The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 0 and before Week 1.
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Not a whole lot changes from the Preview 2019 Bowl Projections, but the Hawaii victory over Arizona shakes up the Mountain West bowl pecking order a bit, and the somewhat-shaky Florida win over Miami changes a few of the matchups.
Here are the ground rules to remember before this all really gets rolling …
There aren’t enough bowl games. This almost always works out – especially for the Power Five programs – so if your team isn’t currently in these Bowl Projections, don’t get into a twist. Bowls tend to bend over backwards to break their contractual tie-ins to get the big boys in. So Arizona State, Cal and Maryland fans, relax. Get to six wins, and someone will find a home for you. However …
Some Power Five leagues don’t have enough bowl tie-ins. The Pac-12 only has seven bowl slots and should have anywhere between eight to ten eligible teams. That might be an issue, but it’s worse for the Group of Five leagues. Miami University, Middle Tennessee, Temple, UAB and Nevada fans, if your team gets to seven wins, you’ll go bowling somewhere. Six, and there’s a problem.
Here are the biggest bowl dates and matchups to care about …
College Football Playoff National Championship
New Orleans, January 13th.
College Football Playoff Semifinals: December 28th
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Arizona
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta
New Year’s Six Games
Rose Bowl: Big Ten vs. Pac-12 team
Sugar Bowl: Big 12 vs. SEC
Orange Bowl: ACC vs. Notre Dame or highest-ranked available SEC or Big Ten team not in the Sugar or Rose, respectively.
Cotton Bowl: Highest-ranked Group of Five champion if not in CFP vs. top ranked at-large team after the other NY6 bowls are figured out.
You can check out all the 2019-2020 College Football conference bowl tie-ins here.
And here we go …
2019-2020 Bowl Projections: Week 0
Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl
Friday, December 20
2:00 ET, ESPN
Thomas Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
MAC vs. Conference USA
Projection: Eastern Michigan vs. Florida Atlantic
Other Top Options: Northern Illinois, Southern Miss
Last Season: FIU 35, Toledo 32
Frisco Bowl
Friday, December 20
7:30 ET, ESPN2
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
American Athletic vs. at-large
Secondary: MAC, and if not, Conference USA
Projection: Houston vs. Marshall
Other Top Options: Tulane, Cincinnati
Last Season: Ohio 27, San Diego State 0
AutoNation Cure Bowl
Saturday, December 21
1:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL,
American Athletic vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Memphis vs. Georgia Southern
Other Top Options: Arkansas State, USF
Last Season: Tulane 41, Louisiana 24
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, December 21
2:00 ET, ESPN
Branch Field at Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Conference USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Southern Miss vs. San Diego State
Other Top Options: Southern Miss, Nevada
Last Season: Utah State 52, North Texas 13
Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
Saturday, December 21
3:30 ET, ABC
Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
American Athletic vs. MAC
Projection: SMU vs. Ohio
Other Top Options: Memphis, Toledo
Last Season: UAB 37, Northern Illinois 13
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Saturday, December 21
5:30 ET, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Buffalo vs. Arkansas State
Other Top Options: Miami University, Troy
Last Season: Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21
Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl
Saturday, December 21
7:30 ET, ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Mountain West (champion) vs. Pac-12
Projection: Boise State vs. Stanford
Other Top Options: Fresno State, Washington State
Last Season: Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Saturday, December 21
9:00 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt (champion)
Projection: Appalachian State vs. Louisiana Tech
Other Top Options: Louisiana, FIU
Last Season: Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee 13
Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl
Monday, December 23
2:30 ET, ESPN
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
American Athletic vs. Conference USA
Secondary: ACC
Projection: Cincinnati vs. FIU
Other Top Options: USF, Southern Miss
Last Season: Marshall 38, USF 20
SoFi Hawai’i Bowl
Tuesday, December 24
8:00 ET, ESPN
Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union Field at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
BYU vs. American Athletic or Mountain West
Projection: BYU vs. Hawaii
Other Top Options: Cincinnati, Memphis, Temple, Fresno State
Last Season: Louisiana Tech 31, Hawaii 14
Walk-On’s Independence Bowl
Thursday, December 26
4:00 ET, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
ACC vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic, Conference USA
Projection: Syracuse vs. Tulane
Other Top Options: Georgia Tech, Marshall
Last Season: Duke 56, Temple 27
Quick Lane Bowl
Thursday, December 26
8:00 ET, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
ACC vs. Big Ten
Secondary: MAC
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Purdue
Other Top Options: Northwestern, Boston College
Last Season: Minnesota 34, Georgia Tech 10
Military Bowl Presented By Northrup Grumman
Friday, December 27
12:00 ET, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium, Annapolis, MD
ACC vs. American Athletic
