ESPN has some big changes coming over New Year which affects some of the network’s leading stars.
The network has a busy couple days lined up of live college football.
First Take has been bumped from the main ESPN channel on New Year’s DayGetty GettyPat McAfee (right) will appear on College GameDay rather than his own show Wednesday[/caption]And that means a change to the schedule from it’s usual studio shows.
First Take has been bumped from the schedule on New Year’s Day.
The show usually airs at 10 am ET on ESPN Monday through Friday.
But on Wednesday it will be shown on ESPN2 and make way for college football coverage.
Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim were both absent from Monday’s show to begin the week.
Shae Cornette took over in the host’s seat while Shannon Sharpe was left to debate with Dan Orlovsky in Smith’s absence.
First Take will broadcast on the main channel as scheduled on Tuesday – but Smith and Qerim’s status is unclear.
The Pat McAfee Show will also not feature on ESPN either Tuesday or Wednesday.
Instead, ESPN will be showing a bowl game featuring the Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide from midday on New Year’s Eve.
That slot is usually reserved for the Pat McAfee Show on weekdays.
Wednesday will also see college football shown live on the main channel all day.
McAfee will star in College GameDay from 10 am ET.
The show will preview the three playoff quarterfinals lined up for New Year’s Day.
Arizona State takes on Texas from 1 pm ET in the Peach Bowl before Ohio State faces Oregon at 5 pm ET in the Rose Bowl.
New Year’s Day ends with the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia at 8.45 pm ET.
How the 12-team CFP works
The first ever 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off on Friday, December 20.
But who will get in?
The highest four ranked conference champions will all be guaranteed a first-round bye into the quarterfinals around New Year.
The fifth highest ranked conference champion will also be assured a place, regardless of if they’re ranked in the top 12 teams in the nation.
That ensures a champion from one of the second tier of conferences will get a chance to play for the national championship.
Teams seeded five through eight will host a first round playoff game on Friday, 20 or Saturday 21 December.
And they will go up against the teams seeded nine through 12.
All of these rankings and seedings are decided by the CFP committee – based on record and strength of schedule among other factors.
This year’s National Championship Game will take place on Monday, January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The first of the four quarterfinals is on New Year’s Eve.
Boise State will take on Penn State at 7.30 pm ET in the Fiesta Bowl.
ESPN’s programming returns to normal on Thursday and Friday with First Take at 10 am ET followed by the Pat McAfee Show at midday ET.
There is no Thursday Night Football NFL game on Amazon Prime this week.
The NFL regular-season ends Sunday night with the Detroit Lions facing the Minnesota Vikings.
That means there will also be no Monday Night Football on ESPN.
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