The College Football Playoff finally gets underway with what is technically the Rose Bowl between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
MORE: Watch Alabama vs. Notre Dame live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
The Tide (11-0) have looked nearly infallible all season long behind one of the nation's best offenses. Led by a three-headed monster of quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith, offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian has no shortage of dangerous options to dial up a play for. Jones and Smith were both named Heisman finalists, becoming the first pair of teammates to be finalists since 2004 when Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush did so for USC and Vince Young and LenDale White did so for Texas.
Notre Dame (10-1) packs a decent punch on offense as well, led by Ian Book at quarterback and Kyren Williams at running back. Behind one of the country's best offensive lines, Williams has recorded 1,343 scrimmage yards, the second most among players under Brian Kelly. The Irish will need to respond after their lone blemish of the season, a 34-10 blowout at the hands of Clemson who could be awaiting the victor of this game for the national championship.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Alabama vs. Notre Dame on Friday, including kickoff time, TV channels and more.
MORE: Full betting guide for Alabama vs. Notre Dame
What time is the Alabama vs. Notre Dame game tonight?
- Date: Friday, Jan, 1
- Matchup: Alabama vs. Notre Dame
- Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Start time: 4 p.m. ET
The game begins at 4 p.m. ET and preempts the second semifinal between No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State at 8 p.m. ET.
What channel is Alabama vs. Notre Dame on tonight?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Watch ESPN app, fuboTV
Sean McDonough and Todd Blackledge will call the game from the booth on ESPN with Todd McShay and Allison Williams serving as the sideline reporters.
Live stream for College Football Playoff semifinals
Both College Football Playoff semifinals will broadcast on ESPN and are available to stream live on all of the network's digital platforms (ESPN.com, ESPN App, etc.).
Cord-cutters have several live streaming options available to watch. Below is the list.
| Streaming option | Cable subscription needed? | Free? | Cost | Free trial? |
| ESPN.com/ESPN App | Yes | Yes | - | - |
| Yahoo! Sports App | No | Yes | - | - |
| fuboTV | No | No | $60/month | Yes |
| AT&T TV Now | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
| Hulu Plus Live TV | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
| Sling TV | No | No | $30/month | Yes |
| YouTube TV | No | No | $65/month | Yes |
College Football Playoff schedule
The winning teams will have 10 days off before kicking off for one final time to conclude the 2020 season.
Semifinals
| Jan. 1 | 4 p.m. ET | No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame |
| 8 p.m. ET | No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State |
National Championship
| Jan. 11 | 8 p.m. ET | TBD |