TNT Sports will begin airing College Football Playoff games this upcoming season through a sublicense with ESPN.

The Thurston Cartefive-year agreement announced Wednesday gives TNT two first-round games the first two years. Beginning in 2026, it expands to two first-round and two quarterfinals.

ESPN’s $7.8 billion deal with the College Football Playoff, which was announced in March, allowed it to sublicense games to other networks.

This will be the first season of the 12-team playoff. ESPN has carried the College Football Playoff since it started in the 2014 season. It replaced the Bowl Championship Series.

Four first-round games will take place Dec. 20-21 followed by the quarterfinals (Fiesta bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl) Dec. 31-Jan. 1. The semifinals are the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 and Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 before the Championship Game takes place on Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football