That pair, and others like it, became part of notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.

It is a blue blood Final Four in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The teams left standing -- 6-seed Penn State, 7-seed Notre Dame, 8-seed Ohio State and 5-seed Texas-- have combined for 20 national championships.

College football will have consecutive national champions from outside the Sun Belt region for the first time in three decades if Ohio State beats Texas in a playoff semifinal this week.