From NFL and NBA games on Christmas Day to bowl season and College Football Playoff matchups, here’s your complete guide to the best sports to watch during the holiday week.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Yes, Christmastime is here and there is plenty of cheer to go around. Beyond that, there are plenty of SPORTS to go around as well. From NFL and NBA games on Christmas to college football bowl games and the College Football Playoff, there are plenty of sports to keep you from becoming a grinch while spending time with your family.
Here’s a breakdown of what to watch between Christmas and New Year’s:
Wednesday, December 24
‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse … or much of any sports on our TV. That’s right, the sports calendar basically is a silent night as we all wait for Santa with bated breath. That leaves the spotlight all to the Hawaii Bowl, which will see Cal take on Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors are -1.5 favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the point total set at 52.5. Mele Kalikimaka, everyone.
- Can’t Miss Matchup: Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl — Cal vs. Hawai’i
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | Sheraton Hawaiʻi Bowl — Cal vs. Hawai’i | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN |
Thursday, December 25
Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas. Get your hot chocolate, open up the presents and get ready for a day filled with sports. The NFL has been making inroads in recent years on a day that has traditionally belonged to the NBA, but injuries have dimmed the star power a bit this year (especially in that Chiefs-Broncos nightcap).
Meanwhile on the hardwood, Victor Wembanyama and his Spurs travel to OKC to take on the defending champion Thunder. Wemby might be out of this world, but the Thunder have been a juggernaut this season, and the champs are 10.5-point favorites as of publication on DraftKings Sportsbook. And in L.A., we get another KD-LeBron showdown as the Rockets (-2.5) take on the Lakers.
Hopefully, these games will not turn into lumps of coal as we celebrate the day with family and friends.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| NBA | Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks | 12 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN |
| NFL | Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders | 1 p.m. ET | Netflix |
| NBA | San Antonio Spurs at Oklahoma City Thunder | 2:30 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN |
| NFL | Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings | 4:30 p.m. ET | Netflix |
| NBA | Dallas Mavericks at Golden State Warriors | 5 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN |
| NBA | Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers | 8 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN |
| NFL | Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs | 8:15 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
| NBA | Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets | 10:30 p.m. ET | ABC/ESPN |
Friday, December 26
The day after Christmas brings more football and basketball, as we have three college football bowl games beginning at 1 p.m. ET and an NBA doubleheader on Prime Video.
- Can’t Miss Matchup: Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | GameAbove Sports Bowl — Central Michigan vs. Northwestern | 1 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Football | Rate Bowl — New Mexico vs. Minnesota | 4:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| NBA | Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls | 8 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
| College Football | SERVPRO First Responder Bowl — FIU vs. UTSA | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| NBA | Los Angeles Clippers at Portland Trail Blazers | 10 p.m. ET | Prime Video |
Saturday, December 27
Football dominates the day once again on December 27, as we have college football invading baseball stadiums in the Bronx and at Fenway. Plus, who will get to eat this year’s Pop-Tart mascot at the end of the Pop-Tarts Bowl between Georgia Tech and BYU?
Then we get an NFL doubleheader as the Texans take on the Chargers on NFL Network followed by the Ravens facing the Packers in the nightcap on Peacock.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | Go Bowling Military Bowl — Pitt vs. East Carolina | 11 a.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Football | Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl — Penn State vs. Clemson | 12 p.m. ET | ABC |
| College Football | Wasabi Fenway Bowl — UConn vs. Army | 2:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Football | Pop-Tarts Bowl — Georgia Tech vs. BYU | 3:30 p.m. ET | ABC |
| NFL | Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers | 4:30 p.m. ET | NFL Network |
| College Football | Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl — Miami (OH) vs. Fresno State | 4:30 p.m. ET | The CW |
| NBA | Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings | 5 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| College Football | Isleta New Mexico Bowl — North Texas vs. San Diego State | 5:45 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Football | TaxSlayer Gator Bowl — Virginia vs. Missouri | 7:30 p.m. ET | ABC |
| NFL | Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers | 8 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| NBA | New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks | 8 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| College Football | Kinder’s Texas Bowl — LSU vs. Houston | 9:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
Sunday, December 28
Of course, Sunday means NFL, but we’ve got a ton of college basketball on tap as well, including the No. 1 UConn women taking on Butler in a Big East battle.
We’ve got a couple of strong late-day matchups on the NFL slate, including the Eagles taking on the Bills and then the Bears traveling to the Bay to take on the 49ers on Sunday Night Football.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| Women’s College Basketball | Providence vs. South Carolina | 12 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| NFL | Regional Coverage | 1 p.m. ET | CBS |
| NFL | Regional Coverage | 1 p.m. ET | FOX |
| College Basketball | Winthrop vs. Texas Tech | 2 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Women’s College Basketball | SE Louisiana vs. Texas | 2 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | UCLA vs. Ohio State | 2 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | UConn vs. Butler | 4 p.m. ET | TNT |
| Women’s College Basketball | Alabama State vs. LSU | 4 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Penn State vs. Iowa | 4 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| NFL | New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders | 4:05 p.m. ET | CBS |
| NFL | Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills | 4:25 p.m. ET | FOX |
| College Basketball | Old Dominion vs. Maryland | 6 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| NHL | Philadelphia Flyers at Seattle Kraken | 8 p.m. ET | NHL Network |
| College Basketball | Gonzaga vs. Pepperdine | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| College Basketball | Nebraska-Omaha vs. Oregon | 8 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| NFL | Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers | 8:20 p.m. ET | NBC |
Monday, December 29
It’s a big day of basketball, with plenty of action on the college hardwood plus a doubleheader on NBC/Peacock featuring the Cavs squaring off with the Spurs and the Mavs battling the Blazers.
We’ve also got the final Monday Night Football matchup of the season, as the Rams travel to the ATL to face the Falcons.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Basketball | North Carolina Central vs. Penn State | 1 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| College Football | JLab Birmingham Bowl — Georgia Southern vs. App State | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | Southern vs. Illinois | 3 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | USC vs. Nebraska | 3 p.m. ET | B1G+ |
| Women’s College Basketball | Wisconsin vs. Maryland | 4 p.m. ET | B1G+ |
| College Basketball | Dartmouth vs. Florida | 6 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame | 6 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| College Basketball | Cornell vs. Michigan State | 7 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| College Basketball | Delaware State vs. Rutgers | 7 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| College Basketball | Kent State vs. Purdue | 7 p.m. ET | B1G+ |
| College Basketball | McNeese State vs. Michigan | 7 p.m. ET | B1G+ |
| NBA | Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs | 8 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock |
| College Basketball | Houston Christian vs. Iowa State | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| College Basketball | James Madison vs. Arkansas | 8 p.m. ET | SEC Network+ |
| College Basketball | Yale vs. Alabama | 8 p.m. ET | SEC Network+ |
| College Basketball | Alcorn State vs. Ole Miss | 8 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | North Carolina vs. Boston College | 8 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| NFL | Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons | 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | South Dakota State vs. Arizona | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| Women’s College Basketball | Michigan vs. Oregon | 9 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| College Basketball | Queens-NC vs. Auburn | 10 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| College Basketball | Utah vs. Washington | 10 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| NBA | Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers | 10:30 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock |
Tuesday, December 30
December 30 features a little bit of everything for the well-rounded sports fan, from college football bowl games to men’s and women’s college basketball to another NBA doubleheader.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl — Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | Howard vs. Northwestern | 5 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| College Football | Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl — Tennessee vs. Illinois | 5:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | Albany vs. South Carolina | 6 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| College Basketball | Florida State vs. North Carolina | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN2 |
| College Basketball | Seton Hall vs. Marquette | 7 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| College Basketball | Milwaukee vs. Wisconsin | 7 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| College Basketball | Pittsburgh vs. Miami | 7 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| NBA | Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies | 8 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock |
| College Basketball | South Carolina State vs. Tennessee | 8 p.m. ET | SEC Network |
| College Football | Valero Alamo Bowl — USC vs. TCU | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | Butler vs. Creighton | 9 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| College Basketball | Notre Dame vs. Stanford | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN2 |
| College Basketball | Louisville vs. California | 9 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| College Basketball | New Hampshire vs. Nebraska | 9 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| College Basketball | San Diego State vs. San Jose State | 10 p.m. ET | CBS Sports Network |
| NBA | Detroit Pistons at Los Angeles Lakers | 10:30 p.m. ET | NBC/Peacock |
| College Basketball | New Mexico vs. Boise State | 11 p.m. ET | FS1 |
Wednesday, December 31
Close out 2025 with plenty of sports action, including plenty of bowl games, college basketball, and a CFP quarterfinal.