Projection: Georgia Tech vs. Navy
Other Top Options: Wake Forest, Temple
Last Season: Cincinnati 35, Virginia Tech 31
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Friday, December 27
3:20 ET, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Florida State vs. Nebraska
Other Top Options: NC State, Minnesota
Last Season: Wisconsin 35, Miami 3
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl
Friday, December 27
6:45 ET, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Iowa State vs. Army
Other Top Options: TCU, Texas A&M
Last Season: Baylor 45, Vanderbilt 38
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Friday, December 27
8:00 ET, FS1
SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Penn State vs. Oregon
Other Top Options: Iowa, USC
Last Season: Northwestern 31, Utah 20
Cheez-It Bowl
Saturday, December 28
10:15 ET, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Secondary: Mountain West
Projection: West Virginia vs. UCLA
Other Top Options: Baylor, Arizona, Arizona State
Last Season: TCU 10, Cal 7 OT
Camping World Bowl
Saturday, December 28
12:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Virginia vs. Oklahoma State
Other Top Options: Virginia Tech, Iowa State
Last Season: Syracuse 34, West Virginia 18
SERVPRO First Responders Bowl
Monday, December 30
12:30 ET, ESPN
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Projection: Kansas State vs. North Texas
Other Top Options: West Virginia, Southern Miss
Last Season: Boise State vs. Boston College cancelled
Redbox Bowl
Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, FOX
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Minnesota vs. USC
Other Top Options: Iowa, Washington State
Last Season: Oregon 7, Michigan State 6
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
SEC vs. (likely) ACC, or Big Ten
Projection: South Carolina vs. NC State
Other Top Options: Kentucky, Florida State
Last Season: Auburn 63, Purdue 14
Belk Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
12:00 ET, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Kentucky
Other Top Options: Virginia Tech, Tennessee
Last Season: Virginia 28, South Carolina 0
Hyundai Sun Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
2:00 ET, CBS
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Washington State
Other Top Options: Virginia, Arizona, Arizona State
Last Season: Stanford 14, Pitt 13
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
3:45 ET, ESPN
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Big 12 vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic
Projection: Baylor vs. Tennessee
Other Top Options: Iowa State, Kentucky
Last Season: Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 33
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
4:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Sun Belt vs. Mountain West
Projection: Troy vs. Utah State
Other Top Options: Georgia Southern, UNLV, Utah State
Last Season: Nevada 16, Arkansas State 13 OT
Valero Alamo Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
7:30 ET, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: TCU vs. Washington
Other Top Options: Oklahoma State, Oregon
Last Season: Washington State 28, Iowa State 26
VRBO Citrus Bowl
Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
SEC vs. Big Ten or ACC
Projection: Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin
Other Top Options: Auburn, Michigan State
Last Season: Kentucky 27, Penn State 24
Outback Bowl
Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Michigan State vs. Auburn
Other Top Options: Penn State, Texas A&M
Last Season: Iowa 27, Mississippi State 22
Birmingham Bowl
Thursday, January 2
3:00 ET, ESPN
Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
American Athletic vs. SEC
Secondary: ACC
Projection: USF vs. Boston College
Other Top Options: Cincinnati, Tennessee
Last Season: Wake Forest 37, Memphis 34
TaxSlayer Bowl
Thursday, January 2
7:00 ET, ESPN
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
SEC vs. (likely) Big Ten, or ACC
Projection: Mississippi State vs. Iowa
Other Top Options: Auburn, Wisconsin
Last Season: Texas A&M 52, NC State 13
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Friday, January 3
3:30 ET, ESPN
Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Fresno State vs. Northern Illinois
Other Top Options: Utah State, Eastern Michigan, Nevada
Last Season: BYU 49, Western Michigan 18
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Saturday, January 4
11:30 am ET, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Big Ten vs. Mountain West
Projection: Northwestern vs. Air Force
Other Top Options: Purdue, Utah State
Last Season: Army 70, Houston 14
Mobile Alabama Bowl
Monday, January 6
7:30 ET, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Toledo vs. Louisiana
Other Top Options: Northern Illinois, Georgia Southern
Last Season: Troy 42, Buffalo 32
– 2019-2020 College Football Conference Bowl Tie-Ins
NEXT: New Year’s Six Bowls & College Football Playoff
New Year’s Six Bowls Schedule
GoodYear Cotton Bowl Classic
Saturday, December 28
12:00 ET, ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
at-large vs. at-large
Projection: UCF vs. Florida
Other Top Options: Boise State, San Diego State, Houston, LSU, Florida
Last Season: Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3
It’s not a given this season that UCF is going to the New Year’s Six game. The schedule is tougher, it could absolutely lose to either Pitt or Stanford, if not both, and Boise State, San Diego State and Fresno State will be dangerous, too. Here’s the call – the American Athletic Conference championship winner between UCF and Houston gets here.
