Bowl Projections: UCF Showing No Signs of Slowing Down

How did Week 3 alter our bowl projections? Updating our playoff projection, plus the New Year's Six and every other bowl matchup.

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UCF climbed to 28–1 since 2017 with a blowout win over Stanford on Saturday, and while the visiting Cardinal traveled south and are now 1–2, the matchup illustrated a key point in the college football landscape: The Knights are here to stay.

Don’t be surprised if UCF rips through another regular season undefeated in 2019, even with road battles at Cincinnati and at Temple on the horizon. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been a perfect replacement for McKenzie Milton with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions through three games, and the Knights are holding opponents to 13.7 points per game. Head coach Josh Heupel hasn’t missed a beat since replacing Scott Frost in Orlando.

The current College Football Playoff picture and recent history makes it nearly impossible for UCF to play for the national title, but will we see the Knights in a New Year’s Day Bowl for the third straight year in 2019? Check out Sports Illustrated’s latest slate of bowl projections below.

Dec. 20

Bahamas Bowl, Nassau (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MAC
Marshall vs. Buffalo

Frisco Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
American vs. Sun Belt
SMU vs. Louisiana Lafayette

Dec. 21

Celebration Bowl, Atlanta (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
MEAC vs. SWAC
South Carolina State vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MWC
Southern Miss vs. Nevada

Cure Bowl, Orlando (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
American vs. Sun Belt
Houston vs. Louisiana Monroe

Boca Raton Bowl (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
MAC vs. American
Eastern Michigan vs. Tulane

Camellia Bowl, Montgomery (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Northern Illinois vs. Troy

Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Pac-12 vs. SEC or Big Ten or MWC
Washington State vs. Boise State

New Orleans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State

Dec. 23

Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. ACC or American
UAB vs. Cincinnati

Dec. 24

Hawai'i Bowl, Honolulu (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC or BYU vs. American
Hawaii vs. Temple

Dec. 26

Independence Bowl, Shreveport (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Vanderbilt vs. North Carolina

Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Maryland vs. NC State

Dec. 27

Military Bowl, Annapolis (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
American vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Navy vs. Duke

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx (3:20 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Nebraska vs. Boston College

Texas Bowl, Houston (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Texas Tech vs. Arkansas

Holiday Bowl, San Diego (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Michigan State vs. Washington

Cheez-It Bowl, Phoenix (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Cal vs. Kansas State

Dec. 28

Camping World Bowl, Orlando (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big 12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Iowa State vs. Wake Forest

Dec. 30

First Responder Bowl, Dallas (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
TCU vs. North Texas

Music City Bowl, Nashville (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
South Carolina vs. Northwestern

Redbox Bowl, Santa Clara (4 p.m. ET, FOX)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Minnesota vs. Arizona State

Dec. 31

Belk Bowl, Charlotte (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC
Kentucky vs. Syracuse

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, El Paso (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Pac-12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
USC vs. Miami

Liberty Bowl, Memphis (3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Baylor vs. Mississippi State

Arizona Bowl, Tucson (4:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
MWC vs. Sun Belt
San Diego State vs. Coastal Carolina

Alamo Bowl, San Antonio (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon

Jan. 1

Citrus Bowl, Orlando (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Iowa vs. Auburn

Outback Bowl, Tampa (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Michigan vs. Texas A&M

Jan. 2

Birmingham Bowl (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
ACC vs. American
Virginia Tech vs. Memphis

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Florida vs. Penn State

Jan. 3

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. MWC
Western Michigan vs. Air Force

Jan 4

Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth (11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC vs. Big Ten
BYU vs. Purdue

Jan. 6

Mobile Alabama Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Central Michigan vs. Georgia Southern

New Year's Six Bowls

Cotton Bowl Classic, Arlington (Dec. 28, noon, ESPN)
At-large vs. At-large
Texas vs. UCF

Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens (Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN)
ACC vs. Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame
Virginia vs. Notre Dame

Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena (Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Wisconsin vs. Utah

Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN)
SEC vs. Big 12
Oklahoma vs. Georgia

Fiesta Bowl, Glendale (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Clemson vs. LSU

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, New Orleans (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Alabama vs. Ohio State

College Football Playoff National Championship, New Orleans (Jan. 13, 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinal winner vs. CFP semifinal winner