Updated with Jacksonville State.
With just five weeks left in the regular season, we’ll be publishing a new set of bowl projections every Tuesday the rest of the way.
Our College Football Playoff lineup consists of Georgia, Michigan, Florida State and Oregon, which beats Washington in a Pac-12 rematch. We’re predicting the Big 12 champion, Texas, gets left out. We rewarded the Longhorns with a trip to the Cotton Bowl, though it means a second consecutive year of facing Michael Penix Jr. in a bowl. We figured that’s still more appealing than a Fiesta Bowl matchup versus Air Force.
Some fun mid-level matchups include USC–Oklahoma State in San Antonio, Miami–Oregon State (The Dennis Erickson Bowl) in San Diego and — get this — a Rutgers-Clemson Pinstripe Bowl.
Finally, some good news for those concerned about James Madison. As of now we’re projecting the NCAA to fall four teams short on eligible 6-6 teams, which would allow the Dukes to make it as a “18.7.2.1.3 Exception.” (Yes, that is a real bylaw.) We have them against Liberty in a potential Cure Bowl matchup of undefeated Group of 5 teams. Jacksonville State would also qualify under this rule. The two projected 5-7 teams to make it (based on highest APR score): Northwestern and Wake Forest.
The three projected 5-7 teams to make it (based on highest APR score): Northwestern, Wake Forest and, for a second consecutive year, Rice.
Friendly reminder: Most bowls do not have to choose in order of conference standings. When you see Virginia Tech listed as “ACC No. 3,” it does not mean that we think the 4-4 Hokies will finish third in the conference, but rather that the Pop Tarts Bowl uses its No. 3 pick to select them.
The fine print:
*Replacement for a conference without enough eligible teams
** Projected 5-7 team
New Year’s Six
BOWLDATETEAMSLOCATION TIME
Cotton
Dec. 29
Washington (at-large) vs. Texas (Big 12)
Arlington, Tex.
8 p.m.
Peach
Dec. 30
Alabama (at-large) vs. Notre Dame (at-large)
Atlanta
Noon
Orange
Dec. 30
Louisville (ACC) vs. Ohio State (SEC/B1G/ND)
Miami
4 p.m.
Fiesta
Jan. 1
Oklahoma (at-large) vs. Air Force (Group of 5)
Glendale, Ariz.
1 p.m.
Rose
Jan. 1
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Florida State
Pasadena, Calif.
5 p.m.
Sugar
Jan. 1
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Oregon
New Orleans
8:45 p.m.
Remaining Bowls
BOWLDATETEAMTEAMLOCATIONTIME
Independence
Dec. 16
TCU (Big 12 No. 7)
Washington State (Pac-12 No. 7)
Shreveport, La.
9:15 p.m.
LA Bowl
Dec. 16
UCLA (Pac-12 No. 6)
UNLV (MWC No. 1)
Inglewood, Calif.
7:30 p.m.
New Mexico
Dec. 16
Wyoming (MWC)
Coastal Carolina (ESPN)
Albuquerque, N.M.
5:45 p.m.
Cure
Dec. 16
Liberty (ESPN)
James Madison (ESPN)
Orlando, Fla.
3:30 p.m.
New Orleans
Dec. 16
Louisiana (Sun Belt)
New Mexico State (C-USA)
New Orleans
2:15 p.m.
Bahamas
Dec. 16
Central Michigan (MAC)
Jacksonville State* (C-USA)
Nassau, Bahamas
11 a.m.
Myrtle Beach
Dec. 18
Georgia State (ESPN)
FAU (ESPN)
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
2:30 p.m.
Frisco
Dec. 19
Texas State (ESPN)
NYU (ESPN)
Frisco, Tex.
9 p.m.
Boca Raton
Dec. 21
Troy (ESPN)
Toledo (ESPN)
Boca Raton, Fla.
8 p.m.