Florida, Georgia, LSU – there are the three most likely options to make the Cotton. Georgia vs. UCF would be interesting, but getting the two Florida teams to face off would be a whole lot juicier.
Capital One Orange Bowl
Monday, December 30
8:00 ET, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
ACC vs. Big Ten or SEC
Projection: Miami vs. LSU
Other Top Options: Clemson, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Florida
Last Season: Alabama 45, Oklahoma 34
Miami absolutely looked the part just enough against Florida to expect it to be the second-best team in the ACC. It could absolutely be Virginia or Virginia Tech, but the schedule for the Canes is just good enough to get the ACC’s automatic spot. Having them at home would be a big thing for the Orange against either LSU or Georgia. If UCF gets to the Cotton, LSU would be the more attractive choice here, so there isn’t a repeat of last year’s Sugar against UCF. Consider Florida out since it started the season out against the Canes.
Rose Bowl
Wednesday, January 1
5:00 ET, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Ohio State vs. Utah
Other Top Options: Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Washington
Last Season: Ohio State 28, Washington 23
Don’t sleep on Michigan State possibly getting here. The Ohio State vs. Michigan winner will likely go to the College Football Playoff, and the loser will get a nice consolation prize to end up here. Utah making its first Rose Bowl would be wonderful, but that’s a coin-flip call considering whatever comes out of the North is going to be a killer.
AllState Sugar Bowl
Wednesday, January 1
8:45 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, New Orleans, LA
Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Georgia vs. Texas
Other Top Options: Georgia, Oklahoma, TCU, Florida
Last Season: Texas 28, Georgia 21
The Big 12 champion will go likely go on to the College Football Playoff, and the loser would then end up in the league’s automatic spot in the Sugar Bowl.
LSU and Texas play early on in the season, to throw that matchup out, but if it’s Oklahoma here, LSU is a mortal lock – assuming its part of the New Year’s Six equation. Florida could be here to play Texas, but the CFP committee would likely rather have a Georgia – Texas rematch in New Orleans than a Florida – Miami redo of the season opener in the Orange or an LSU – UCF rematch from last year’s bowl season in the Cotton.
NEXT: College Football Playoff Picks
2019-2020 College Football Playoff Schedule
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, December 28
4:00 or 8:00 ET, ESPN
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
CFP vs. CFP
Projection: Oklahoma vs. Clemson
Other Top Options: Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan
Last Season: LSU 40, UCF 32
The call is that Oklahoma and Clemson will each lose a game, and be ranked 2 and 3 in some way – it doesn’t matter except for the location. The No. 1 seed – whether it’s Alabama or Clemson – will almost certainly get the better geographic game, the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
It would also stink for Clemson a bit that Oklahoma fans would likely do more to make the trip to Phoenix – there could be travel fatigue from Tiger fans who have been to a LOT of big games over the last few years, and might wait and save up for the National Championship Game in New Orleans.
– CFN Preview 2019: Every Team Preview
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Saturday, December 28
4:00 or 8:00 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL
CFP vs. CFP
Projection: Alabama vs. Michigan
Other Top Options: Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, Ohio State
Last Season: Florida 41, Michigan 15
Assuming it’s Alabama or Clemson here. Alabama has the tougher schedule and will get the No. 1 spot even if the two big dogs are unbeaten. The call is for the Ohio State – Michigan winner to make it in as the four seed – it’ll finally be the year when Jim Harbaugh’s program gets over the hump.
The showdown in New Orleans for the national title will be …
College Football Playoff National Championship
Monday, January 13
8:00 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, New Orleans, LA
CFP vs. CFP
Projection: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Other Top Options: Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State
Last Season: Clemson 44, Alabama 16
Alabama will obliterate Michigan by a gajillion, and Oklahoma will pitch a gem against Clemson, as Jalen Hurts and company finally get the program past the College Football Playoff semifinal bouncer and into the biggest game.
Mostly, the call here is that the college football gods give us Hurts vs. Alabama with the national title on the line.
