Your Go-To Reference Guide
December in college football ain’t just chilly weather — it’s bowl season, the build-up to the playoffs, and a frenzy of matchups that die-hard fans circle on their calendar. For any CFB fan or follower, having a go-to reference for when and where each game goes down is clutch. Here’s the full low-down on all major December games for the 2025-26 season: dates, stadiums, cities — ready to drop into your tailgate plans or viewing parties.
According to the latest official scheduling, the postseason slate kicks off Saturday, December 13, 2025 and runs through the end of the month — leading up to the quarterfinals of the playoff on December 31.
And it doesn’t end there — bowl games continue through the week and build up to the playoff quarterfinals. Multiple matchups are scheduled across Dec 26–31, culminating in high-stakes postseason games.
The real juice of December comes at the end — when the postseason narrows, and the matchups get big. For 2025, one of the headline games is:
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic — the 2025 edition is scheduled for December 31, 2025, at AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas. This game is a quarterfinal in the College Football Playoff (CFP) bracket.
For fans in Texas — or fans traveling out of state — that one’s a must-watch, a must-plan. The Cotton Bowl’s atmosphere, crowd, stadium, and legacy make it a cornerstone of December’s calendar.
Momentum & bragging rights: Bowl games — especially post-season — can cement a program’s legacy, provide recruiting leverage, and send a message for the next season.
Fan engagement & travel: December bowls attract alumni and fans traveling back home; planning, tickets, and logistics turn these games into mini-events beyond the field.
Media & exposure: Between ESPN/ABC coverage, stadium lighting, and holiday-time attention — it’s a peak window for college football to capture eyeballs.
Playoff implications: For teams that made it — or hope to — December marks the jump from “regular season” to “win or go home.”
December’s college football calendar isn’t just exciting for fans, it’s a prime opportunity for companies using tickets as part of their marketing, sales, or employee-engagement strategy. And that’s exactly where Ticketnology makes the difference.
With Ticket Booth, your team gets a streamlined platform to allocate tickets across departments, track usage, and eliminate last-minute chaos. Pair it with Ticket Fund to budget, measure ROI, and ensure every ticket is tied to a real business objective. And if your organization ends up with unused or unsold tickets (a common December headache) Consignment lets you resell those seats transparently and responsibly, recovering value that would otherwise be lost.
Bookmark this list before tickets drop. Bowl matchups can change based on conference tie-ins — but dates/stadiums rarely move.
Track time zones: many games are Eastern or Central time; if you’re following from elsewhere (or traveling), adjust accordingly.
For Texas-area fans: games like the Cotton Bowl or Frisco Bowl give a chance to catch bowl-season action without cross-country travel.
Keep an eye on team opt-outs or last-minute changes — sometimes squads skip lower-tier bowls, which affects ticket availability (and value).
Bowl season moves fast — and your ticket operations should, too. If you’re managing corporate tickets, hospitality assets, or high-demand events, Ticketnology helps you streamline everything from allocation to ROI tracking.
Book a demo today and see how Ticketnology can turn your ticket program into a strategic advantage.
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