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Toby Keith

Toby Keith, Lady A to headline college Playoff concert

Brian Mansfield
USA TODAY
Toby Keith will headline a CMT concert at the College Football Playoff.

CMT and the College Football Playoff have teamed up to present a championship-weekend concert special headlined by Toby Keith and Lady Antebellum.

CMT Ultimate Kickoff Party Live from the College Football Playoff National Championship, a 90-minute, live concert show, will premiere Jan. 9 (CMT, 8 p.m. ET). Big & Rich, whose Comin' to Your City serves as ESPN's College GameDay theme song, Country Music Association new artist of the year Brett Eldredge and other acts to be named later also will perform at the concert, to be held at Dallas' Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.

Eldredge, an Illinois native, says he's pulling for Mississippi State to play in the first national championship game, because the Illinois Fighting Illini are out of contention at 4-6.

"Alabama is probably the strongest team, but, you know, they've had their day in the sun," Eldredge said. "Florida State, they're undefeated, but I think their conference is not as strong as the SEC. I'd like to see Mississippi State come out and crush it."

Big & Rich's John Rich said he'd like to see the 8-1 Baylor Bears, currently ranked seventh, make the Playoff: "They play smart and fast and deserve a shot at the big game."

The national championship game will be Jan. 12 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Follow Brian Mansfield on Twitter @brian_mansfield.

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