Bowl Projections: Which teams make the first College Football Playoff?

Championship week is here, and the bowl picture is taking shape. We’re on the verge of finding out the teams that will play in the first College Football
Bowl Projections: Which teams make the first College Football Playoff?
Bowl Projections: Which teams make the first College Football Playoff? /

Championship week is here, and the bowl picture is taking shape. We’re on the verge of finding out the teams that will play in the first College Football Playoff.

Nothing changed at the top of SI.com’s Bowl Projections after rivalry week. The most notable fallout occurred among the participants in the other New Year’s Six bowls. Losses by Georgia and UCLA paved the way for Arizona and Ole Miss to potentially sneak into the mix. The Group of Five’s representative also changed, with Boise State moving ahead of Marshall following’s the Thundering Herd’s 67-66 overtime defeat to Western Kentucky.

STAPLES: Lessons, questions from debut season in playoff system

Before moving forward, a quick reminder on how this all works. The selection committee fills the two semifinal bowls based on its final rankings. It then rounds out the four non-playoff New Year’s Six bowls, while fulfilling certain contractual obligations, such as pitting an ACC team against an SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame team in the Orange Bowl. The remaining teams are then fed into each league’s contract bowls. If a league doesn’t produce enough bowl-eligible teams, bowls can invite replacement teams from other leagues.

This season the ACC, Big Ten and SEC have each pooled a select number of bowls together and will decide where to place teams. While the Big 12 and Pac-12 use a more straightforward method -- the Pac-12’s No. 2 choice would go to the Alamo Bowl, the No. 3 to the Holiday Bowl, etc. -- the process for the other three Power Five leagues is less structured. For instance, the ACC’s No. 2 choice will go to the Russell Athletic Bowl, but teams Nos. 3-6 can land anywhere among the Sun, Belk, Music City/Taxslayer or Pinstripe bowls.

Keep in mind, “Pac-12 No. 2” doesn't mean the Pac-12’s second-place team. Fan travel and geographical location factor into bowl selection as much as conference standings. Thus, leagues aren't obligated to fill bowls based on records.

Bowl

Date

Location

Matchup

Pick

Peach

Dec. 31

Atlanta

TBD vs. TBD

Ole Miss vs. Ohio State

Fiesta

Dec. 31

Glendale, Ariz.

TBD vs. TBD

Arizona vs. Boise State

Orange

Dec. 31

Miami

ACC vs. Big Ten/SEC/ND

Ga. Tech vs. Miss. State

Cotton

Jan. 1

Arlington, Texas

TBD vs. TBD

TCU vs. Mich. State

Rose (semifinal)

Jan. 1

Pasadena, Calif.

TBD vs. TBD

Oregon vs. Florida State

Sugar (semifinal)

Jan. 1

New Orleans

TBD vs. TBD

Alabama vs. Baylor

bowl

date

location

matchup

pick

New Orleans

Dec. 20

New Orleans

MWC vs. Sun Belt

Fresno State vs. UL-Laf.

New Mexico

Dec. 20

Albuquerque, N.M.

C-USA vs. MWC

La. Tech vs. Utah State

Las Vegas

Dec. 20

Las Vegas

MWC vs. Pac-12

Colo. State vs. Stanford

Idaho Potato

Dec. 20

Boise, Idaho

MAC vs. MWC

Nevada vs. Toledo

Camellia

Dec. 20

Montgomery, Ala.

MAC vs. Sun Belt

BGSU vs. Ark. State

Miami Beach

Dec. 22

Miami

AAC vs. BYU

Memphis vs. BYU*

Boca Raton

Dec. 23

Boca Raton, Fla.

C-USA vs. MAC

WKU vs. W. Michigan

Poinsettia

Dec. 23

San Diego

MWC vs. Navy

SDSU vs. Navy

Bahamas

Dec. 24

Nassau, Bahamas

C-USA vs. MAC

Rice vs. C. Michigan

Hawaii

Dec. 24

Honolulu

C-USA vs. MWC

UTEP vs. Air Force

Heart of Dallas

Dec. 26

Dallas

Big Ten vs. C-USA

Rutgers vs. Marshall

Quick Lane

Dec. 26

Detroit

ACC vs. Big Ten

Va. Tech vs. Illinois

Bitcoin

Dec. 26

St. Petersburg

AAC vs. ACC

Cincinnati vs. Pitt

Military

Dec. 27

Annapolis, Md.

AAC vs. ACC

UCF vs. BC

Sun

Dec. 27

El Paso, Texas

ACC vs. Pac-12

Louisville vs. Utah

Independence

Dec. 27

Shreveport, La.

ACC vs. SEC

UNC vs. Arkansas

Pinstripe

Dec. 27

Bronx, N.Y.

ACC vs. Big Ten

Notre Dame vs. PSU

Holiday

Dec. 27

San Diego

Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Nebraska vs. USC

Liberty

Dec. 29

Memphis

Big 12 vs. SEC

WVU vs. Tennessee

Russell Athletic

Dec. 29

Orlando, Fla.

ACC vs. Big 12

Clemson vs. Oklahoma

Texas

Dec. 29

Houston

Big 12 vs. SEC

Texas vs. Auburn

Music City

Dec. 30

Nashville

ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC

Miami vs. Texas A&M

Belk

Dec. 30

Charlotte, N.C.

ACC vs. SEC

Duke vs. So. Carolina

Foster Farms

Dec. 30

Santa Clara, Calif.

Big Ten vs. Pac-12

Iowa vs. UCLA

Citrus

Jan. 1

Orlando, Fla.

Big Ten vs. SEC

Wisconsin vs. Missouri

Outback

Jan. 1

Tampa, Fla.

Big Ten vs. SEC

Minnesota vs. Georgia

Armed Forces

Jan. 2

Fort Worth, Texas

ACC vs. Army

Houston vs. NC State**

TaxSlayer

Jan. 2

Jacksonville, Fla.

ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC

Maryland vs. LSU

Alamo

Jan. 2

San Antonio

Big 12 vs. Pac-12

K-State vs. Ariz. State

Cactus

Jan. 2

Tempe, Ariz.

Big 12 vs. Pac-12

Tex. State** vs. Wash.

Birmingham

Jan. 3

Birmingham, Ala.

AAC vs. SEC

E. Carolina vs. Florida

GoDaddy

Jan. 4

Mobile, Ala.

MAC vs. Sun Belt

NIU vs. So. Alabama

* -- Accepted bowl bid

** -- Replacement team


Published
Zac Ellis
ZAC ELLIS

Zac Ellis joined SI.com in 2011 and has covered college football and basketball since 2012. In addition to features and columns, he is SI’s primary Heisman Trophy analyst.