However, for college football fans, the entrance into 2025 has been more of a challenge than in years past. Why? Because gone are the days when the national champion was decided on a single-digit January date.

That pair, and others like it, became part of notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.

The College Football Playoff field has been narrowed to four teams, with (6) Penn State, (7) Notre Dame, (5) Texas, and (8) Ohio State remaining in the national title hunt. The Nittany Lions defeated (3) Boise State in the first quarterfinal game on New Year's Eve to set up a date with the Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

What bowl games are playing out in college football Friday? Here's what you need to know, including start times, how to watch and scores:

The College Football Playoff National Championship, No. 8 Ohio State (13-2) against No. 7 Notre Dame (14-1), is set. The game will held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia on January 20, 2025.