College Football Tonight: TV Schedule, Channels, Live Stream Info & Expert Predictions

The final Friday of bowl season delivers a four-game feast for fans searching “college football tonight.” From Fort Worth to San Diego, here’s every matchup, kickoff time, TV channel and storyline you need to know—plus streaming links and betting nuggets to keep you locked in until the last whistle. 1. Armed Forces Bowl: Rice vs. Texas State • Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN • Venue: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth • Why watch: It’s the first postseason clash between intra-state neighbors who rarely meet. The Owls’ balanced attack led by QB AJ Padgett tries to out-score Bobcats star RB Ismail Mahdi, the Sun Belt’s rushing champ. Expect tempo—both defenses allow 30+ points per game. • Fast fact: Texas State is bowling for the first time since moving to FBS in 2012, while Rice seeks its first bowl win in a decade. 2. Liberty Bowl: Navy vs. Cincinnati • Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN • Venue: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis • Why watch: The Midshipmen’s triple-option meets a Bearcats front seven that ranks top-20 nationally against the run. Cincinnati freshman QB Brady Lichtenberg has sparked a late-season surge, but he hasn’t faced a possession-draining offense like Navy’s. • Betting angle: The under has hit in six of Navy’s last eight games; weather in Memphis (mid-40s, light wind) favors another grinder. 3. Holiday Bowl: No. 17 Arizona vs. SMU • Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET, FOX • Venue: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego • Why watch: Two top-15 scoring offenses collide in what could be the night’s fireworks show. Wildcats QB Noah Fifita (3,612 yds, 32 TD) duels Mustangs veteran Preston Stone, whose health (ankle) will be monitored until kickoff. Both programs are chasing double-digit wins for the first time since the 2010s, adding high stakes to a West Coast shootout. • X-factor: Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan averages 18.2 yards per catch against man coverage. 4. Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State • Kickoff: 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN • Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte • Why watch: First-year Bulldogs coach Jeff Lebby brings his up-tempo Air Raid against a Demon Deacons secondary that finished last in the ACC in explosive-pass defense. Wake’s offense has sputtered, but veteran QB Mitch Griffis returns from injury with a full complement of receivers, setting up a potential track meet in primetime. • Tradition alert: Yes, the winning coach gets doused in a 5-gallon tub of mayo—don’t change the channel during the postgame. How to stream: Every ESPN game is available on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with a cable login. The Holiday Bowl streams on the FOX Sports app and FuboTV free trial. Search hotkeys: “college football tonight games,” “bowl games today,” “kickoff times,” “how to watch college football.” SEO takeaway: Whether you’re tracking Rice-Texas State at lunch or burning the midnight oil for Arizona-SMU, tonight’s quartet offers wall-to-wall action, channel info and storylines that matter. Keep this schedule handy, set your streaming alerts, and enjoy the final Friday fireworks of the 2025-26 bowl season