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College Football Playoff moves most future semis off Dec. 31

Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson runs with the ball as Oklahoma defensive tackle Matthew Romar attempts to stop him in last year’s college football semifinals. Future semifinals may not be played on New Year’s Eve. (Joe Skipper / Associated Press)
Associated Press
Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson runs with the ball as Oklahoma defensive tackle Matthew Romar attempts to stop him in last year’s college football semifinals. Future semifinals may not be played on New Year’s Eve. (Joe Skipper / Associated Press)

The College Football Playoff is moving the dates of future semifinals to ensure the games will be played either on a Saturday or a holiday.

The changes will start with the 2018 season and come in response to the television ratings for last year’s games played on Thursday, Dec. 31, dropping 36 percent from the semifinals played the season before on New Year’s Day.

This season’s semifinals are still set for Saturday, Dec. 31. Next season’s playoff is scheduled to be back on Jan. 1. After 2018, the games initially scheduled to be played on New Year’s Eve, will now be played Saturday, Dec. 29.

The 2019 games will move to Saturday, Dec. 28.