College football bluebloods Michigan and Texas square off in the Citrus Bowl, while Miami will take on Ohio State in a CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl. As of time of writing, the Buckeyes are 9.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with 93% of the handle and 83% of bets going to Ohio State according to our Betting Splits page.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | ReliaQuest Bowl — Iowa vs. Vanderbilt | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| College Basketball | Wake Forest vs. NC State | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN2 |
| College Basketball | Tulane vs. East Carolina | 12 p.m. ET | ESPNU |
| Women’s College Basketball | Ohio State vs. Purdue | 12 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| NBA | Golden State Warriors at Charlotte Hornets | 1 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| College Football | Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl — Arizona State vs. Duke | 2 p.m. ET | CBS |
| College Basketball | Clemson vs. Syracuse | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN2 |
| College Basketball | Rice vs. Tulsa | 2 p.m. ET | ESPNU |
| College Basketball | Virginia vs. Virginia Tech | 2 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | UCLA vs. Penn State | 2 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Women’s College Basketball | Iowa State vs. Houston | 2 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
| College Football | Cheez-It Citrus Bowl — Michigan vs. Texas | 3 p.m. ET | ABC |
| Women’s College Basketball | UConn vs. Providence | 3 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| College Football | SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl — Nebraska vs. Utah | 3:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| NBA | Phoenix Suns at Cleveland Cavaliers | 3:30 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| College Basketball | Georgia Tech vs. Duke | 4 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| College Basketball | North Texas vs. Memphis | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| College Basketball | Wichita State vs. UAB | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN2 or ESPNU |
| College Basketball | UConn vs. Xavier | 5 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| College Basketball | DePaul vs. Villanova | 6 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| College Football | College Football Playoff Quarterfinal — Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic — Miami vs. Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. ET | ESPN |
| NBA | Portland Trail Blazers at Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 p.m. ET | NBA TV |
| College Basketball | St. John’s vs. Georgetown | 8 p.m. ET | FS1 |
| Women’s College Basketball | TCU vs. BYU | 9 p.m. ET | ESPN+ |
Thursday, January 1
2026 comes in like a lion, with three CFP quarterfinal matchups.
The day starts at noon with the Oregon Ducks taking on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Ducks are currently 1.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with 64% of the handle and 60% of bets going to Oregon. That’s followed by Alabama taking on Indiana, with the Hoosiers 6.5-point favorites even as the Crimson Tide is getting 78% of the handle. And New Year’s Day concludes with Ole Miss taking on Georgia at 8 p.m. at the Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs are 6.5-point favorites and getting a whopping 99% of the handle. Can Lane Kiffin’s former team shock the world and beat the Bulldogs? Tune in on New Year’s Day to find out.
| Sport | Event | Time | Where to watch |
| College Football | College Football Playoff Quarterfinal — Capital One Orange Bowl — Oregon vs. Texas Tech | 12 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Women’s College Basketball | California vs. North Carolina | 12 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Michigan State vs. Indiana | 12 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| Soccer | Premier League – Crystal Palace vs. Fulham | 12:30 p.m. ET | Peacock/NBCSN |
| Soccer | Premier League – Liverpool vs. Leeds United | 12:30 p.m. ET | USA Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Nebraska vs. Iowa | 2 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Stanford vs. NC State | 2 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| NHL | Utah Mammoth at New York Islanders | 3 p.m. ET | NHL Network |
| Soccer | Premier League – Brentford vs. Tottenham Hotspur | 3 p.m. ET | Peacock/NBCSN |
| Soccer | Premier League – Sunderland vs. Manchester City | 3 p.m. ET | USA Network |
| College Football | College Football Playoff Quarterfinal — Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential — Alabama vs. Indiana | 4 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Women’s College Basketball | Maryland vs. Illinois | 4 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech | 4 p.m. ET | ACC Network |
| Women’s College Basketball | Michigan vs. Washington | 6 p.m. ET | BIG TEN Network |
| NHL | Winnipeg Jets at Toronto Maple Leafs | 7 p.m. ET | NHL Network |
| College Football | College Football Playoff Quarterfinal — Allstate Sugar Bowl — Ole Miss vs. Georgia | 8 p.m. ET | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Women’s College Basketball | Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M | 8 p.m. ET | SEC Network+ |
Let’s hope that Santa brings us plenty of gifts with these matchups during this stretch where we all have a little bit more time to tune into sports on TV while perhaps looking for an excuse to tune out conversations with distant relatives. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good sports night!