It’s the most fun time of the year.
It’s bowl projection and College Football Playoff prediction season, when nothing is too crazy, all the speculation makes perfect sense, and all of it done with the joyful hope that the CFP calls aren’t even close – the chase is SO much more fun when teams outside the norm are involved.
It’s also that time for the annual reminder of the ground rules.
1. ESPN wants the best matchups possible. Therefore, we have to take into account that BYU has to get a decent bowl slot, and the bigger Power Five programs available might be the call over Group of Five teams, just because. Or …
2. ESPN can just create another bowl – or five – if needed. Last year, we didn’t just get the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, we were also given the Frisco Bowl Classic at the absolute last second because there were too many bowl eligible teams. (Miami University beat North Texas 27-14, by the way.)
So if you don’t see your team here, as long as it gets to six wins, there’s going to be a post-season home somewhere. That goes along with our annual heads-up …
3. These are bowl projections. Teams will surprise, disappoint, and find their way in and out of the bowl mix all throughout the process. We’ll adapt and adjust as the season goes on. Also, you can check out all the 2022-2023 conference bowl tie-ins here.
And with that, the 2022 college football craziness starts … NOW.
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
All Times Eastern.
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl
Friday, December 16, 2022
11:30 am, ESPN
Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Last Year: Middle Tennessee 31, Toledo 24
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs MAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Louisiana Tech vs Kent State
Duluth Trading Cure Bowl
Friday, December 16, 2022
3:00, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Coastal Carolina 47, Northern Illinois 41
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Preseason Bowl Projection: Georgia State vs Florida Atlantic
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
11:00 am, ESPN
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic (Conference USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Boston College vs Cincinnati
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
12:00, ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Year: South Carolina State 31, Jackson State 10
Bowl Ties: MEAC vs SWAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: South Carolina State vs Jackson State
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
2:15, ESPN
Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Last Year: Fresno State 31, UTEP 24
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs AAC, C-USA, MAC or Sun Belt
Preseason Bowl Projection: Air Force vs North Texas
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel
Saturday, December 17, 2022
3:30, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Last Year; Utah State 24, Oregon State 13
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: San Diego State vs Washington State
LendingTree Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
5:45, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Last Year: Liberty 56, Eastern Michigan 20
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt (C-USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Western Michigan vs Louisiana
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
7:30, ABC
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Last Year: Wisconsin 20, Arizona State 13
Bowl Ties: Pac-12 vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: UCLA vs Ole Miss
Frisco Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
9:15, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Year: San Diego State 38, UTSA 24
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Preseason Bowl Projection: BYU vs Missouri*
*The call is that ESPN will blow off the Group of Five vs Group of Five tie-ins to come up with a strong matchup of two teams that need spots.
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Monday, December 19, 2022
2:30, ESPN
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Last Year: Tulsa 30, Old Dominion 17
Bowl Ties: C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt
Preseason Bowl Projection: Southern Miss vs Liberty
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
3:30, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Last Year: Wyoming 52, Kent State 38
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Fresno State vs Northern Illinois
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
7:30, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Last Year: WKU 59, Appalachian State 38
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Preseason Bowl Projection: Coastal Carolina vs East Carolina
2022 CFN Predictions For Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
9:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Year: Louisiana 36, Marshall 21
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Sun Belt
Preseason Bowl Projection: WKU vs Appalachian State
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Thursday, December 22, 2022
7:30, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Last Year: Army 24, Missouri 22
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Conference USA (Big 12, Pac-12)
Preseason Bowl Projection: SMU vs UTSA
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Last Year: UAB 31, BYU 28
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Army
Preseason Bowl Projection: Army vs Memphis
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Year: UCF 29, Florida 17
Bowl Ties: ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC (AAC, C-USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Louisville vs Auburn
Easyport Hawaii Bowl
Saturday, December 24, 2022
8:00, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Complex, Honolulu, HI
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: UAB vs Hawaii
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
