The Rutgers Scarlet Knights, led by quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis, face the Kansas State Wildcats, led by quarterback Avery Johnson in the 35th annual Rate Bowl on Thursday, Dec. 26 2024 (12/26/24) at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream or fuboTV. You can also watch via a subscription to Sling TV, which is offering half off your first month.
— DirecTV Stream is offering $30 off on Entertainment with Sports Pack featuring NFL RedZone, BIG Ten Network and more.
— fuboTV plans start at $79.99 per month, with $35 off your first month.
— Sling TV is offering plans for as low as $23 for your first month
Here’s what you need to know:
What: Rate Bowl
Who: Rutgers vs. Kansas State
When: Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024
Where: Chase Field
Time: 5:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Live stream: fuboTV (free trial) and DirecTVStream (free trial)
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Here are the best streaming options for college sports:
Fubo TV (free trial): fuboTV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS.
DirecTV Stream (free trial): DirecTV Stream carries ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS.
Sling TV – Sling TV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC and NBC.
ESPN+ ($11.99 a month): ESPN+ carries college basketball games each week for only $11.99 a month. These games are exclusive to the platform.
Peacock TV ($7.99 a month): Peacock is the exclusive home of 75-plus Big Ten men’s and women’s basketball games for the 2024-25 season. The streaming service will also broadcast several Big East men’s basketball and Atlantic 10 men’s women’s basketball contests.
Paramount+ (free trial): Paramount Plus will live stream college football games airing on CBS this year.
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Here’s a college football story via the Associated Press:
The first 12-team version of the College Football Playoff has reached the quarterfinals state, setting up some tantalizing matchups. Texas has also take over as the early betting favorite to win the national championship.
Did the CFP committee get it right? The first-round games were held on campuses for the first time — before the games shift to bowl games for the quarterfinals and semifinals — and all four of the higher-seeded teams won comfortably.
That led to fresh questions about the seeding process, and it’s all coming amid the early signing period and players flocking to the transfer portal.
Here is what to know:
Who is playing and what time are the games?
There will be 11 games between Dec. 20 and the finale in Atlanta on Jan. 20, all broadcast nationally. The quarterfinals (times EST):
No. 8 seed Ohio State (11-2) vs. No. 1 seed Oregon (13-0)
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Ohio State by 2 1/2.
What to know: The Buckeyes answered some critics with a blowout of Tennessee in the first round and now comes a rematch against the top-ranked Ducks. Oregon beat Ohio State by a single point in October in one of the season’s best games.
The winner: Advances to Cotton Bowl semifinal to play Texas/Arizona State winner, Jan. 10.
No. 7 seed Notre Dame (12-1) vs. No. 2 seed Georgia (11-2)
Location: Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m. (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Georgia by 1 1/2.
What to know: All eyes are on Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, whose arm injury could keep him sidelined. Notre Dame has been rolling since its only loss of the season but could find the going tougher against the Bulldogs. The Fighting Irish defense has been stout, too.
The winner: Advances to Orange Bowl semifinal to play Boise State/Penn State winner, Jan. 9.
No. 6 seed Penn State (12-2) vs. No. 3 seed Boise State (12-1)
Location: Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Arizona, Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Penn State by 10 1/2.
What to know: Is this the year Penn State finally gets back in a national title game? The Nittany Lions will spend the next week-plus focusing its defense on stopping Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty.
The winner: Advances to Orange Bowl semifinal to play Georgia/Notre Dame winner, Jan. 9.
No. 5 seed Texas (12-2) vs. No. 4 seed Arizona State (11-2)
Location: Peach Bowl, Atlanta, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Texas by 13 1/2.
What to know: The Sun Devils have been one of the best stories in college football, defying predictions to win the Big 12. They will have to deal with the Longhorns’ juggernaut running game, which was too much for Clemson in the opening round.
The winner: Advances the Cotton Bowl semifinal to play Oregon/Ohio State winner, Jan. 10.
Who are the favorites?
With the quarterfinals set, Texas moved to the 3-1 favorite to win the national championship, according to BetMGM Sportsbook on Sunday.
The rest of the odds: Ohio State (15/4), Oregon (4-1), Penn State (5-1), Georgia (11-2) and Notre Dame (6-1). Arizona State and Boise State were both listed as 60-1 longshots.
How does the playoff work?
A 13-member CFP selection committee spent the past six weeks evaluating the teams and then set the bracket on Dec. 8.
The five highest-ranked conference champions were guaranteed spots in the field, no matter where they are ranked overall by the CFP; Clemson, for example, is ranked No. 16 in the CFP but was given the 12th and lowest seed as the fifth-highest ranked league champion. The top four seeds got a week off and an automatic trip to the quarterfinals.
The CFP began with four teams in January 2015. It was expanded this year for the first time. Many believe it may expand again, perhaps as early as 2026.
How much money is at stake?
A lot: About $115 million is on the line in the playoff.
Each conference gets $4 million for every team that makes the final 12, then another $4 million for those that make the quarterfinals. It means teams that earned byes are worth $8 million to their conferences without even playing a game.
Teams that advance to the semifinals mean $6 million more for their conference, then another $6 million for making the final.
The conferences all distribute the money differently. There’s also a $300,000 stipend per team that is academically eligible for the playoffs. Teams making the playoff get $3 million to cover expenses for each round, too.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)
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