College football bowl games for the 2025-26 season continue on Friday, Jan. 2 with four games on the docket.
Friday’s bowl slate opens at 1:00pm ET with the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, as the Rice Owls meet the Texas State Bobcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. ESPN will carry the broadcast.
The action continues at 4:30pm ET on ESPN with the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where the Navy Midshipmen square off against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.
Friday’s schedule wraps up with two primetime kickoffs at 8:00pm ET. ESPN airs the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, featuring the Wake Forest Demon Deacons against the Mississippi State Bulldogs, while FOX presents the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl, showcasing the 17th‑ranked Arizona Wildcats taking on the SMU Mustangs.
Check out the complete schedule of bowl games for Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, below. Also, see the links below for the entire College Football Bowl Schedule as well as the College Football Playoff Schedule.
College Football Bowl Games
FRIDAY, JAN. 2, 2026
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Rice vs. Texas State
Amon G. Carter Stadium – Fort Worth, TX
1:00pm ET | ESPN
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Navy vs. Cincinnati
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium – Memphis, TN
4:30pm ET | ESPN
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State
Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC
8:00pm ET | ESPN
Trust & Will Holiday Bowl
(17) Arizona vs. SMU
Snapdragon Stadium – San Diego, CA
8:00pm ET | FOX
Football Schedules
