NFL, college football bowls, basketball pack New Year's weekend sports schedule

MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Nine college football bowl games, the Week 17 NFL schedule, and college basketball and NBA games pack the New Year's weekend sports schedule.

England's Premier League and the NHL also continue their regular-season slates from Friday through Sunday.

The main events occur Friday when Alabama battles Cincinnati and Georgia takes on Michigan in the College Football playoff semifinals.

Alabama and Georgia are favored to advance from their respective Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl matchups and to meet in the National Championship game Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.

College football

Four college football bowl games air Friday, and five games air on New Year's Day.

No. 20 Wake Forest (10-3) battles Rutgers (5-7) in the Gator Bowl at 11 a.m. EST Friday at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. Wake Forest is a 15-point favorite. That game airs on ESPN.

Rutgers accepted an invitation to the game as a replacement team for Texas A&M. The Aggies had to drop out due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the program.

In the second game of the weekend, Washington State (7-5) faces Central Michigan (8-4) in the 2021 Sun Bowl at noon Friday at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. That game airs on CBS.

Central Michigan accepted an invitation to that game after Miami withdrew due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Washington State is a seven-point favorite.

No. 1 Alabama (12-1) battles No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) in the first College Football Playoff semifinal matchup at 3:30 p.m. Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cotton Bowl matchup airs on ESPN.

No. 3 Georgia (12-1) takes on No. 2 Michigan (12-1) in Friday's nightcap at 7:30 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. That game also airs on ESPN.

No. 22 Arkansas (8-4) and Penn State (7-5) launch Saturday's bowl slate. They face off in the Outback Bowl at noon on ESPN2.

No. 5 Notre Dame (11-1) battles No. 9 Oklahoma State (11-2) in the Fiesta Bowl at 1 p.m. on ESPN. No. 17 Iowa State (10-3) faces No. 25 Kentucky (9-3) in the Citrus Bowl at 1 p.m. on ABC.

Saturday's slate continues with a Rose Bowl meeting between No. 7 Ohio State (10-3) and No. 10 Utah (10-2). That game kicks off at 5 p.m. on ESPN.

The final game of the weekend pits No. 6 Baylor (11-2) against No. 8 Ole Miss (10-2) in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. That game kicks off at 8:45 p.m. Saturday on ESPN.

NFL Week 17

NFL teams continue to fight for postseason berths and playoff positioning in Week 17. Four teams clinched division titles through the first 16 weeks of the season, but 10 playoff spots remain.

The Week 17 schedule did not have a Thursday game, but the Sunday slate includes nine games at 1 p.m. EST, two at 4:05 p.m., three at 4:25 p.m. and one at 8:20 p.m.

The Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) face the Washington Football Team (6-9) in one of the early games on Fox. The Eagles can clinch a playoff spot with a win and losses by the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints. The Eagles also can clinch a spot with a win, a Vikings loss and a San Francisco 49ers win.

The Miami Dolphins (8-7) take on the Tennessee Titans (10-5) in another 1 p.m. matchup with significant playoff implications. The Titans can clinch an AFC South division title with a victory or an Indianapolis Colts loss. The Dolphins are trying to extend their seven-game winning streak.

The Indianapolis Colts (9-6) host the Las Vegas Raiders (8-7) in another early round game. That contest airs at 1 p.m. on Fox. The Colts would clinch a playoff berth with a victory.

The Cincinnati Bengals (9-6) host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) at 1 p.m. Sunday in Cincinnati. The Chiefs carry an eight-game winning streak into that game. The Bengals can clinch an AFC North division title with a win.

The Dallas Cowboys (11-4) host the Arizona Cardinals (10-5) at 4:25 p.m. Sunday on Fox. The Cowboys already clinched an NFC East division title, but could still earn a first-round bye.

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (12-3) host the Minnesota Vikings (7-8) in the final game of the weekend. That Sunday Night Football matchup airs at 8:20 p.m. on NBC. The Packers can clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC and a first-round bye with a victory and a Cowboys loss.

