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Bowl Projections
Celebration Bowl, December 14th, Atlanta, GA; 12 PM ET on ABC (SWAC Champ vs. MEAC Champ):
FAMU Vs NC Central
Camellia Bowl, December 14th, Montgomery, Alabama; 9 PM ET on ESPN (Sun Belt vs MAC):
South Alabama vs. Western Michigan
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl, December 17th, Frisco, TX; 9 PM ET on ESPN (Group B of Five vs Group of Five):
Louisiana vs. Louisiana Tech
These two Pelican State schools have not met since 2015 and have played 87 times before.
Boca Raton Bowl, December 18th, Boca Raton, FL; 5:30 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Marshall vs. Central Michigan
LA Bowl, December 18th, Los Angeles, CA; 9:00 PM ET on ESPN (Mountain West vs. Former PAC-12 member):
San Jose State vs. Cal
San Jose State plays its first Power Four bowl opponent in this projection due to UNLV making the playoff.
New Orleans Bowl, December 19th, New Orleans, LA; 7 PM ET on ESPN (Conference USA vs. Sun Belt):
James Madison vs. Liberty
Cure Bowl, December 20th, Orlando, FL; 12 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Toledo vs. Tulane
Gasparilla Bowl, December 20th, Tampa FL; 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. ACC):
South Florida vs. Pitt
USF faces a former Big East rival for the second year in a row during bowl season. The two schools have not met since Pitt left the Big East after the 2012 season. The Panthers have a 7-3 advantage in the series.
Myrtle Beach Bowl, December 23rd, Conway, SC; 11:00 AM on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Coastal Carolina vs. Miami (OH)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, December 23rd, Boise, ID; 2:30 PM on ESPN (Sun Belt vs. MAC):
San Diego State vs. Buffalo
Hawaii Bowl, December 24th, Honolulu, HI; 8:00 PM ET on ESPN (Mountain West vs. Conference USA):
Nevada vs. Jacksonville State
Detroit Bowl, December 26th, Detroit, MI; 2:00 PM ET on ESPN (MAC vs. Big Ten):
Ohio vs. Michigan State
The Bobcats play their first bowl against a Power Five opponent in this one.
Guaranteed Rate Bowl, December 26th, Phoenix, AZ; 5:30 PM ET on ESPN (Big 12 vs. Big Ten):
Iowa State vs. Maryland
68 Ventures Bowl, December 26th, Mobile, AL; 9 PM ET on ESPN (MAC vs. Sun Belt):
Georgia Southern vs. UConn
Armed Forces Bowl, December 27th, Fort Worth, TX; 12 PM ET or 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (Big 12 vs. Group of Five):
Texas State vs. Texas Tech
Birmingham Bowl, December 27th, Birmingham AL; 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. ACC/SEC):
Appalachian State vs. Georgia Tech
After going 22 years without playing a Power Five school in a bowl, before Troy played Duke in the Birmingham Bowl, I have the Sun Belt playing two Power Four teams this year.
Liberty Bowl, December 27th, Memphis, TN; 7:00 PM ET on ESPN (Big 12 vs SEC):
BYU vs. Kentucky
Las Vegas Bowl, December 27th, Las Vegas, NV; 10:30 PM ET on ESPN (Former Pac-12 Member vs. SEC):
Washington vs. Tennessee
Fenway Bowl, December 28th, Boston, MA; 11:00 AM ET on ESPN (AAC vs. ACC):
Syracuse vs. Memphis
Pinstripe Bowl, December 28th, Bronx, NY; 12:00 PM ET on ABC (Big Ten vs. ACC):
Nebraska vs. Boston College
New Mexico Bowl, December 28th, Albuquerque, NM; 2:15 PM ET on ESPN (Mountain West vs. Group of Five/at-large):
Colorado State vs. North Texas
Pop Tarts Bowl, December 28th, Orlando, FL; 3:30 PM ET on ABC (Big 12 vs. ACC):
Kansas vs. Louisville
Arizona Bowl, December 28th, Tucson, AZ; 4:30 PM ET on The CW (MAC vs. Mountain West):
Bowling Green vs. Fresno State
Military Bowl, December 28th, Annapolis, MD; 5:45 PM on ESPN (American vs. AAC):
Navy vs. North Carolina
Alamo Bowl, December 28th, San Antonio, TX; 7:30 PM ET on ABC (Big 12 vs. Former PAC-12 member):
Kansas State vs USC
Independence Bowl, December 28th, Shreveport, LA; 9:15 PM ET on ESPN (Former PAC-12 member vs. Army):
Army vs. Oregon State
Music City Bowl, December 30th, Nashville, TN; 2:30 PM ET on ESPN (SEC vs. Big Ten):
Arkansas vs. Illinois
Reliaquest Bowl, December 31st, Tampa, FL: 12:00 PM ET on ESPN (SEC vs. Big Ten):
Iowa vs. Oklahoma
Sun Bowl, December 31st, El Paso, TX; 2:00 PM ET on CBS (ACC vs. Former PAC-12 member):
SMU vs. Arizona
SMU would surprisingly be the first team from Texas to play in the Sun Bowl since TCU in 1998.
