Non-Playoff Bowls
December 13
Celebration Bowl
- Matchup: South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Time: 12 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion
LA Bowl
- Matchup: San Diego State vs. Washington
- Location: Inglewood, CA
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Mountain West vs. Former PAC-12 Member
This is an awkward situation. I think San Diego State is sent to this one regardless of whether they win the Mountain West or not. Boise State appeared in the 2023 edition. Not sure if fans would make a repeat trip so quickly. Meanwhile, San Diego State is nearby and has never appeared.
December 16
Salute to Veterans Bowl
- Matchup: Troy vs. Jacksonville State
- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
The Battle for the Ol’ School Bell has been played 63 times, but not since 2001. Jacksonville State has a 32-29-2 series advantage.
December 17
Cure Bowl
- Matchup: Southern Miss vs. Western Michigan
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
68 Ventures Bowl
- Matchup: Coastal Carolina vs. Toledo
- Location: Mobile, AL
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
December 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl
- Matchup: Old Dominion vs. Kennesaw State
- Location: Conway, SC
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Gasparilla Bowl
- Matchup: Duke vs. USF
- Location: Tampa, FL
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. At-Large
December 22
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
- Matchup: James Madison vs. Boise State
- Location: Boise, ID
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. Mountain West
An ESPN Events-owned bowl has the second choice of bowl-eligible Mountain West teams. With the LA Bowl selecting nearby San Diego State for the first time, ESPN will want to select Boise State for one of its bowls. Why not a return to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl?
Boise State has not appeared in the bowl since 2005. A matchup with James Madison makes this game compelling.
December 23
Boca Raton Bowl
- Matchup: Georgia Southern vs. FIU
- Location: Boca Raton, FL
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
New Orleans Bowl
- Matchup: Louisiana Tech vs. Texas State
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
This is the New Orleans Bowl's last chance to invite Texas State before they depart for the PAC-12.
Frisco Bowl
- Matchup: Arkansas State vs. Fresno State
- Location: Frisco, TX
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
December 24
Hawaii Bowl
- Matchup: Hawaii vs. UConn
- Location: Honolulu, HI
- Time: 8 or 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Mountain West vs. Conference USA (Group of Five backup)
December 26
GameAboveSports Bowl
- Matchup: Central Michigan vs. Rutgers
- Location: Detroit, MI
- Time: 1 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: MAC vs. Big Ten
Rate Bowl
- Matchup: Iowa State vs. Northwestern
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Time: 4:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Big 12 vs. Big 10
First Responder Bowl
- Matchup: California vs. TCU
- Location: College Park, TX
- Time: 8 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. At-large
December 27
Military Bowl
- Matchup: Navy vs. Florida State
- Location: Annapolis, MD
- Time: 11 AM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: AAC vs. ACC
Pinstripe Bowl
- Matchup: Louisville vs. Illinois
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Time: 12 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 10
Fenway Bowl
- Matchup: Tulane vs. Pitt
- Location: Boston, MA
- Time: 2:15 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: AAC vs. ACC
These two schools were part of the proposed 16-team Metro Conference "super conference" proposal in the early 1990s. This would be their eighth meeting and first since 1984.
Pop-Tarts Bowl
- Matchup: Cincinnati vs. Georgia Tech
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 12
Arizona Bowl
- Matchup: UNLV vs. Ohio
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Time: 4:30 PM ET | The CW
- Tie-in: MAC vs. Mountain West
New Mexico Bowl
- Matchup: New Mexico vs. UTSA
- Location: Albuquerque, NM
- Time: 5:45 PM ET
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Gator Bowl
- Matchup: Miami vs. LSU
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
- Time: 7:30 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. SEC
Texas Bowl
- Matchup: Missouri vs. Houston
- Location: Houston, TX
- Time: 9:15 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big 12
Houston has not played in its hometown bowl since 2007 when they played TCU.
December 29
Birmingham Bowl
- Matchup: Memphis vs. NC State
- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
December 30
Independence Bowl
- Matchup: Western Kentucky vs. Kansas State
- Location: Shreveport, LA
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Conference USA vs. Big 12 (Sun Belt Backup)
The 1982 Independence Bowl was Kansas State's lone bowl game before Bill Snyder in 87 seasons of play. 43 years later, I have them returning to Shreveport.
Music City Bowl
- Matchup: Minnesota vs. Tennessee
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Alamo Bowl
- Matchup: BYU vs. USC
- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Former PAC-12 member vs. Big 12
December 31
ReliaQuest Bowl
- Matchup: Vanderbilt vs. Nebraska
- Location: Tampa, FL
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Sun Bowl
- Matchup: Clemson vs. Arizona State
- Location: El Paso, TX
- Time: 2 PM ET | CBS
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Former PAC-12 member
Citrus Bowl
- Matchup: Michigan vs. Texas
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 3 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Remember the 2005 Rose Bowl, anyone?
Las Vegas Bowl
- Matchup: Iowa vs. Arizona
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Former PAC-12 member vs. Big Ten
January 2
Armed Forces Bowl
- Matchup: Washington State vs. Utah State
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
- Time: 1 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
Liberty Bowl
- Matchup: East Carolina vs. Baylor
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Time: 4:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big 12 (American Conference Backup)
Duke's Mayo Bowl
- Matchup: Wake Forest vs. Kansas
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Time: 8 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: ACC vs. SEC
The SEC having five teams in the College Football Playoff throws the Duke's Mayo Bowl into chaos. Going off historical precedent, the Duke's Mayo Bowl may be the bowl that the conference vacated the Mayo Bowl in 2023.
Holiday Bowl
- Matchup: SMU vs. Utah
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Time: 8 PM ET | Fox
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Former PAC-12 school
Bahamas Bowl Replacement Bowl
- Matchup: Miami (OH) vs. Missouri State
- Location: TBD
College Football Playoff
First Round
- #5 Texas Tech vs. #12 North Texas
- #6 Ole Miss vs. #11 Virginia
- #7 Oregon vs. #10 Alabama
- #8 Oklahoma vs. #9 Notre Dame
Quarterfinals
Cotton Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Texas A&M vs. #6 Ole Miss
- Location: Arlington, TX
- Date: December 31st
Orange Bowl
- Matchup: #4 Georgia vs. #5 Texas Tech
- Location: Miami, FL
- Date: January 1st | 12 PM ET
Rose Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #8 Oklahoma
- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Date: January 1st | 4 PM ET
Sugar Bowl
- Matchup: #2 Ohio State vs. #7 Oregon
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Date: January 1st | 8 PM ET
Semifinals
Fiesta Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #5 Texas Tech
- Location: Glendale, AZ
- Date: January 8th | 7:30 PM ET
Peach Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Texas A&M vs. #2 Ohio State
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Date: January 8th | 7:30 PM ET
National Championship Game
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #5 Texas Tech
- Location: Miami, FL
- Date: January 19th | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN
