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.