Bowl Projections After Week 2: Florida Misses Postseason After Loss to USF

Arizona State is bounced from the College Football Playoff, while the Gator Bowl features a 2013 BCS title game rematch.

Through two weeks, the Gators are projected to miss out on a bowl game after losing to USF. / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

It’s always the supposedly quiet weeks in college football when chaos reigns supreme, and this past weekend was a great example. There were upsets all over the place despite just one game featuring two ranked teams.

As a result, the postseason picture has shifted for several teams. Florida goes from a decent destination close to Gainesville, Fla., to missing out on a bowl entirely. Mississippi State’s upset of Arizona State not only knocks the Sun Devils out of the College Football Playoff picture, but opens the door for the Bulldogs to make a bowl game. 

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Plus there are plenty of other fun potential matchups that are now on the board, from a rematch of the 2013 BCS title game in the Gator Bowl; Bill Belichick returning to Boston to play the other school he grew up at; Willie Fritz facing his old program; and some intriguing games featuring teams from the Group of 5 all the way up to the Power 2. 

Here is how Sports Illustrated sees the 35 bowl game matchups coming together to form the postseason picture and which 70 FBS teams will wind up going bowling in 2025–26.

Bowl	Date	Matchup
L.A. Bowl	Dec. 13	Arizona vs. Fresno State
Salute to Veterans Bowl	Dec. 16	Troy vs. Temple
Cure Bowl	Dec. 17	Georgia Southern vs. Central Michigan
68 Ventures Bowl	Dec. 17	Southern Miss vs. Western Michigan
Myrtle Beach Bowl	Dec. 19	Appalachian State vs. San Jose State
Gasparilla Bowl	Dec. 19	Virginia vs. Tennessee
Potato Bowl	Dec. 22	Miami (Ohio) vs. UNLV
Boca Raton Bowl	Dec. 23	East Carolina vs. Utah State
New Orleans Bowl	Dec. 23	Louisiana Tech vs. James Madison
Frisco Bowl	Dec. 23	Liberty vs. Colorado State
Hawai‘i Bowl	Dec. 24	Hawai‘i vs. UTEP
Sports Bowl	Dec. 26	Vanderbilt vs. Toledo
Rate Bowl	Dec. 26	Kansas vs. Minnesota
First Responder Bowl	Dec. 26	Cal vs. Memphis
Military Bowl	Dec. 27	Louisville vs. UTSA
Pinstripe Bowl	Dec. 27	Pitt vs. Michigan State
Fenway Bowl	Dec. 27	North Carolina vs. Navy
Pop-Tarts Bowl	Dec. 27	Baylor vs. Notre Dame
Arizona Bowl	Dec. 27	Buffalo vs. Boise State
New Mexico Bowl	Dec. 27	Air Force vs. Rice
Gator Bowl	Dec. 27	Florida State vs. Auburn
Texas Bowl	Dec. 27	TCU vs. Oklahoma
Birmingham Bowl	Dec. 29	NC State vs. Mississippi State
Independence Bowl	Dec. 30	Houston vs. Tulane
Music City Bowl	Dec. 30	Indiana vs. Missouri
Alamo Bowl	Dec. 30	USC vs. Texas Tech
ReliaQuest Bowl	Dec. 31	Nebraska vs. Ole Miss
Sun Bowl	Dec. 31	Colorado vs. SMU
Citrus Bowl	Dec. 31	Michigan vs. Alabama
Vegas Bowl	Dec. 31	Arizona State vs. Iowa
Armed Forces Bowl	Jan. 2	North Texas vs. Old Dominion
Liberty Bowl	Jan. 2	BYU vs. Texas A&M
Mayo Bowl	Jan. 2	Duke vs. South Carolina
Holiday Bowl	Jan. 2	Washington vs. Georgia Tech
TBD/Bahamas Bowl	TBD	Ohio vs. Western Kentucky

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