Football Feast Awaits In December, January With 84 Important NFL, CFP Games In 37 Days
The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff schedule made news on Wednesday because, although we've known it was coming for years, it arrived by way of an actual schedule. And that's the good news.
The better news is that playoff schedule and the NFL schedule we saw released a couple of weeks ago will be joining forces in one delectable buffet of football for the senses from December through January this coming season.
And, yes, America, you're going to love it because it's not going to be games we soon forgot. It'll be college football's playoff games and the NFL's homestretch to the postseason that typically features important divisional games just before its playoffs begin.
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 08: The Georgia Bulldogs line up against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the first quarter in the CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Kingsport Dominates December, January
That means football, known as Kingsport around these parts, will be all over your television at its best during the most festive time of the year.
Consider that from Dec. 15 until Jan. 20, we will be treated to no less than 84 football games. That's 84 games in the span of 37 days.
84!
Here's what the schedule looks like:
SUNDAY 12/15: NFL slate of 13 games.
MONDAY 12/16, 8 p.m.: Bears @Vikings.
MONDAY 12/16, 8:30 p.m.: Falcons at Raiders.
THURSDAY 12/19, 8 p.m.: Browns @ Bengals.
FRIDAY 12/20, 8 p.m.: CFP First Round Game.
SATURDAY 12/21, Noon: CFP First round game.
SATURDAY 12/21, 1 p.m.: Texans @ Chiefs.
SATURDAY 12/21, 4 p.m.: CFP 1st Rd game.
SATURDAY 12/21, 4:30 p.m.: Steelers @ Ravens.
SATURDAY 12/21, 8 p.m.: CFP 1st Rd game.
Plainview, N.Y.: Photo of patrons at The Main Event in Plainview, New York, on February 10th, 2022, before the Super Bowl and Valentine's Day. (Photo by Alejandra Villa Loarca/Newsday RM via Getty Images).
Multiple TV Sets Recommended
If you don't have multiple television monitors that can play on different channels at the same time, invest now. Because from noon until about 11 p.m. that Saturday, you'll be juggling college playoff and NFL games.
Rest up that night because the next day the football feasting begins all over again. Here it is:
SUNDAY 12/22 NFL slate of 12 games.
MONDAY 12/23 8:15 p,m.: Saints @ Packers.
Hey, you get to rest on Christmas Eve. You can get some late shopping done. Wrap presents. Eat turkey. Prepare for the onslaught that awaits.
WEDNESDAY 12/25 Merry Christmas, y'all.
At 1 p.m.: Chiefs @ Steelers.
At 4:30 p.m.: Ravens @ Texans.
THURSDAY 12/26, 8 p.m.: Seahawks @ Bears.
SUN 12/29 NFL Slate of 12 games.
MONDAY 1/30, 8 p.m.: Lions @ 49ers.
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 28: Christian McCaffrey #23 of the San Francisco 49ers rushes during the NFC Championship game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Lions 34-31. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
New Year's Festivities Abound
No games on New Year's Eve because it falls on a Tuesday and nobody plays football on a Tuesday, right?
Wrong!
TUESDAY 12/31, 7:30 p.m.: CFP Quarterfinal.
WEDNESDAY 1/1 Happy New Year!
1 p.m.: CFP Quarterfinal.
5 p.m.: CFP Quarterfinal.
8:45 p.m.: CFP Quarterfinal.
SUNDAY 1/5 NFL slate of 16 games.
THURSDAY 1/9, 7:30 p.m.: CFP Semifinal.
FRIDAY 1/10, 7:30 p.m.: CFP Semifinal.
SATURDAY 1/11 NFL Super Wild Card Weekend. Three games.
SUNDAY 1/12 NFL Super Wild Card Weekend. Three games.
SATURDAY 1/18 NFL Divisional Playoffs. Two games.
SUNDAY 1/19 NFL Divisional Playoffs. Two games.
MONDAY 1/20, 7:30 p.m.: CFB National Championship Game.
It doesn't all end here. There will obviously be two NFL conference championship games played on Sunday, 1/24. And then Super Bowl LIX will be played on Sunday, 2/9 in New Orleans.
But one game on one day? That should be easy considering what happens for over a month from mid-December to mid-January.