Bowl Projections: Playoff Picture Holds Steady as Championship Week Approaches
Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
The top seven spots in the College Football Playoff rankings remained the same on Tuesday, with LSU, Ohio State, Clemson and Georgia comprising the top four spots. The projected Playoff picture held firm as well. Oregon remains the fourth team in the bracket in this week’s projections, standing in prime position to earn a rare Pac-12 Playoff bid if LSU can beat Georgia in the SEC Championship. The Bulldogs winning in Atlanta could send the Playoff discussion into a tailspin. Utah emerging as the Pac-12 champ could raise similar conversation. But the storm of controversy has yet to hit. We may have to wait until December to begin the Playoff debates.
Check out Sports Illustrated’s latest crop of bowl projections below:
Dec. 20
Bahamas Bowl, Nassau (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MAC
Southern Miss vs. Miami (OH)
Frisco Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
American vs. Sun Belt
Tulane vs. Arkansas State
Dec. 21
Celebration Bowl, Atlanta (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
MEAC vs. SWAC
Florida A&M vs. Alcorn State
New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MWC
Western Kentucky vs. Wyoming
Cure Bowl, Orlando (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
American vs. Sun Belt
Temple vs. Louisiana Lafayette
Boca Raton Bowl (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
MAC vs. American
Western Michigan vs. UCF
Camellia Bowl, Montgomery (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Buffalo vs. Coastal Carolina
Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Pac-12 vs. SEC or Big Ten or MWC
Oregon State vs. Boise State
New Orleans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
UAB vs. Georgia State
Dec. 23
Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. American
Florida Atlantic vs. Navy
Dec. 24
Hawai'i Bowl, Honolulu (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC or BYU vs. American
Hawaii vs. BYU
Dec. 26
Independence Bowl, Shreveport (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Marshall vs. Boston College
Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Michigan State vs. North Carolina
Dec. 27
Military Bowl, Annapolis (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
American vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Army vs. Florida State
Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx (3:20 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Indiana vs. Wake Forest
Texas Bowl, Houston (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Texas vs. Mississippi State
Holiday Bowl, San Diego (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Michigan vs. Washington
Cheez-It Bowl, Phoenix (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
TCU vs. Arizona State
Dec. 28
Camping World Bowl, Orlando (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big 12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Iowa State vs. Virginia Tech
Dec. 30
First Responder Bowl, Dallas (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Texas Tech vs. Louisiana Tech
Music City Bowl, Nashville (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Tennessee vs. Miami
Redbox Bowl, Santa Clara (4 p.m. ET, FOX)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Illinois vs. Cal
Dec. 31
Belk Bowl, Charlotte (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC
Kentucky vs. Pitt
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, El Paso (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Pac-12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Washington State vs. Louisville
Liberty Bowl, Memphis (3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Oklahoma State vs. Cincinnati
Arizona Bowl, Tucson (4:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
MWC vs. Sun Belt
Utah State vs. Appalachian State
Alamo Bowl, San Antonio (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Baylor vs. USC
Jan. 1
Citrus Bowl, Orlando (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Penn State vs. Florida
Outback Bowl, Tampa (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Wisconsin vs. Auburn
Jan. 2
Birmingham Bowl (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. American
Syracuse vs. SMU
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Texas A&M vs. Iowa
Jan. 3
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. MWC
Central Michigan vs. Nevada
Jan 4
Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth (11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC vs. Big Ten
Air Force vs. Fresno State
Jan. 6
Mobile Alabama Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Ohio vs. Georgia Southern
New Year's Six Bowls
Cotton Bowl Classic, Arlington (Dec. 28, noon, ESPN)
At-large vs. At-large
Memphis vs. Notre Dame
Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens (Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN)
ACC vs. Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame
Virginia vs. Georgia
Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena (Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Minnesota vs. Utah
Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN)
SEC vs. Big 12
Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Fiesta Bowl, Glendale (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Ohio State vs. Clemson
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Atlanta (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
LSU vs. Oregon
College Football Playoff National Championship, New Orleans (Jan. 13, 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinal winner vs. CFP semifinal winner
