Bowl Projections and College Football Playoff Predictions Week 9

In what should be the wildest bowl season yet, made even more interesting by the addition of the TransPerfect San Juan Bowl matching up an ACC team against the Sun Belt.
The big story, though, will be the SEC. With everyone seemingly beating everyone else in conference play, we’re projecting there will be way too many eligible SEC teams for the bowl games, along with a few Big Ten teams.
It all starts with the College Football Playoff, and it all trickles down from there. Jump to the College Football Playoff predictions and bracket, where we explain our call for how the final 12 will come together.
– What will the first CFP Top 25 Rankings be?

Week 9 Bowl Projections

Bowl Projections Quick Hits

• Because there will be too many Big Ten and SEC teams available and not enough true affiliations and tie-ins, we have to go with our best guess at how the bowl powers-that-be will try to set up each game.
• Remember, several teams won’t accept the bowl invites, like last year with Notre Dame, Kansas State, and Iowa State all unable to play. We’re playing this straight with what we think the original matchups will be.
• The biggest overall problem will be the lack of SEC teams in the College Football Playoff. Again, though, it’s unlikely that every eligible team will accept the invite.

Cricket Celebration Bowl

South Carolina State vs Jackson State
Saturday, December 12, 2026
Game Time: 12:00, ABC
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Season: South Carolina State 50, Prairie View A&M 38 4OT
Bowl Affiliations: MEAC, SWAC

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

FIU vs Georgia State
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Game Time: 5:30, ESPN
Location: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
Last Season: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt

Frisco Football Classic

Middle Tennessee vs Arkansas State
Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Game Time: 9:00, ESPN
Location: Ford Center at the Star, Frisco, TX
Last Season: No Game
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun Belt

TransPerfect San Juan Bowl

Pitt vs Marshall
Wednesday, December 16, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, ESPN
Location: Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Last Season: No Game
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Sun Belt

Boca Raton Bowl

Florida Atlantic vs Penn State*
Friday, December 18, 2026
Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPN
Location: Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Last Season: Louisville 27, Toledo 22
Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

USF vs Oklahoma
Friday, December 18, 2026
Game Time: 3:30, ESPN
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Season: NC State 31, Memphis 7
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA (ACC, SEC)

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Jacksonville State vs Louisiana
Monday, December 21, 2026
Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPN
Location: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Last Season: Western Michigan 41, Kennesaw State 6
Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Miam University vs North Dakota State
Monday, December 21, 2026
Game Time: 2:30, ESPN
Location: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Last Season: Washington State 34, Utah State 21
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain West

Puerto Rico Bowl

Toledo vs Texas State
Tuesday, December 22, 2026
Game Time: 1:30, ESPN
Location: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico
Last Season: No Game
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Group of 6 or Pac-12

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

South Alabama vs James Madison
Tuesday, December 22, 2026
Game Time: 5:00, ESPN
Location: Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: Old Dominion 24, USF 10
Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

West Virginia vs Oregon State*
Tuesday, December 22, 2026
Game Time: 8:30, ESPN
Location: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Last Season: Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, Former Pac-12
*No former Pac-12 teams expected to be available

New Orleans Bowl

Liberty vs Louisiana Tech
Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Game Time: 2:00, ESPN
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Season: Western Kentucky 27, Southern Miss 16
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun Belt

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Army vs UCF
Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Game Time: 5:30, ESPN
Location: Amon G Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Last Season: Texas State 41, Rice 10
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA, (or Big 12)

Poinsettia Bowl

Washington vs New Mexico
Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, CW
Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Last Season: No Game
Bowl Affiliations: Former Pac-12, Mountain West

Frisco Bowl

North Texas vs Texas A&M*
Wednesday, December 23, 2026
Game Time: 9:00, ESPN
Location: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Season: Ohio 17, UNLV 10
Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6
*There won’t be enough predicted openings for the eligible SEC teams

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

UNLV vs Fresno State
Thursday, December 24, 2026
Game Time: 2:30, ESPN
Location: University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Last Season: North Texas 49, San Diego State 47
Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA or Sun Belt

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Wyoming vs East Carolina
Thursday, December 24, 2026
Game Time: 7:00, ESPN
Location: Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Last Season: Hawaii 35, Cal 31
Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA (or AAC)

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Duke vs Nebraska
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Game Time: 12:00, ABC
Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Last Season: Penn State 22, Clemson 10
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

UTSA vs Florida State
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Game Time: 2:00, ESPN
Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Last Season: Army 41, UConn 16
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

North Carolina vs Minnesota
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Game Time: 3:30, ABC
Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Last Season: Wake Forest 43, Mississippi State 29
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten (or SEC)

68 Ventures Bowl

Western Michigan vs App State
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Game Time: 5:30, ESPN
Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL
Last Season: Delaware 20, Louisiana 13
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt

