Non-Playoff Bowls
December 13
Celebration Bowl
- Matchup: Delaware State vs. Jackson State
- 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. While I expect either Boise State or UNLV to win the Mountain West, I think that if San Diego State is bowl-eligible, the LA Bowl would take them. UNLV appeared last year, and Boise State played in 2023. Seems like an ideal situation to bypass the conference champion and choose geography.
December 16
Salute to Veterans Bowl
- Matchup: Ohio vs. Western Kentucky
- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
December 17
Cure Bowl
- Matchup: Western Michigan vs. Old Dominion
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Western Michigan has never appeared in a bowl in Florida.
68 Ventures Bowl
- Matchup: Troy vs. Jacksonville State
- Location: Mobile, 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 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl
- Matchup: Toledo vs. Appalachian State
- Location: Conway, SC
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Gasparilla Bowl
- Matchup: Marshall vs. East Carolina
- 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: Miami (OH) 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. Southern Mississippi
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Frisco Bowl
- Matchup: California 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. Maryland
- 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: Tulane vs. Kansas
- Location: College Park, TX
- Time: 8 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. At-large
December 27
Military Bowl
- Matchup: Memphis vs. Wake Forest
- Location: Annapolis, MD
- Time: 11 AM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: AAC vs. ACC
These two met in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl, which Wake Forest won 37-34. Memphis has yet to appear in this bowl despite the Military Bowl's 12-year partnership with the American and the Tigers consistently being one of the best schools in the league.
Pinstripe Bowl
- Matchup: Louisville vs. Iowa
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Time: 12 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 10
Fenway Bowl
- Matchup: Temple vs. Pitt
- Location: Boston, MA
- Time: 2:15 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: AAC vs. ACC
Surprisingly, Pitt and Temple have not played since the Big East stopped sponsoring football in 2012. In fact, when the two were in separate conferences from 2006 to 2011, they never played. Pitt leads the all-time series 28-7-1, winning seven straight dating back to 1999.
Pop-Tarts Bowl
- Matchup: Cincinnati vs. Virginia
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 12
Arizona Bowl
- Matchup: UNLV vs. Bowling Green
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Time: 4:30 PM ET | The CW
- Tie-in: MAC vs. Mountain West
New Mexico Bowl
- Matchup: New Mexico vs. Texas State
- Location: Albuquerque, NM
- Time: 5:45 PM ET
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Gator Bowl
- Matchup: Florida State 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: NC State vs. North Texas
- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
North Texas would get its first Power Four bowl opponent in this game.
December 30
Independence Bowl
- Matchup: Kennesaw State vs. Kansas State
- Location: Shreveport, LA
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Conference USA vs. Big 12 (Sun Belt Backup)
I don’t think anyone knows who’s going to win Conference USA. Alas, let’s just have some fun and imagine one of the FBS’ youngest programs playing in one of the oldest bowl games remaining.
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: Illinois vs. Tennessee
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Alamo Bowl
- Matchup: Texas Tech 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: Oklahoma vs. Minnesota
- Location: Tampa, FL
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Sun Bowl
- Matchup: SMU vs. Utah
- Location: El Paso, TX
- Time: 2 PM ET | CBS
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Former PAC-12 member
SMU would be the first team from Texas to participate in the Sun Bowl since 1999. They would play their former rival from the 16-team WAC, Utah. The series is tied 1-1 with both schools meeting as members of the WAC's Mountain Division in 1996 and 1997.
Citrus Bowl
- Matchup: Nebraska vs. Texas
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 3 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten
Big 12 foes are reunited for the first time since 2010. While the Longhorns and Cornhuskers have played each other three times in the Big 12 Championship Game, the two have just one bowl meeting, the 1974 Cotton Bowl.
Las Vegas Bowl
- Matchup: Michigan 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. TCU
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
- Time: 1 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
Liberty Bowl
- Matchup: USF vs. Baylor
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Time: 4:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big 12 (American Conference Backup)
Former Conference USA, Big East, and American Conference rivals would meet here through the SEC not being able to fulfill this tie-in.
Duke's Mayo Bowl
- Matchup: Duke vs. Auburn
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Time: 8 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: ACC vs. SEC
It is difficult to believe Duke has not played in the Mayo Bowl since 2012, when it was the Belk Bowl. Duke is due for another visit to this bowl.
Holiday Bowl
- Matchup: Miami vs. Arizona State
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Time: 8 PM ET | Fox
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Former PAC-12 school
Bahamas Bowl Replacement Bowl
- Matchup: Utah State vs. Coastal Carolina
- Location: TBD
College Football Playoff
First Round
- #5 Alabama vs. #12 Navy
- #6 Oregon vs. #11 Notre Dame
- #7 Vanderbilt vs. #10 BYU
- #8 Ole Miss vs. #9 Georgia Tech
Quarterfinals
Cotton Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Texas A&M vs. #6 Oregon
- Location: Arlington, TX
- Date: December 31st
Orange Bowl
- Matchup: #4 Georgia vs. #5 Alabama
- Location: Miami, FL
- Date: January 1st | 12 PM ET
Rose Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #8 Ole Miss
- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Date: January 1st | 4 PM ET
Sugar Bowl
- Matchup: #2 Ohio State vs. #7 Vanderbilt
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Date: January 1st | 8 PM ET
Semifinals
Fiesta Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #5 Alabama
- Location: Glendale, AZ
- Date: January 8th | 7:30 PM ET
Peach Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Oregon vs. #2 Ohio State
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Date: January 8th | 7:30 PM ET
National Championship Game
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #2 Ohio State
- Location: Miami, FL
- Date: January 19th | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN
