Texas and Oklahoma’s first game as members of the SEC will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on October 12. This is a change from their usual noon ET start time for the Red River Rivalry, which takes place at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. ESPN announced the new time slot on Thursday, revealing that the game will be broadcast on either ABC or ESPN.
TV Networks Announce Early Season and Marquee Matchup Times
ESPN’s announcement also included a number of other early season and high-profile game start times:
- Egg Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss will now be played on Black Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET, instead of its recent Thanksgiving evening slot. Learn more about the Egg Bowl.
- Georgia vs. Georgia Tech: Scheduled for Black Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Georgia Bulldogs Football.
First Season with New Television Deals
The 2024 college football season marks the first year under new television deals and the existence of just four power conferences:
- SEC: Exclusively on ESPN networks. SEC Football.
- Big Ten: CBS, NBC, and Fox share broadcasting rights. Big Ten Football.
- ACC: Predominantly on ESPN networks, with one game each week on the CW. ACC Football.
- Big 12: Coverage on both Fox and ESPN networks. Big 12 Football.
- Pac-12: Home games for Oregon State and Washington State on the CW. Pac-12 Football.
Big Ten and Big 12 Game Announcements
- Oregon vs. Oregon State: September 14 at 3:30 p.m. ET on Fox. Oregon Ducks Football vs. Oregon State Beavers Football.
- Washington State vs. Washington: Same time on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. Washington State Cougars Football vs. Washington Huskies Football.
- Ohio State vs. Akron: August 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS. Ohio State Buckeyes Football.
- UCLA vs. Hawaii: Same day at 7:30 p.m. ET. UCLA Bruins Football vs. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Football.
- Friday Night Big Ten Games: Nine games starting September 20 on Fox, beginning with Illinois at Nebraska. Illinois Fighting Illini Football vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers Football.
Colorado’s Black Friday Kickoff
- Colorado vs. Oklahoma State: Black Friday with a 10 a.m. local kickoff (noon ET). This will be Colorado’s final regular season game. Colorado Buffaloes Football vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys Football.
- Colorado’s First Game: Against North Dakota State on August 29 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, marking a challenging start for the Buffs in their return to the Big 12.
ACC’s Early Season Games
- SMU vs. Nevada: August 24 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS Sports Network. SMU Mustangs Football vs. Nevada Wolf Pack Football.
- Stanford vs. TCU: August 30 at 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Stanford Cardinal Football vs. TCU Horned Frogs Football.
- Cal vs. UC Davis: August 31, available on an ACC Network streaming channel. California Golden Bears Football vs. UC Davis Aggies Football.
Conclusion: Major Shifts in 2024 College Football Season Promise Excitement
The 2024 college football season brings several significant changes in game scheduling and broadcasting, reflective of the new television deals and conference alignments. These changes promise an exciting and diverse viewing experience for college football fans nationwide.