Weekend schedule (all times EST)

Friday

College football

Gator Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Rutgers at 11 a.m. on ESPN

Sun Bowl: Central Michigan vs. Washington State at 12:30 p.m. on CBS

Cotton Bowl: Alabama vs. Cincinnati at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN

Orange Bowl: Michigan vs. Georgia at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN

College basketball

Men's

High Point at Kentucky at noon on SEC Network

NHL

Oilers at Devils at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Ducks at Golden Knights at 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Rangers at Lightning at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Capitals at Red Wings at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN+

NBA

Blazers at Lakers at 10:30 p.m. on NBA TV

Saturday

Soccer

Premier League: Manchester City at Arsenal at 7:30 a.m. on USA

Premier League: Norwich City at Leicester City at 10 a.m. on Peacock Premium

Premier League: Tottenham Hotspur at Watford at 10 a.m. on USA

Premier League: West Ham at Crystal Palace at 12:30 p.m. on USA

College basketball

Men's

West Virginia at Texas at noon on ESPNU

Memphis at Wichita State at noon on CBS

Creighton at Marquette at noon on FS1

Baylor at Iowa State at 2 p.m. on ESPNU

Providence at DePaul at 3 p.m. on Fox

George Mason at Kansas at 5 p.m. on ESPN+

College football

Outback Bowl: Penn State vs. Arkansas at noon on ESPN2

Citrus Bowl: Iowa vs. Kentucky at 1 p.m. on ABC

Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. on ESPN

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Utah at 5 p.m. on ESPN

Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Baylor at 8:45 p.m. on ESPN

NHL

Sabres at Bruins at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Canadiens at Panthers at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Hurricanes at Blue Jackets at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Oilers at Islanders at 2 p.m. on ESPN+

Blackhawks at Predators at 2 p.m. on ESPN+

Senators at Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

Blues at Wild at 7 p.m. on TNT

Canucks at Kraken at 10 p.m. on ESPN+

Flyers at Kings at 10:30 p.m. on ESPN+

NBA

Pelicans at Bucks at 6:30 p.m. on NBA TV

Warriors at Jazz at 9 p.m. on NBA TV

Sunday

Soccer

Premier League: Aston Villa at Brentwood at 9 a.m.on Peacock Premium

Premier League: Brighton at Everton at 9 a.m. on USA

Premier League: Burnley at Leeds at 9 a.m. on Peacock Premium

Premier League: Newcastle at Southampton at 9 a.m. on Peacock Premium

Premier League: Liverpool at Chelsea at 11:30 a.m. on USA Network

NHL

Lightning at Rangers at 12:30 p.m. on ESPN+

Bruins at Red Wings at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Sharks at Penguins at 1 p.m. on ESPN+

Devils at Capitals at 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Ducks at Avalanche at 3 p.m. on ESPN+

Jets at Golden Knights at 4 p.m. on ESPN+

Flames at Blackhawks at 7 p.m. on ESPN+

NFL

Eagles at Washington at 1 p.m. on Fox

Rams at Ravens at 1 p.m. on Fox

Buccaneers at Jets at 1 p.m. on Fox

Dolphins at Titans at 1 p.m. on CBS

Jaguars at Patriots at 1 p.m. on CBS

Raiders at Colts at 1 p.m. on Fox

Chiefs at Bengals at 1 p.m. on CBS

Giants at Bears at 1 p.m. on CBS

Falcons at Bills at 1 p.m. on Fox

Texans at 49ers at 4:05 p.m. on CBS

Broncos at Chargers at 4:05 p.m. on CBS

Panthers at Saints at 4:25 p.m. on Fox

Lions at Seahawks at 4:25 p.m. on Fox

Cardinals at Cowboys at 4:25 p.m. on Fox

Vikings at Packers at 8:20 p.m. on NBC

College basketball

Men's

Michigan State at Northwestern at 2 p.m. on Big Ten Network

Houston at Temple at 5 p.m. on ESPN

Loyola Chicago at Southern Illinois at 5 p.m. on ESPN2

Ohio State at Nebraska at 8 p.m. on Big Ten Network

NBA

Pacers at Cavaliers at 6 p.m. on NBA TV