Omar-Rashon Borja’s Way-Too-Early 2025 Bowl Projections

Non-Playoff Bowls

Celebration Bowl, Atlanta, GA (MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion), December 13th, 12 PM ET, ABC

Morgan State vs. Jackson State

LA Bowl, Inglewood, CA (Mountain West vs. Former PAC-12 Member), December 13th, 9 PM ET, ESPN

San Jose State vs. Arizona

Boise State once again creates a complicated situation for the LA Bowl. With my projections having Boise State making the College Football Playoff and to avoid a repeat appearance by UNLV, I have nearby San Jose State playing in LA. This would be San Jose State’s first bowl appearance against a Power Five team.

Salute to Veterans Bowl, Montgomery, AL: (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 16th, 9 PM ET ESPN

Jacksonville State vs. Miami (OH)

Cure Bowl, Orlando, FL (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 17th, 5:30 PM ET ESPN

USF vs. Buffalo

In 1958, Buffalo received an invite to Orlando’s Tangerine Bowl. Unfortunately, the Bulls never played after the bowl demanded Buffalo leave their Black players home. In 2025, I have Buffalo finally making its Orlando bowl debut.

68 Ventures Bowl, Mobile, AL (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 17th, 9 PM ET ESPN

UConn vs. Coastal Carolina

Myrtle Beach Bowl, Conway, SC (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 19th, 12 PM ET, ESPN

Western Michigan vs. James Madison

Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa, FL (At-large vs. At-Large), December 19th, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN

Memphis vs. Virginia Tech

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise, ID (MAC vs. Mountain West), December 22nd, 2 PM ET, ESPN

Ohio vs. Colorado State

Boca Raton Bowl, Boca Raton, FL (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 23rd, 2 PM ET, ESPN

Western Kentucky vs. Georgia Southern

New Orleans Bowl, New Orleans, LA (Conference USA vs. Sun Belt), December 23rd, 5:30 PM ET, ESPN

UTEP vs. Texas State

Frisco Bowl, Frisco, TX (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 23rd, 9 PM ET, ESPN

Louisiana vs. Sam Houston

Hawaii Bowl, Honolulu, HI (Mountain West vs. Conference USA), December 24th, 8 or 9 PM ET, ESPN

Hawaii vs. Arkansas State

GameAboveSports Bowl, Detroit, MI (MAC vs. Big Ten), December 26th, 1 PM ET, ESPN

Central Michigan vs. Rutgers

Rate Bowl, Phoenix, AZ (Big 12 vs. Big 10), December 26th, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN

Baylor vs. Maryland

First Responder Bowl, College Park, TX, (At-large vs. At-large), December 26th, 8 PM ET ESPN

UTSA vs. Northern Illinois

Military Bowl, Annapolis, MD, (AAC vs. ACC), December 27th, 11 AM ET ESPN

Navy vs. North Carolina

Bill Belichick’s fondness for the Naval Academy is no secret. Belichick’s father, Steve coached at the Academy years ago. In 2019, the Midshipmen used the Patriots’ private jet to fly to the Liberty Bowl. The two schools have not met since 1992 with the series even at five games apiece.

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx, NY, (ACC vs. Big 10), December 27th, 12 PM ET, ABC

Louisville vs. Iowa

Fenway Bowl, Boston, MA (AAC vs. ACC), December 27th, 2:15 PM ET, ESPN

East Carolina vs. Pitt

Pop-Tarts Bowl, Orlando, FL (ACC vs. Big 12), December 27th, 3:30 PM ET, ABC

Syracuse vs. BYU

Arizona Bowl, Tucson, AZ, (MAC vs. Mountain West), December 27th, 4:30 PM ET, The CW

UNLV vs. Bowling Green

New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, NM, (Group of Five vs. Group of Five), December 27th, 5:45 PM ET

Air Force vs. Toledo

Air Force and Toledo face off for their first matchup since their thrilling 2011 Military Bowl. Toledo won after Air Force went for two and the win in a 45-44 loss.

Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, FL, (ACC vs. SEC), December 27th, 7:30 PM ET, ABC

Georgia Tech vs. Florida

Former SEC foes collide in their first meeting since 1981.

Texas Bowl, Houston, TX, (SEC vs. Big 12), December 27th, 9:15 PM ET, ESPN

Texas A&M vs. TCU

These two have met just once, in the 2001 GalleryFurtniture.com Bowl, since the Southwest Conference dissolved in 1995.

Birmingham Bowl, Birmingham, AL (At-Large vs. At-Large), December 29th, 2 PM ET, ESPN

Tulane vs. Missouri

Independence Bowl, Shreveport, LA (Conference USA vs. Big 12), December 30th, 2 PM ET, ESPN

Liberty vs. West Virginia

This is Conference USA’s lone guaranteed tie-in against a Power Four conference (thanks to BYU forfeiting its tie-in after joining the Big 12) so I expect the league to reward its champion with this coveted matchup.

Music City Bowl, Nashville, TN, (SEC vs. Big Ten), December 30th, 5:30 PM ET, ESPN

Minnesota vs. Oklahoma

Alamo Bowl, San Antonio, TX, (Former PAC-12 member vs. Big 12), December 30th, 9 PM ET, ESPN

Baylor vs. USC

ReliaQuest Bowl, Tampa, FL, (SEC vs. Big Ten), December 31st, 12 PM ET, ESPN

Tennessee vs. Indiana

Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX, (ACC vs. Former PAC-12 member), 2 PM ET, CBS

Boston College vs. Utah

Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL, (SEC vs. Big Ten), 3 PM ET, ABC

Michigan vs. Ole Miss

Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas, NV, (Former PAC-12 member vs. Big Ten), 3:30 PM ET, ESPN

Nebraska vs. Oregon

Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth, TX (At-Large vs. At-Large), January 2nd, 1 PM ET, ESPN

Army vs. Oregon State

Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN, (SEC vs. Big 12), January 2nd, 4:30 PM ET, ESPN

Vanderbilt vs. Kansas State

Surprisingly, Vanderbilt has not appeared in the Liberty Bowl since 2011.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Charlotte, NC (ACC vs. SEC), January 2nd, 8 PM ET, ESPN

Duke vs. South Carolina

Holiday Bowl, San Diego, CA, (ACC vs. Former PAC-12 school), Date TBA

SMU vs. Colorado

Bahamas Bowl Replacement Bowl, TBD

Eastern Michigan vs. Marshall

College Football Playoff

First Round

#5 Penn State vs. #12 Boise State

#6 Georgia vs. #11 Arizona State

#7 LSU vs. #10 Miami

#8 Clemson vs. #9 Illinois

Quarterfinals

Cotton Bowl, Arlington, TX, December 31st

#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 Georgia

Orange Bowl, Miami, FL, January 1st, 12 PM ET

#4 Alabama vs. #5 Penn State

Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA, January 1st, 4 PM ET

#2 Ohio State vs. #7 LSU

Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, LA, January 1st , 8 PM ET

#1 Texas vs. #8 Clemson

Semifinals

Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, AZ, January 8th, 7:30 PM ET

#1 Texas vs. #5 Penn State

Peach Bowl, Atlanta, GA, January 8th, 7:30 PM ET

#3 Notre Dame vs. #2 Ohio State

National Championship Game, January 19th, Miami, FL, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN

#1 Texas vs. #2 Ohio State