Citrus Bowl, December 31st, Orlando, FL; 3:00 PM on ABC (Big Ten vs. SEC):
LSU vs. Michigan
Texas Bowl, December 31st, Houston, TX; 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (SEC vs. Big 12):
Oklahoma State vs. Vanderbilt
Gator Bowl, January 2nd, Jacksonville, FL; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN (ACC vs. SEC):
Virginia Tech vs.Auburn
First Responder Bowl, January 3rd, Dallas, TX; 4:00 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. at-large):
Boise State vs. Northern Illinois
Rose Bowl-esque matchup in Dallas anybody? Northern Illinois’ loss removes them from the Group of Five Playoff race lead. Boise State could re-emerge in the lead with wins over Washington State and Oregon State after a close loss to Oregon. For now, I have the powers at ESPN creating a 2015 Poinsettia Bowl rematch in Dallas. Boise State had one of the most dominant bowl performances ever the last time these two schools met, holding NIU to 38 yards of offense in a 55-7 win.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl, January 3rd, Charlotte, NC; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN (ACC vs. Big Ten):
Notre Dame vs. Rutgers
Buckle up for this explanation. Last year, the ACC directed its tier one bowls (Pop Tarts, Holiday, and Gator) to pass on Notre Dame. This, they landed in the Tier Two Sun Bowl. I project Notre Dame finishes 10-2 or 9-3 with the most likely losses coming against USC and Louisville. If the ACC pushes Notre Dame out of the tier 1 bowls again, the only logical destination is the Mayo Bowl since they already play Army at Yankee Stadium this year.
Bahamas Bowl, January 4th, Nassau, Bahamas; 11:00 AM ET on ESPN (MAC vs. Conference USA):
Eastern Michigan vs. Western Kentucky
Holiday Bowl, December 27th, 8 PM ET, Fox, San Diego, CA; (ACC vs. PAC-12):
UCLA vs. Clemson
College Football Playoff
First Round Matchup #1: 12-seed UNLV vs. 5-seed Alabama
What a wild week four for the Group of Five. Buffalo shockingly upset NIU, taking the Huskies out of the lead for the Group of Five’s Playoff spot. UNLV takes the 12-seed with wins over Houston and Kansas. The Rebels can really make their resume the best in the Group of Five with wins over Syracuse and Oregon State
First Round Matchup #2: 11-seed Ole Miss vs. 6-seed Penn State
First Round Matchup #3: 10-seed Oregon vs. 7-seed Texas
First Round Matchup #4: 9-seed Penn State vs. 8-seed Missouri
Quarterfinal #1: Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, AZ, December 31st; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN
4-seed Utah vs. 5-seed Alabama
Quarterfinal #2: Peach Bowl, Atlanta, GA, January 1st; 1:00 PM ET on ESPN
1-seed Georgia vs. 10-seed Oregon
Quarterfinal #3: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA, January 1st; 5:00 PM ET on ESPN
2-seed Ohio State vs. 8-seed Tennessee
Quarterfinal #4: Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, LA, January 1st; 8:30 PM ET on ESPN
3-seed Miami vs. 6-seed Ole Miss
Semifinal #1: Orange Bowl, Miami, FL; January 9th; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN
1-seed Georgia vs. 5-seed Alabama
Semifinal #2: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, TX, January 10th; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN
6-seed Ole Miss vs. 2-seed Ohio State
National Championship Game, Atlanta, GA; January 20th; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN
1-seed Georgia Vs 2-seed Ohio State