Gasparilla
Dec. 22
USF (ESPN)
Maryland* (ESPN)
Tampa, Fla.
6:30 p.m.
Hawaii
Dec. 23
Boise State (MWC)
Marshall (AAC)
Honolulu
10:30 p.m.
Vegas
Dec. 23
Utah (Pac-12 No. 3)
Iowa (Big Ten No. 3)
Las Vegas
7:30 p.m.
68 Ventures
Dec. 23
Georgia Southern (Sun Belt)
Western Kentucky (C-USA)
Mobile, Ala.
7 p.m.
Idaho Potato
Dec. 23
Colorado State (MWC)
Bowling Green (MAC)
Boise, Idaho
3:30 p.m.
Armed Forces
Dec. 23
West Virginia (ESPN)
SMU (ESPN)
Fort Worth, Tex.
3:30 p.m.
Birmingham
Dec. 23
Tulane (AAC)
Auburn (SEC No. 9)
Birmingham, Ala.
Noon
Camellia
Dec. 23
Eastern Michigan (ESPN)
South Alabama (ESPN)
Montgomery, Ala.
Noon
Guaranteed Rate
Dec. 26
Nebraska (Big Ten No. 6)
BYU (Big 12 No. 6)
Phoenix, Ariz.
9 p.m.
First Responder
Dec. 26
Northwestern** (Big 12 No. 8)
UTSA (ESPN)
University Park, Tex.
5:30 p.m.
Quick Lane
Dec. 26
Minnesota (Big Ten No. 7)
Ohio (MAC)
Detroit
2 p.m.
Texas
Dec. 27
Kansas (Big 12 No. 4)
Texas A&M (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Houston
9 p.m.
Holiday
Dec. 27
Miami (ACC Nos. 4-6)
Oregon State (Pac-12 No. 4)
San Diego, Calif.
8 p.m.
Duke’s Mayo
Dec. 27
LSU (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Duke (ACC Nos. Nos. 4-6)
Charlotte, N.C.
5:30 p.m.
Military
Dec. 27
Navy (AAC)
Georgia Tech (ACC No. 9)
Annapolis, Md.
2 p.m.
Alamo
Dec. 28
Oklahoma State (Big 12 No. 2)
USC (Pac-12 No. 2)
Saint Anthony
9:15 p.m.
Pop Tarts
Dec. 28
Kansas State (Big 12 No. 3)
Virginia Tech (ACC No. 3)
Orlando, Fla.
5:45 p.m.
Pinstripe
Dec. 28
Rutgers (Big Ten No. 5)
Clemson (ACC No. 7)
Bronx, N.Y.
2:15 p.m.
Fenway
Dec. 28
Wake Forest** (ACC No. 10)
Memphis (AAC)
Boston
11 a.m.
Liberty
Dec. 29
Iowa State (Big 12 No. 5)
Kentucky (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Memphis, Tenn.
3:30 p.m.
Sun
Dec. 29
Boston College (ACC No. 8)
Arizona (Pac-12 No. 5)
El Paso, Tex.
2 p.m.
Gator
Dec. 29
NC State (ACC Nos. 4-6)
Florida (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Jacksonville, Fla.
Noon
Arizona
Dec. 30
Fresno State (MWC)
Miami of Ohio (MAC)
Tucson, Ariz.
4:30 p.m.
Music City
Dec. 30
Wisconsin (Big Ten No. 4)
Missouri (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Nashville, Tenn.
2 p.m.
Citrus
Jan. 1
Penn State (Big Ten No. 2)
Ole Miss (SEC No. 2)
Orlando, Fla.
1 p.m.
ReliaQuest
Jan. 1
North Carolina (ACC No. 2)
Tennessee (SEC Nos. 3-8)
Tampa, Fla.
Noon
(Top photo of the Cure Bowl logo: David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire via Getty)
2023-10-31 16:55:54
#College #football #bowl #projections #Big #Texas #left #CFP