Cactus Bowl

Northwestern vs Kansas State
Saturday, December 26, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, ABC
Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Last Season: Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17 OT
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Big 12

Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl

Tulane vs Virginia
Monday, December 28, 2026
Game Time: 2:00, ESPN
Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Last Season: East Carolina 23, Pitt 17
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC

Holiday Bowl

Clemson vs Arizona State
Monday, December 28, 2026
Game Time: 5:00, CW
Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Last Season: SMU 24, Arizona 19
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12

JLab Birmingham Bowl

Memphis vs Auburn
Tuesday, December 29, 2026
Game Time: 2:00, ESPN
Location: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Last Season: Georgia Southern 29, App State 10
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, SEC

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Wake Forest vs Cincinnati
Tuesday, December 29, 2026
Game Time: 5:30, ABC
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big 12

Valero Alamo Bowl

Oregon vs Houston
Tuesday, December 29, 2026
Game Time: 9:00, ESPN
Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Last Season: TCU 30, USC 27 OT
Bowl Affiliations: Former Pac-12, Big 12

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Louisville vs Mississippi State
Wednesday, December 30, 2026
Game Time: 11:30 am, ESPN
Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Last Season: Virginia 13, Missouri 7
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, SEC

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Michigan vs Kentucky
Wednesday, December 30, 2026
Game Time: 3:00, ESPN
Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Last Season: Illinois 30, Tennessee 28
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC

ReliaQuest Bowl

Wisconsin vs Florida
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Game Time: 12:00, ESPN
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Season: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC

Old El Paso Sun Bowl

Virginia Tech vs Arizona
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Game Time: 2:00, CBS
Location: Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Last Season: Duke 42, Arizona State 39
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12

Las Vegas Bowl

South Carolina vs USC
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Game Time: 3:45, ESPN
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Last Season: Utah 44, Nebraska 22
Bowl Affiliations: SEC, Former Pac-12

Kinder’s Texas Bowl

Texas Tech vs Ole Miss
Thursday, December 31, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, ESPN
Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Last Season: Houston 38, LSU 35
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC

Citrus Bowl

Iowa vs Alabama
Saturday, January 2, 2027
Game Time: 12:00, ABC
Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: Texas 41, Michigan 27
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Boston College vs SMU
Saturday, January 2, 2027
Game Time: 3:30, ESPN
Location: Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Last Season: UTSA 57, FIU 20
Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6 (or ACC)

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop

Ohio vs Air Force
Saturday, January 2, 2027
Game Time: 5:30, CW
Location: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Last Season: Fresno State 18, Miami University 3
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain West

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Oklahoma State vs Missouri
Saturday, January 2, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, ESPN
Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN
Last Season: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC, (or AAC)

College Football Playoff Projections

Here’s our explanation for the seedings.
1. Notre Dame will beat Miami and will finish 11-1.
2. Miami will win the ACC Championship with the date against the Irish the only loss.
3. Ohio State will beat UCLA in the Big Ten Championship.
4. Georgia will beat LSU for the SEC Championship.
5. UCLA will go 12-0 before losing in the Big Ten Championship.
6. BYU will lose at Utah, but win the rematch in the Big 12 Championship.
7. Indiana’s only loss will be to Ohio State and finish 11-1.
8. Utah will go 11-1, and then lose the Big 12 Championship.
9. LSU will go 10-3, but will be in after losing the SEC Championship.
10. Texas will lose to LSU, but will get in at 9-3 mostly because of the win over Ohio State, and the win over …
11. Tennessee will be 9-3, but the wins over Alabama and Kentucky will be the key.
12. The Boise State vs Oregon State (this is projected) Pac-12 Champion will end up in.

College Football Playoff First Round

LSU (9) at Utah (8)
Friday, December 18, 2026
Game Time: 8:00, ESPN
Location: To Be Determined
Boise State (12) at UCLA (5)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 12:00, ABC/ESPN
Location: To Be Determined
Texas (10) at Indiana (7)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 3:30, TNT/truTV
Location: To Be Determined
Tennessee (11) at BYU (6)
Saturday, December 19, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: To Be Determined

College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Indiana (7) vs Miami (2)
Wednesday, December 30, 2026
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

UCLA (5) vs Geogia (4)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

LSU (9) vs Notre Dame (1)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

Tennessee (11) vs Ohio State (3)
Friday, January 1, 2027
Game Time: TBD
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA

College Football Playoff Semifinals

Capital One Orange Bowl

Ohio State (3) vs Miami (2)
Thursday, January 14, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV
Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Geogia (4) vs Notre Dame (1)
Friday, January 15, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, ABC/ESPN
Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA

College Football Playoff National Championship

Miami (2) vs Notre Dame (1)
Monday, January 25, 2027
Game Time: 7:30, ABC
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV