New Year’s Six bowl game moving time slots thanks to NFL schedule
By Scott Rogust
The 2023 NFL season schedule was released on Thursday, and it has caused the Orange Bowl to change its kickoff time for New Year’s weekend.
On Thursday, the NFL released its official schedule for the 2023 season. So, teams have a better idea of how long their home stands or road trips will be, or if they will be facing a short week or a lengthy hiatus between games. NFL games are primarily played on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays, but there are some games that will be taking place on Saturdays.
With the latter fact, one of the biggest games of the college football had to be rescheduled.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Orange Bowl will be moving its kickoff time on Saturday, Dec. 30 from 8:00 p.m. ET to 4:00 p.m. ET. That is due in part to the NFL scheduling a game between the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions for 8:15 p.m. ET.
Per source, Orange Bowl is moving from 8 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30 (on ESPN), because NFL decided to give ABC/ESPN a Lions-Cowboys game at 8 p.m. that Saturday night. NFL opted to move MNF to Saturday night that weekend and will not play a game on Monday night, Jan. 1.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 12, 2023
Orange Bowl rescheduled due to Cowboys vs. Lions game on Dec. 30
As Jackson says in his tweet, the NFL opted against running a Monday Night Football game for Week 17 and instead opted to put Lions vs. Cowboys on Saturday night instead. That is due in part due to New Year’s Day and the fact that the College Football Playoff will be taking place that day. This is the first time that the College Football Playoff semifinals will not be held on New Year’s Eve since the 2020-21 season.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans will serve as the College Football Playoff’s semifinal games for the 2023-24 season.
The Orange Bowl will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, as it has been since 2000. This past season’s Orange Bowl saw the Tennessee Volunteers defeat the Clemson Tigers 31-14.
As for Lions vs. Cowboys, it could very well be a huge game, as both are expected to be playoff contenders entering the 2023 regular-season.
So on Dec. 30, be sure to keep note that the game will be held in the 4:00 p.m. ET in the afternoon as opposed to the originally scheduled 8:00 p.m. ET kickoff time.
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