Written By
Written By
Written By
Written By
Celebration Bowl, December 14th, Atlanta, GA; 12 PM ET on ABC (SWAC Champ vs. MEAC Champ):
Alabama State Vs Morgan State
Camellia Bowl, December 14th, Montgomery, Alabama; 9 PM ET on ESPN (Sun Belt vs MAC):
South Alabama vs. Central 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. Fresno State
Boca Raton Bowl, December 18th, Boca Raton, FL; 5:30 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Troy vs. Middle Tennessee State
The Battle of the Palladium is back in Boca Raton. For the first time since 2020 and just the third time since 2013, when Middle Tennessee left the Sun Belt, I have these former Sun Belt rivals squaring off. Middle Tennessee leads the all-time series 13-9.
LA Bowl, December 18th, Los Angeles, CA; 9:00 PM ET on ESPN (Mountain West vs. Former PAC-12 member):
UNLV vs. Cal
The LA Bowl is tricky. Normally reserved for the Mountain West champion, I have Boise State facing off against a Power Five team in an ESPN-owned bowl instead of making a repeat appearance in the LA Bowl. Instead, Conference runner-up UNLV plays in LA.
New Orleans Bowl, December 19th, New Orleans, LA; 7 PM ET on ESPN (Conference USA vs. Sun Belt):
James Madison vs. Liberty
I have 12-1 Liberty falling short of the CFP in lieu of a 12-1 Miami team with a win over Northwestern and a competitive loss to ND. The consolation is a New Orleans Bowl matchup with fellow Virginia school James Madison, who I project to win at least 10 games.
Cure Bowl, December 20th, Orlando, FL; 12 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Toledo vs. Florida Atlantic
Gasparilla Bowl, December 20th, Tampa FL; 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. ACC):
South Florida vs. North Carolina
Myrtle Beach Bowl, December 23rd, Conway, SC; 11:00 AM on ESPN (Group of Five vs. Group of Five):
Coastal Carolina vs. Rice
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, December 23rd, Boise, ID; 2:30 PM on ESPN (Sun Belt vs. MAC):
Colorado State vs. Ohio
Hawaii Bowl, December 24th, Honolulu, HI; 8:00 PM ET on ESPN (Mountain West vs. Conference USA):
Wyoming vs. Jacksonville State
Detroit Bowl, December 26th, Detroit, MI; 2:00 PM ET on ESPN (MAC vs. Big Ten):
Northern Illinois vs. Northwestern
Who doesn’t love a battle for the Chicago metro…in Detroit?
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. San Jose State
Due to a lack of available MAC schools, San Jose State fills in here as an at-large.
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):
West Virginia vs. Kentucky
Las Vegas Bowl, December 27th, Las Vegas, NV; 10:30 PM ET on ESPN (Former Pac-12 Member vs. SEC):
Washington vs. Mississippi State
Fenway Bowl, December 28th, Boston, MA; 11:00 AM ET on ESPN (AAC vs. ACC):
Syracuse vs. Tulane
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):
Utah State vs. UTSA
We have a WAC Legacy Game! These two schools were conference mates in the WAC’s ill-fated last season in 2012.
Pop Tarts Bowl, December 28th, Orlando, FL; 3:30 PM ET on ABC (Big 12 vs. ACC):
Oklahoma State vs. Miami
Arizona Bowl, December 28th, Tucson, AZ; 4:30 PM ET on The CW (MAC vs. Mountain West):
Bowling Green vs. Air Force
For the first time since 2019, I have Air Force playing in a bowl outside other Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Military Bowl, December 28th, Annapolis, MD; 5:45 PM on ESPN (American vs. AAC):
Memphis vs. Louisville
Memphis and Louisville have been rivals in the Missouri Valley Conference, Conference USA, and AAC. This would be the 44th meeting between the two schools. Louisville leads the series 24-19.
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):
Tennessee vs. Minnesota
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):
Missouri vs. Wisconsin
Texas Bowl, December 31st, Houston, TX; 3:30 PM ET on ESPN (SEC vs. Big 12):
Kansas vs. LSU
Gator Bowl, January 2nd, Jacksonville, FL; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN (ACC vs. SEC):
Florida State vs. Auburn
Did anyone else predict that the Gator Bowl would be the first time we get a 2013 BCS National Championship rematch?
First Responder Bowl, January 3rd, Dallas, TX; 4:00 PM ET on ESPN (Group of Five vs. at-large):
Boise State vs. Texas A&M
As mentioned earlier, ESPN works out a deal with the Las Vegas Bowl to avoid a rematch of the
Duke’s Mayo Bowl, January 3rd, Charlotte, NC; 7:30 PM ET on ESPN (ACC vs. Big Ten):
Virginia Tech vs. Rutgers
Former Big East rivals reunite for a 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl rematch. Virginia Tech leads the series 12-4.
Bahamas Bowl, January 4th, Nassau, Bahamas; 11:00 AM ET on ESPN (MAC vs. Conference USA):
Eastern Michigan vs. Western Kentucky
Holiday Bowl, Date TBA, San Diego, CA; Fox (ACC vs. PAC-12):
UCLA vs. Clemson
First Round Matchup #1: 12-seed Miami (OH): vs. 5-seed Alabama
First Round Matchup #2: 11-seed Ole Miss vs. 6-seed Michigan
First Round Matchup #3: 10-seed Oregon vs. 7-seed Texas
First Round Matchup #4: 9-seed Penn State vs. 8-seed Notre Dame
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 Notre Dame
Quarterfinal #4: Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, LA, January 1st; 8:30 PM ET on ESPN
3-seed NC State vs. 6-seed Michigan
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 Michigan 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
