Fri Dec 19 17:30:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

College Football Playoff Weekend Kicks Off with Bowl Game Tripleheader

Nationwide – College football fans are in for a treat this Friday, with a full slate of bowl game action preceding the highly anticipated College Football Playoff games. While the evening will be dominated by the Playoff matchup, two earlier games offer compelling storylines and potentially exciting football.

The day begins at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN from Conway, S.C., with a clash between conference champions: the Kennesaw State Owls (Conference USA) and the Western Michigan Broncos (Mid-American Conference). This game presents a contrast in styles, with Kennesaw State relying on their freshman Quarterback, Amari Odom’s dual-threat ability, going against Western Michigan’s defense. While both teams have something to prove, analysts predict a close, low-scoring contest.

The afternoon game, airing at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, sees the Memphis Tigers face off against the North Carolina State Wolfpack in Tampa, Fla. NC State is entering the game with victories in three of their last four games. Memphis is in a coaching transition, and are looking to end the year with a win. The Wolfpack, who found their stride late in the season, will look to exploit the Tigers’ recent struggles.

The main event of the evening, the College Football Playoff opening round, will start at 8 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN in Norman, Oklahoma. The game is a rematch of a November 15th contest where the Oklahoma Sooners beat the Alabama Crimson Tide 23-21. Expect to see a defensive fight that could go down to the kicking game, where Oklahoma’s Lou Groza Award winner, Tate Sandell, may give the Sooners an edge.

Read More