like FOX and NBC for free. Streaming TV services like Hulu + Live TV and Fubo have free trial periods if you need to figure out a streaming setup on Thanksgiving Day. Check out our streaming TV trials guide to learn about these free offers.
As for the NFL’s Black Friday game, it’ll be a Prime Video exclusive, but you won’t need an active Amazon Prime membership to watch the game. Amazon will broadcast the game for free, and you’ll just need an Amazon account to watch it. Visit our Amazon Prime Video review to find out more.
FOX, NBC, CBS, and ABC will get multiple college football Thanksgiving games, and you can watch them for free with an OTA antenna or standard TV plan. You can also watch Thanksgiving college football games with a streaming TV service, and many streaming providers like Fubo offer free trials.
How to watch football on Thanksgiving FAQ
What NFL teams play on Thanksgiving?
This year, the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens will play on Thanksgiving.
What college football games are on Thanksgiving?
Navy at Memphis is the only college football game airing on Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday will feature 13 college football games throughout the day.
What time is the NFL Thanksgiving game?
The NFL’s Thanksgiving games start at 1:00 p.m. ET with Packers at Lions. Dallas vs. Kansas City is at 4:30 p.m. ET, and the schedule wraps up with Ravens vs. Bengals at 8:20 p.m. ET. Amazon Prime Video will also have Eagles vs. Bears on Black Friday, and kickoff is at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Can I watch football on Black Friday?
Yes, there will be more than a dozen football games on Black Friday in 2025. There is one NFL game that day, and 13 college football games.
Why you should trust us
Our CableTV.com senior writer, Eric Chiu, analyzed this year’s Thanksgiving college football and NFL schedule to figure out this year’s top matchups. He also drew from our cord-cutter and streaming deal coverage to find the best college football and NFL watch solutions for your home.
Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.
Disclaimer
Data effective as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*Amazon.com price as of 7/25/25 11:20 a.m. CT. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. CableTV.com utilizes paid Amazon links.
Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.
