The 2026-2027 bowl season opens with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on December 12, 2026 and ends with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027. Most matchups are announced on Selection Day, December 6, so book refundable host-city rooms before then. 3 bowls are still waiting on dates; they're listed below the table.
2026-27 bowl schedule by date
| Date | Bowl game | Where | Book by | The hotel angle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12 Sat · 2026 noon ET on ABC | Cricket Celebration Bowl | Atlanta, GA Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Champs set by the Dec 5 title games — book that weekend | The Celebration Bowl opens bowl season as a two-night Atlanta weekend: the Band of the Year marching-band championship Friday, the game Saturday, with downtown hotels around Centennial Olympic Park one MARTA stop or a short walk from Mercedes-Benz Stadium. |
| Dec 15 Tue · 2026 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl | Montgomery, AL Cramton Bowl | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Downtown Montgomery hotels sit within a mile of the Cramton Bowl, and mid-December rates in Alabama's capital are among the cheapest of bowl season. |
| Dec 15 Tue · 2026 9 p.m. ET on ESPN | Frisco Football Classic | Frisco, TX Ford Center at The Star | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | The Star is surrounded by walkable hotels, including the on-site Omni Frisco, with Dallas-Fort Worth about 30 minutes south. |
| Dec 18 Fri · 2026 11 a.m. ET on ESPN | Boca Raton Bowl | Boca Raton, FL Flagler Credit Union Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Boca Raton is peak-season pricey in December, so many fans stay in Deerfield Beach or Fort Lauderdale and drive 20-40 minutes to the FAU campus stadium. |
| Dec 18 Fri · 2026 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl | Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Stay near Westshore or downtown Tampa; both are a short rideshare from Raymond James Stadium and packed with restaurants along the Riverwalk. |
| Dec 18–19 Fri–Sat · 2026 Fri 8 p.m. ET; Sat noon, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. ET | College Football Playoff First Round CFP First Round | Campus sites Seeds 5–8 host | Hosts revealed Dec 6 — book within hours | Host cities aren't known until Selection Sunday in early December, so fans should be ready to book college-town hotels within hours of the bracket reveal. |
| Dec 21 Mon · 2026 11 a.m. ET on ESPN | Myrtle Beach Bowl | Conway, SC Brooks Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | The game is on Coastal Carolina's campus in Conway, but oceanfront Myrtle Beach hotels 20 minutes away offer deep off-season discounts in December. |
| Dec 21 Mon · 2026 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Boise, ID Albertsons Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Downtown Boise hotels are a walkable mile from the blue turf, but pack for hard winter weather and possible snow at this outdoor bowl. |
| Dec 22 Tue · 2026 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Puerto Rico Bowl | Bayamon, PR Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Most visitors stay in San Juan's Condado or Isla Verde beach districts and make the 20-30 minute drive or train trip to Bayamon. |
| Dec 22 Tue · 2026 5 p.m. ET on ESPN | StaffDNA Cure Bowl | Orlando, FL Acrisure Bounce House | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | The 2026 Cure Bowl plays at UCF's on-campus Acrisure Bounce House in East Orlando, where nearby hotel supply is thin; most visiting fans stay in Waterford Lakes or downtown Orlando and drive 20-30 minutes. |
| Dec 22 Tue · 2026 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl | Shreveport, LA Independence Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Shreveport's riverfront casino hotels double as the town's biggest lodging supply and sit about ten minutes from Independence Stadium. |
| Dec 23 Wed · 2026 2 p.m. ET on ESPN | New Orleans Bowl | New Orleans, LA Caesars Superdome | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | French Quarter and CBD hotels are within a 20-minute walk of the Superdome, and pre-Christmas dates keep rates well below Sugar Bowl-week peaks. |
| Dec 23 Wed · 2026 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl | Fort Worth, TX Amon G. Carter Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Fort Worth's Sundance Square downtown district has the best hotel-and-nightlife cluster, ten minutes from TCU's campus stadium. |
| Dec 23 Wed · 2026 9 p.m. ET on ESPN | Frisco Bowl | Frisco, TX Ford Center at The Star | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Frisco's hotel stock around The Star and Legacy West is modern and plentiful, making this one of the easier bowl trips to book late. |
| Dec 24 Thu · 2026 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Isleta New Mexico Bowl | Albuquerque, NM University Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Hotels near Albuquerque's airport are five minutes from University Stadium, and the Christmas Eve kickoff means booking flights home requires care. |
| Dec 24 Thu · 2026 7 p.m. ET on ESPN | Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl | Honolulu, HI Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Waikiki's massive resort inventory is 10-15 minutes from the on-campus Ching Complex, but Christmas week is Oahu's priciest travel window, so book far ahead. |
