The NFL and the College Football Playoff (CFP) are on a collision course once again.
For the second consecutive year, the NFL will directly compete with the first round of the College Football Playoff for television viewers. The conflict will take place on Saturday, December 20, when the NFL’s Week 16 Saturday doubleheader overlaps with three CFP first-round games — creating a major ratings showdown across Fox, ABC, ESPN, and TNT Sports.
This year’s scheduling again places TNT Sports in the direct line of fire, while ABC and ESPN largely avoid head-to-head competition with the NFL.
Full Dec. 20 Schedule: NFL vs. CFP Head-to-Head
The NFL officially released kickoff times this week, confirming the overlap with CFP action. All times listed below are Eastern Time:
- 12:00 p.m. – CFP First Round (ABC/ESPN)
- 3:30 p.m. – CFP First Round (TNT Sports)
- 5:00 p.m. – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Commanders (FOX)
- 7:30 p.m. – CFP First Round (TNT Sports)
- 8:20 p.m. – Green Bay Packers vs. Chicago Bears (FOX)
In addition, ABC and ESPN will simulcast another CFP first-round game on Friday, Dec. 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET, a strategic move designed to avoid NFL competition entirely.
The specific CFP matchups will be announced Sunday after the final College Football Playoff rankings are revealed.
Last Year’s Ratings Tell the Story
This is not the first time the NFL and CFP have battled directly for viewers — and last year’s numbers made the outcome clear.
2024 Head-to-Head Ratings
- Penn State vs. SMU (CFP) – 6.4 million (TNT Sports)
- Chiefs vs. Texans (NFL) – 15.5 million (NBC)
- Texas vs. Clemson (CFP) – 8.6 million (TNT Sports)
- Ravens vs. Steelers (NFL) – 15.4 million (FOX)
The NFL more than doubled the CFP’s audience in both overlapping windows.
CFP Games Without NFL Competition (2024)
- Notre Dame vs. Indiana – 13.4 million (ABC/ESPN, Friday night)
- Ohio State vs. Tennessee – 14.3 million (ABC/ESPN, Saturday prime time)
Those numbers demonstrate a clear trend: CFP performs significantly better when it is not competing directly with the NFL.
Why TNT Sports Is at a Disadvantage
ESPN has held exclusive CFP media rights since the playoff’s launch in 2014. However, a sublicensing agreement gives TNT Sports two first-round CFP games in both 2024 and 2025, with:
- Two CFP quarterfinal games added beginning in 2026
- At least one CFP semifinal expected on TNT between 2026–2028
While this deal expands CFP distribution, it also means TNT repeatedly faces direct NFL competition, which significantly limits its potential audience.
In contrast, ABC and ESPN smartly position their games in non-NFL windows, preserving higher viewership ceilings.
What This Means for Viewers and Networks
From a fan perspective, December 20 will be one of the most packed football viewing days of the year, featuring:
- NFL divisional battles with playoff implications
- Three CFP elimination games determining who advances toward a national championship
From a business and broadcasting standpoint, however, the results are far more predictable:
- The NFL remains the dominant ratings force on U.S. television
- TNT Sports will once again face uphill numbers against live NFL games
- ABC and ESPN continue to protect their strongest CFP matchups from NFL overlap
Final Outlook
The NFL vs. College Football Playoff ratings battle is quickly becoming a December tradition. While the CFP continues to grow in importance and national reach, last year’s viewership results show that the NFL still commands America’s largest football audience when the two leagues go head-to-head.
With marquee games like Packers vs. Bears and Eagles vs. Commanders anchoring the NFL slate, TNT Sports will again be tested against the most powerful broadcast brand in sports.
All eyes now turn to Sunday’s CFP rankings reveal — and to what may be one of the most competitive football Saturdays of the entire season.