How NFL and College Football Playoff Games Ended Up on Saturday

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December 17, 2024 witnessed a remarkable turn of events in the sports calendar. The NFL, typically cautious about encroaching on college football's territory, found itself in direct competition with the first round of the expanded College Football Playoff. This clash between the two major football leagues raised numerous questions and sparked intense interest among sports fans.

The NFL's Bold Move Against College Football's Playoff

Symbiotic Relationship and the Unusual Weekend

There has always been an unspoken agreement between the NFL and college football to respect each other's domains. It's a relationship based on mutual benefit, as many fans follow both sports closely. However, this weekend, all that changed. Not only did both college football and the NFL have games on Saturday, but the NFL even had two high-profile matchups directly competing with the first round of the College Football Playoff. This decision by the NFL to start having games on Christmas Day every year overrode its initial intention to avoid scheduling games against college football. Christmas fell on a Wednesday this year, making it challenging to schedule two games. As a result, the four Christmas Day teams had to play on the preceding Saturday.The Kansas City Chiefs facing the Houston Texans at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon was a direct competition for the College Football Playoff match between Penn State and SMU, which began at 12 p.m. ET. It was a battle for the attention of sports fans.

Bitter Rivals and the Battle for Division Supremacy

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, fierce AFC North rivals vying for division supremacy, started their game at 4:30 p.m. ET. This clash nearly went head-to-head with Clemson facing Texas, which began at 4 p.m. ET. The only game played in relative isolation was the one between Ohio State and Tennessee, starting at 8 p.m. ET, with no NFL game on that night.TNT found itself at a disadvantage in this NFL vs. College Football Playoff battle. Coincidentally (or perhaps not), the only CFP game carried by ESPN was the night game that faced no NFL competition. In fact, TNT, which had paid millions for College Football Playoff games as part of the new deal, saw its first two games going up against the NFL. The other ESPN game took place on Friday night when Indiana faced Notre Dame, and unsurprisingly, there were no NFL games on Friday to compete.

The Ratings Dilemma

The NFL is renowned for its high television ratings, but this weekend presented a significant test. Saturday's college football games were the first of the expanded 12-team playoff, and there were some big-name teams involved. Penn State and Texas are major draws, and saving Ohio State-Tennessee for the night game was a smart move. ESPN likely had a say in the scheduling. But the question remains: which games will football fans choose? Will they opt for regular season NFL games between likely playoff teams or the first round of the College Football Playoff? We will soon find out the answer.