| Dec 26 Sat · 2026 noon ET on ABC | Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl | Bronx, NY Yankee Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Stay in Manhattan and take the 4 or D subway line straight to Yankee Stadium; holiday-week hotel rates in the city are steep but inventory is vast. |
| Dec 26 Sat · 2026 2 p.m. ET on ESPN | Wasabi Fenway Bowl | Boston, MA Fenway Park | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Hotels in Back Bay and Kenmore Square put you within walking distance of Fenway Park, with the Green Line as a cold-weather backup. |
| Dec 26 Sat · 2026 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC | Duke's Mayo Bowl | Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Uptown Charlotte hotels are all within a 15-minute walk of Bank of America Stadium, making this one of the most walkable bowl weekends anywhere. |
| Dec 26 Sat · 2026 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | 68 Ventures Bowl | Mobile, AL Hancock Whitney Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Downtown Mobile's historic hotels along Dauphin Street are about 15 minutes from the South Alabama campus stadium on the city's west side. |
| Dec 26 Sat · 2026 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC | Cactus Bowl | Tempe, AZ Mountain America Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Tempe's Mill Avenue hotel-and-bar district borders the stadium, and Phoenix Sky Harbor airport is barely ten minutes away. |
| Dec 28 Mon · 2026 2 p.m. ET on ESPN | Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl | Annapolis, MD Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Annapolis has limited downtown hotel inventory near the historic harbor, so many fans stay along the Route 50 corridor or in Baltimore/DC and day-trip in. |
| Dec 29 Tue · 2026 2 p.m. ET on ESPN | JLab Birmingham Bowl | Birmingham, AL Protective Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Protective Stadium anchors Birmingham's Uptown entertainment district, with several hotels literally across the street from the gates. |
| Dec 29 Tue · 2026 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Pop-Tarts Bowl | Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Orlando's holiday-week theme-park crowds inflate rates, so downtown hotels near Camping World Stadium are often better value than the I-Drive resorts. |
| Dec 29 Tue · 2026 9 p.m. ET on ESPN | Valero Alamo Bowl | San Antonio, TX Alamodome | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | River Walk hotels are a 10-15 minute walk from the Alamodome, letting fans skip parking entirely for one of the best-attended non-CFP bowls. |
| Dec 30 Wed · 2026 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN | TaxSlayer Gator Bowl | Jacksonville, FL EverBank Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Downtown Jacksonville and the Southbank riverfront have the closest hotels to EverBank Stadium, while beach-area lodging is a 25-minute drive east. |
| Dec 30 Wed · 2026 3 p.m. ET on ESPN | Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl | Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Nissan Stadium is a walkable pedestrian-bridge crossing from Lower Broadway's honky-tonks, but New Year's-adjacent hotel rates downtown are among Nashville's highest. |
| Dec 30 Wed · 2026 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT | Vrbo Fiesta Bowl CFP Quarterfinals | Glendale, AZ State Farm Stadium | Hold refundable now; teams known after Dec 18–19 | The Westgate entertainment district beside State Farm Stadium has a handful of hotels, but most CFP visitors stay in downtown Phoenix or Scottsdale, 20-30 minutes away. |
| Dec 31 Thu · 2026 noon ET on ESPN | ReliaQuest Bowl | Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | A New Year's Eve kickoff in Tampa means downtown and Ybor City hotels combine the game with NYE nightlife, so rates spike for the night of the 31st. |
| Dec 31 Thu · 2026 2 p.m. ET on CBS | Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl | El Paso, TX Sun Bowl Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | El Paso hotels downtown and near UTEP are minutes from Sun Bowl Stadium, and the market stays affordable even on New Year's Eve. |
| Dec 31 Thu · 2026 3:45 p.m. ET on ESPN | SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl | Las Vegas, NV Allegiant Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Allegiant Stadium sits just off the Strip, but a New Year's Eve date collides with Vegas's biggest party night, so hotel prices are extreme; book months out. |
| Dec 31 Thu · 2026 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN | Kinder's Texas Bowl | Houston, TX NRG Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | The Medical Center hotel cluster is the closest to NRG Stadium, with Houston's METRORail Red Line linking downtown hotels directly to the gates. |
| Jan 1 Fri · 2027 noon, 4 or 8 p.m. ET (Jan 1 quarterfinal slots not yet assigned) | Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic CFP Quarterfinals | Arlington, TX AT&T Stadium | Hold refundable now; teams known after Dec 18–19 | Arlington's entertainment district has hotels beside AT&T Stadium but no rail transit, so fans staying in Dallas or Fort Worth should budget for rideshare surges. |
| Jan 1 Fri · 2027 noon, 4 or 8 p.m. ET (Jan 1 quarterfinal slots not yet assigned) | Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CFP Quarterfinals | Atlanta, GA Mercedes-Benz Stadium | Hold refundable now; teams known after Dec 18–19 | Downtown Atlanta hotels around Centennial Olympic Park are a short walk or one MARTA stop from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, ideal for a New Year's Day playoff crowd. |
