Coco Jones, Spelman College Glee Club To Perform At College Football Playoff National Championship

ATLANTA – The College Football Playoff (CFP) today announced the pregame entertainment for the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship to be held Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Prior to kickoff, GRAMMY award-winning singer/songwriter and actress Coco Jones will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The 27-year-old R&B breakout Def Jam/High Standardz recording artist from Nashville, who has enjoyed chart-topping platinum success, was nominated for five GRAMMY Awards in 2024 and her #1 hit “ICU” won for Best R&B Performance, while also leading to a Best New Artrist nod at the BET Awards, the Soul Train Awards and the NAACP Image Awards. With her recent release of new songs, Jones will return to the GRAMMY’s this year as “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” is currently nominated for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song. She captivated the world with her timeless artistry, sensual voice and emotive songs. Her latest project recently wrapped production on an upcoming romantic comedy, “That’s Her”, in which she is starring and executive producing.

Jones will be accompanied by award-winning musician, composer and arranger, Music Director Adam Blackstone. The National Anthem Ceremony will begin with the presentation of the Nation’s Colors by a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard from the United States Central Command carrying flags representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard, followed by the unfurling of a giant American flag by volunteers from the Atlanta community. Continuing a CFP tradition, drummers from the participating team bands will also be included in the National Anthem presentation.

Before the National Anthem, “America the Beautiful” will be performed by members of the Spelman College Glee Club under the direction of Dr. Kevin Johnson. Celebrating its centennial year, the Glee Club is the oldest collegiate choir of African American women in the United States who have not only preserved the legacy of Black choral music but have also inspired generations of young women to find their voices and share their artistry with the world.

14-year-old Johrgia Peaches, an 8th-grade student from Newnan, Georgia, will perform “America the Beautiful” in American Sign Language (ASL) and 20-year-old Alexander Charlot, a 12th-grade student from Monroe, Georgia, will perform “Star-Spangled Banner” in ASL. Both attend the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf (AASD), a state school serving over 110 Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students from over 27 school districts all over the metro Atlanta area.

As part of the CFP’s salute to the armed forces, during “America the Beautiful,” there will be a video feed of members of the United States Air Force, U.S. Airmen deployed overseas in an the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and during the National Anthem, members of the United States Army, 21st Theater Sustainment Command deployed in Panzer Kaserne, Kaiserslautern Germany, all of whom will be watching the national championship game. This year, the U.S. Army celebrates its 250th Anniversary has offered endless possibilities and opportunities for service to our nation.

On the day in which the country annually pays tribute to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change and daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, will participate in the coin toss on the field. A global thought leader and advocate for peace, Dr. King continues her parents’ legacy through her work advancing nonviolent social change and social justice initiatives.

As part of the CFP Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers (EYFT) initiative, the 2024 Teacher of the Year from each U.S. state and territory will be honored on the field during the pregame celebration. This is an opportunity for fans to applaud these educators for their hard work and dedication and furthers the CFP Foundation’s mission of elevating the teaching profession.

Celebrating a college football tradition, the marching bands of each participating team will be featured performers on the field during pregame and at halftime.

During the national championship game, the College Football Playoff will recognize Medal of Honor recipient Corporal (Retired) Kyle Carpenter, who demonstrated extraordinary courage in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on November 21, 2010, by shielding a fellow Marine from a grenade blast, saving his life. Despite severe injuries, Carpenter’s selfless actions embody the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and continue to inspire Americans.

ESPN sideline reporter Stormy Buonantony will return as the in-stadium emcee of the national championship game for the third straight year and will be joined by renowned DJ Mal-Ski, who will energize the crowd with his signature high-energy performance. This year, DJ Mal-Ski will be joined by six drummers from the Clark Atlanta University Drumline, under the direction of Torre Goodson, for a dynamic collaboration blending live percussion with electrifying beats. As one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Clark Atlanta’s drumline is part of the celebrated Mighty Marching Panthers Band and known for their precision, pageantry, and show-stopping performances.

Pregame festivities inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game, which will kick off at 7:45 p.m. ET, will feature No. 7 seed University of Notre Dame against No. 8 seed Ohio State University. Pregame, halftime and postgame pageantry inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be produced by Michael T. Fiur Productions.

For additional information on the College Football Playoff and the national championship game, visit collegefootballplayoff.com. Join the social conversation by using the CFP’s official hashtag, #CFBPlayoff.

About the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff (CFP) is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The CFP Selection Committee ranks the top 25 teams at the end of the season. The 12 playoff participants consist of the five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams. The four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded one through four and receive a first-round bye. The schools seeded five through eight will host those seeded nine through 12 in first-round games. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s Playoff Quarterfinals took place on December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025, while the Playoff Semifinals were January 9-10, 2025. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.