The 2026 Rose Bowl will start one hour earlier than its traditional 2 p.m. start time as part of schedule adjustments for all three New Year’s Day College Football Playoff quarterfinals, officials announced Tuesday.
The switch to 1 p.m. is “the result of a thoughtful collaboration” between the College Football Playoff, ESPN and organizers of the Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl, Rich Clark, executive director of the College Football Playoff, said in a statement.
“All three bowls shifting their start times allows us to place each game in an ideal window on New Year’s Day,” Clark said.