| Jan 1 Fri · 2027 noon, 4 or 8 p.m. ET (Jan 1 quarterfinal slots not yet assigned) | Rose Bowl Game CFP Quarterfinals | Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl Stadium | Hold refundable now; teams known after Dec 18–19 | Pasadena's Old Town hotels sell out around the Rose Parade and game, so many fans stay in Glendale, Burbank, or downtown LA and shuttle in early. |
| Jan 2 Sat · 2027 noon ET on ABC | Citrus Bowl | Orlando, FL Camping World Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | The Citrus Bowl caps Orlando's three-bowl season and is Camping World Stadium's second game of the week after the Pop-Tarts Bowl; post-New Year's dates bring hotel rates down from Christmas-week peaks. |
| Jan 2 Sat · 2027 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC | SERVPRO First Responder Bowl | Dallas, TX Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | SMU's Ford Stadium is on the DART rail line, so hotels in Uptown or downtown Dallas offer an easy train ride to the game. |
| Jan 2 Sat · 2027 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC | AutoZone Liberty Bowl | Memphis, TN Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium | Matchups drop Dec 6 (Selection Day) — book that day | Downtown Memphis hotels near Beale Street are about 15 minutes from the Liberty Bowl at the fairgrounds, combining barbecue and blues with game day. |
| Jan 14 Thu · 2027 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT | Capital One Orange Bowl CFP Semifinals | Miami Gardens, FL Hard Rock Stadium | Hold refundable now; teams known after the quarterfinals | Hard Rock Stadium is 16 miles north of downtown Miami with few walkable hotels, so most fans stay in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Aventura and drive or rideshare. |
| Jan 15 Fri · 2027 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC | Allstate Sugar Bowl CFP Semifinals | New Orleans, LA Caesars Superdome | Hold refundable now; teams known after the quarterfinals | The mid-January semifinal date avoids New Orleans's New Year's crush, and French Quarter and CBD hotels are an easy walk to the Superdome. |
| Jan 25 Mon · 2027 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN | College Football Playoff National Championship CFP National Championship | Las Vegas, NV Allegiant Stadium | Date and city fixed — book refundable now | Las Vegas has more hotel rooms within two miles of Allegiant Stadium than any championship host ever, but Strip resort fees and event pricing still demand early booking. |
Dates not announced yet
- The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl — Tucson, AZ. Date TBA — the official 2026-27 schedule release listed this game as still being scheduled; the 2025 edition was played Saturday, December 27, on The CW.
- Trust & Will Holiday Bowl — San Diego, CA. Date TBA — still being scheduled per the official 2026-27 release. The previous edition was the bowl's first-ever January date (played Friday, January 2, 2026), announced the preceding late August.
- Poinsettia Bowl — San Diego, CA. Date TBA — revived for 2026-27 after a decade-long absence, with reports pointing to mid-to-late December.
This table updates the day those dates are published.
How the booking windows actually work
Every bowl city's hotel market runs on the same clock: matchups for the non-playoff bowls are announced on Selection Day, Sunday, December 6, and kickoffs run December 12 through January 2. That's one to three weeks of notice, and revenue managers, the people who set hotel prices, reprice host-city rooms within hours of the announcements. The CFP is harsher. First-round hosts (the campuses of seeds 5 through 8) are revealed the same day for games on December 18 and 19, a 12-day window. If your team is a playoff contender, the move is holding refundable rooms in the plausible cities now and cancelling the ones you don't need on December 6.
Bowl schedule FAQ
How many bowl games are there in the 2026-27 season?
The official 2026-27 release lists 46 postseason games over 45 days: 35 bowl games plus 11 College Football Playoff games (four first-round games, four quarterfinals, two semifinals, and the championship). The revived Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego is still finalizing its date on top of that.
When does the 2026-27 bowl season start and end?
The 2026-2027 bowl season opens with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on Sat, December 12, 2026 (noon ET on ABC) and closes with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Mon, January 25, 2027 (7:30 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN).
When are bowl matchups announced?
Selection Day is Sunday, December 6, 2026. The non-playoff bowl pairings and the 12-team CFP bracket both land that day, giving fans one to three weeks of notice before kickoff. Host-city hotels reprice within hours, so hold refundable rooms before the announcement, not after.
Which bowls haven't announced 2026-27 dates yet?
The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl; Trust & Will Holiday Bowl; Poinsettia Bowl. The Holiday Bowl's previous date wasn't announced until late August, so expect news around then. This page updates the day a date publishes.
What time do the January 1 CFP quarterfinals kick off?
The three New Year’s Day quarterfinals (Cotton, Peach, and Rose) fill windows at noon, 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. ET, but which bowl gets which slot has not been assigned yet. The fourth quarterfinal, the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, kicks off December 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT.