About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CFN bowl projections just took a funky twist going into Week 10 with a few big calls. It starts with this: the College Football Playoff committee will shoehorn in at least one 9-3 SEC team. The call is that, for the first time in the short history of the CFP, a team with more than two regular-season losses will get an at-large spot in the rankings over a Power Four program that goes 10-2. Start with that, and throw in another funky belief that the Group of Six champion getting the CFP 12-seed won't be Boise State. – Go here for the College Football Playoff picks, bracket, and explanation.
Oct 31, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) hands the ball off to Brigham Young Cougars running back Sione Moa (right) against the Arizona State Sun Devils during the first half at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
The key game in all of this is Wake Forest at SMU on November 14th. If SMU wins, we predict that it will go on to lose at Notre Dame, and the ACC becomes a one-bid CFP conference, meaning the bowls will be loaded with ACC teams.
There will likely be too many eligible teams for the bowls, with the MAC and Sun Belt not having enough open spots. However, several eligible teams will pass on the bowl invites – too many personnel losses to the transfer portal – so everyone will eventually get a spot.
We will shoehorn in a few Power Four programs into bowls with other affiliations. This will all eventually work out as teams pass on spots, but for now, we'll play it straight.
South Carolina State vs Alabama A&M 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
Delaware vs Miami University 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
Middle Tennessee vs Georgia 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
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
Florida Atlantic vs West Virginia* 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
USF vs Mississippi State 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)
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
Ohio vs UNLV 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
Central Michigan vs Fresno 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
FIU vs App State 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
UCF 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
Liberty vs James Madison 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
Army vs Baylor 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)
Washington vs Boise State* 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/New Pac/12 * This one would require some tweaking. The bowl is set up for a former Pac-12 team to get a spot, but in this specific case, if Boise State really is available, the ESPN bowl types would do everything possible to give the Broncos a great matchup.
Tulsa vs Texas State 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
Air Force vs Arkansas 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
Wyoming vs UAB 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), New Pac-12
North Carolina vs Penn State 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
UTSA vs Clemson Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, ESPN Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA Last Season: Army 41, UConn 16 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC
Virginia vs Nebraska 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)
Western Michigan vs Louisiana Tech 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
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
Tulane vs Virginia Tech 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
Louisville 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
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
Duke 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
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
Wake Forest vs Ole Miss 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
Michigan vs Florida 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
Wisconsin vs Tennessee 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
SMU 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
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
Texas Tech vs Oklahoma 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
Minnesota 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
North Texas vs Texas A&M* 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)
Toledo vs North Dakota State 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
Oct 31, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Nate Frazier (3) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Florida Gators at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Here's our explanation for the seedings. 1. Notre Dame will beat Miami, beat SMU, and end up 11-1. 2. Georgia will run the table, including the SEC Championship, but will be just behind the Irish because they'll be the only team to beat Miami. 3. Miami will finally win an ACC Championship and finish 12-1. 4. Ohio State will limp into the Big Ten Championship and will beat UCLA. 5. After beating BYU, Utah will be upset at Arizona. The Utes will still go on to beat Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship. 6. Indiana will get by USC, at Washington, and Purdue to finish 11-1. 7. UCLA will get to the Big Ten Championship and lose. 8. LSU – this is the big call because this hinges on beating Tennessee in Knoxville. The Tigers win out, but lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship. 9. Iowa isn't pretty, but it doesn't lose the rest of the way and finishes 10-2. 10. BYU loses to Utah and finishes 10-2, but it doesn't go to the Big 12 Championship. However, it will be the one team that beat Notre Dame to take the last at-large spot. 11. Texas – and here's where the CFP breaks the three regular-season loss (before the conference championships) precedent. Texas loses at LSU, but finishes 9-3 with wins over Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Tennessee to earn this spot. 12. New Mexico runs the table, including the Mountain West Championship. Boise State loses once along the way, either to Oregon State, or in the Pac-12 Championship. (BUT, Boise State is here if it runs the table.
Iowa (9) at LSU (8) Friday, December 18, 2026 Game Time: 8:00, ESPN Location: To Be Determined New Mexico (12) at Utah (5) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 12:00, ABC/ESPN Location: To Be Determined BYU (10) at UCLA (7) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 3:30, TNT/truTV Location: To Be Determined Texas (11) at Indiana (6) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: To Be Determined
Indiana (6) vs Miami (3) Wednesday, December 30, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
UCLA (7) vs Georgia (2) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
LSU (8) vs Notre Dame (1) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Utah (5) vs Ohio State (4) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
LSU (8) vs Ohio State (4) Thursday, January 14, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Miami (3) vs Georgia (2) Friday, January 15, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, ABC/ESPN Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
LSU (8) vs Georgia (2) Monday, January 25, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, ABC Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Source: Sports
