Sports fans will have to wait until Sunday as there are no NFL football games on TV on Saturday, January 2. The entire NFL Week 17 schedule takes place on Sunday, January 3.
A big reason for the one day of football is the league tries to schedule the final games in a way where teams are grouped together based on where they are in the playoff seeding. The NFL wants to avoid teams not playing at full strength in Week 17 as a result of other games making their regular-season finale less meaningful for seeding. The NFL playoffs start on Saturday, January 9 as the beginning of two days of triple-header football games.
The good news is there is plenty of college football alternative viewing options on Saturday with the bowl season in full swing. There are four college football games on Saturday’s schedule including the Fiesta Bowl along with the Orange Bowl. No. 10 Iowa State takes on No. 25 Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl at 4 p.m. Eastern on ESPN. The Orange Bowl features No. 5 Texas A&M squaring off with No. 13 North Carolina at 8 p.m. Eastern.
COVID-19 continues to impact the NFL as the Browns-Steelers matchup is in doubt with Cleveland having to shut down their facilities on the eve of the game. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning, and it will be interesting to see if the NFL moves the game to a different date.
“The Cleveland Browns were informed this morning that a member of their coaching staff has tested positive for COVID-19,” the Browns said in a statement. “The team will continue virtual meetings as the facility is currently closed while contact tracing is conducted. We will consult with league medical professionals on the appropriate next steps.”
Here is a look at the NFL Week 17 schedule along with the January 2nd college football bowl games.
College Football Schedule: Bowl Games on Saturday, Jan. 2
| DATE | BOWL GAME | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Saturday, January 2 | Gator: NC St. vs. Kentucky | 12 p.m. ESPN |
| Saturday, January 2 | Outback: Miss. vs. Indiana | 12:30 p.m. ABC |
| Saturday, January 2 | Fiesta: Oregon vs. Iowa St. | 4 p.m. ESPN |
| Saturday, January 2 | Orange: TAMU vs. UNC | 8 p.m. ESPN |
NFL Schedule Week 17
| DATE | MATCHUP | TIME(ET)/TV CHANNEL |
| Sun., January 3 | Falcons vs. Buccaneers | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Cowboys vs. Giants | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Jets vs. Patriots | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Vikings vs. Lions | 1 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Steelers vs. Browns | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Ravens vs. Bengals | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Dolphins vs. Bills | 1 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Seahawks vs. 49ers | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Cardinals vs. Rams | 4:25 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Jaguars vs. Colts | 4:25 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Titans vs. Texans | 4:25 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Raiders vs. Broncos | 4:25 p.m. CBS |
| Sun., January 3 | Chargers vs. Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Packers vs. Bears | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Saints vs. Panthers | 4:25 p.m. Fox |
| Sun., January 3 | Washington vs. Eagles | 8:20 p.m. NBC |
NFC Playoff Matchups
Here are the current NFC playoff matchups heading into Week 17. The top seed gets a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
No. 7 Chicago Bears vs. No. 2 New Orleans Saints
No. 6 L.A. Rams vs. No. 3 Seattle Seahawks
No. 5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. No. 4 Washington Football Team
Bye: No. 1 Green Bay Packers
AFC Playoff Matchups
Here is a look at the current AFC playoff matchups if the postseason started today.
No. 7 Cleveland Browns vs. No. 2 Buffalo Bills
No. 6 Baltimore Ravens vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh Steelers
No. 5 Miami Dolphins vs. No. 4 Tennessee Titans
Bye: No. 1 Kansas City Chiefs (Clinched)
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NFL Games Today: No Pro Football on TV on Saturday, January 2, 2021