It will be a familiar sight when No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State meet in the College Football Playoff for the third time, but never have the two teams done so in the Sugar Bowl.
MORE: Watch Ohio State vs. Clemson live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Clemson (10-1) has beaten the Buckeyes in each of the two previous matchups (2016 and '19) and enters the game after winning its sixth ACC championship in as many seasons by avenging a loss to Notre Dame. Trevor Lawrence was recently named a Heisman finalist and will likely be the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but won't be tasked with single-handedly leading the offense as he also has one of college football's best running backs in Travis Ettienne who rushed for 882 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
This game is exactly what Ohio State (6-0) had fought for when Justin Fields, Wyatt Davis and Shaun Wade led the charge for the Big Ten to return to play. Not only will Fields have two of the Big Ten's most talented receivers in Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson to throw to, but the Buckeyes also have running back Trey Sermon who emerged in the Big Ten championship by rushing for 331 yards on 11.4 yards a carry against Northwestern.
If Clemson wins and Alabama beats Notre Dame in the earlier semifinal, it will be the fourth national championship between the perennial powers in the seven-year history of the College Football Playoff.
Here's everything you need to know to watch Ohio State vs. Clemson on Friday, including kickoff time, TV channels and more.
MORE: Full betting guide for Clemson vs. Ohio States
What time is the Ohio State vs. Clemson game tonight?
- Date: Friday, Jan, 1
- Matchup: Ohio State vs. Clemson
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana
- Start time: 8 p.m. ET
The game begins at 8 p.m. ET and follows semifinal between No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Notre Dame at 4 p.m. ET.
What channel is Ohio State vs. Clemson on tonight?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Watch ESPN app, fuboTV
Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit will call the game from the booth on ESPN with Maria Taylor and Tom Rinaldi 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 |