College football’s bowl season kicks off Saturday with a six-game slate that marks the beginning of a three-week run capped by the national championship game on Jan. 8.
The College Football Playoff semifinals will be held Jan. 1, with No. 3 Georgia squaring off against No. 2 Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl, followed by No. 4 Alabama and No. 1 Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.
There are also the “New Year’s Six” bowl games, one of which, the Fiesta Bowl, pits No. 9 Penn State against No. 19 Washington in a game that most Central Pennsylvania football fans already have marked on their calendars.
But those games are the main course of this football menu.
First, the appetizers, beginning with Saturday’s action. The first game on the slate is the Celebration Bowl, which pits Grambling against North Carolina A&T at noon.
Get ready, folks. It’s bowl season.
Here’s the entire 2017 bowl schedule, starting with the biggest games:
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Jan. 1
Rose Bowl
No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Where: Pasadena, California
Kickoff: 5 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Sugar Bowl
No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Clemson
Where: New Orleans
Kickoff: 8:45 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Jan. 8
College Football Playoff National Championship
Where: Atlanta
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
THE ‘NEW YEAR’S SIX’ BOWL GAMES
Friday, Dec. 29
Cotton Bowl
No. 8 USC vs. No. 5 Ohio State
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 30
Fiesta Bowl
No. 19 Washington vs. No. 9 Penn State
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Orange Bowl
No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Wisconsin
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Monday, Jan. 1
Outback Bowl
Michigan vs. South Carolina
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Kickoff: Noon
TV: ESPN2
Peach Bowl
No. 12 UCF vs. No. 7 Auburn
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Citrus Bowl
No. 14 Notre Dame vs. No. 17 LSU
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: ABC
BOWL SCHEDULE
Saturday, Dec. 16
Celebration Bowl
Grambling vs. North Carolina A&T
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Kickoff: Noon
TV: ABC
New Orleans Bowl
Troy vs. North Texas
Where: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Cure Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m.
TV: CBSSN
Las Vegas Bowl
No. 25 Boise State vs. Oregon
Where: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ABC
New Mexico Bowl
Marshall vs. Colorado State
Where: Branch Field at Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Boca Raton Bowl
Akron vs. Florida Atlantic
Where: Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Frisco Bowl
Louisiana Tech vs. SMU
Where: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 21
Gasparilla Bowl
Temple vs. Florida International
Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Kickoff: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Friday, Dec. 22
Bahamas Bowl
UAB vs. Ohio
Where: Nassau, Bahamas
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Idaho Potato Bowl
Central Michigan vs. Wyoming
Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Saturday, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl
Texas Tech vs. South Florida
Where: Birmingham
Kickoff: Noon
TV: ESPN
Armed Forces Bowl
San Diego State vs. Army
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Dollar General Bowl
Appalachian State vs. Toledo
Where: Mobile, AL
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Sunday, Dec. 24
Hawaii Bowl
Fresno State vs. Houston
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Utah vs. West Virginia
Where: Cotton Bowl, Dallas
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Quick Lane Bowl
Duke vs. Northern Illinois
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
Kickoff: 5:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Cactus Bowl
Kansas State vs. UCLA
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix
Kickoff: 9 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Independence Bowl
Southern Miss vs. Florida State
Where: Shreveport, La.
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Pinstripe Bowl
Iowa vs. Boston College
Where: Yankee Stadium, New York
Kickoff: 5:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Foster Farms Bowl
Arizona vs. Purdue
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Kickoff: 8:30 p.m.
TV: FOX
Texas Bowl
Texas vs. Missouri
Where: NRG Stadium, Houston
Kickoff: 9 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Thursday, Dec. 28
Military Bowl
Virginia vs. Navy
Where: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Kickoff: 1:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Camping World Bowl
No. 22 Virginia Tech vs. No. 19 Oklahoma State
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando
Kickoff: 5:15 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Alamo Bowl
No. 13 Stanford vs. No. 15 TCU
Where: Alamodome, San Antonio
Kickoff: 9 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Holiday Bowl
No. 18 Washington State vs. No. 16 Michigan State
Where: SDCCU Stadium, San Diego
Kickoff: 9 p.m.
TV: FOX
Friday, Dec. 29
Belk Bowl
Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M
Where: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Sun Bowl
No. 24 NC State vs. Arizona State
Where: Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Kickoff: 3 p.m.
TV: CBS
Music City Bowl
Kentucky vs. No. 21 Northwestern
Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Arizona Bowl
Utah State vs. New Mexico State
Where: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Kickoff: 5:30 p.m.
TV: CBSSN
Saturday, Dec. 30
TaxSlayer Bowl
Louisville vs. No. 23 Mississippi State
Where: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Kickoff: Noon
TV: ESPN