2025 Bowl Projections after Week 10: Notre Dame Rising, ACC Upsets Shake Up Playoff Field

College football’s Week 10 schedule produced several results that significantly altered the
projected playoff field and bowl projections following Saturday’s action. Ohio State and Indiana remain the top two seeds after wins in conference play, with Alabama, Texas A&M, and Georgia rounding out the top five. Notre Dame returns to the projected field after a win at Boston College, with Georgia Tech dropping out after a loss to NC State. Louisville takes the projected champion spot from the ACC, while Texas Tech and BYU claim two spots in the playoff for the Big 12.

Week 10 results also impacted bowl games outside of the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma moves up in the SEC bowl pecking order after beating Tennessee, with Auburn dropping out of the projections after losing to Kentucky. Additionally, the Big 12 postseason outlook sees a few adjustments with two teams projected to make the playoff.

Just missing the bowl projections after Week 10: Clemson, North Carolina, Appalachian State, Utah State, Georgia Southern, South Carolina, Penn State, Rutgers, UCF, Washington State, San Jose State, Bowling Green, Rice, Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, Texas State, Wyoming, and FIU.

How will the postseason matchups look by December? Below are Athlon Sports' preseason predictions for every bowl and playoff game in 2025-26 after Week 10:

College Football Bowl Projections for 2025-26 (After Week 10)

LA Bowl (Dec. 13)

Location: SoFi Bowl in Inglewood, Calif.
Tie-In: Mountain West vs. Pac-12
Projection: San Diego State vs. Arizona

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (Dec. 16)

Location: Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
Tie-In: MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Jacksonville State* vs. Western Michigan

Cure Bowl (Dec. 17)

Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In: Sun Belt vs. AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection: James Madison vs. Toledo

68 Ventures Bowl (Dec. 17)

Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
Tie-In: Sun Belt/AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection: East Carolina vs. Troy

Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 19)

Location: Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
Tie-In: Sun Belt vs. AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection: Coastal Carolina vs. UConn

Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 19)

Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: South Florida vs. Florida State

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 22)

Location: Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Buffalo vs. UNLV

Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 23)

Location: Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.
Tie-In: AAC/CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection: North Texas vs. Old Dominion

New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 23)

Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss

Frisco Bowl (Dec. 23)

Location: TBD in Frisco, Texas
Tie-In: AAC/CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection: Marshall vs. Liberty

Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24)

Location: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii
Tie-In: American vs. Mountain West
Projection: California* vs. Hawaii

GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26)

Location: Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. MAC
Projection: Maryland vs. Ohio

Rate Bowl (Dec. 26)

Location: Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Big Ten
Projection: Iowa State vs. Northwestern

First Responder Bowl (Dec. 26)

Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas
Tie-In: Big 12/AAC/CUSA/ACC
Projection: UTSA vs. Boise State

Military Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Duke vs. Navy

Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: NC State vs. Illinois

Fenway Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Temple

Pop-Tarts Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Georgia Tech vs. Cincinnati

Arizona Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Fresno State

New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M.
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Arkansas State* vs. New Mexico

Gator Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Miami vs. Tennessee

Texas Bowl (Dec. 27)

Location: NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: TCU vs. Missouri

Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 29)

Location: Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.
Tie-In: ACC/American vs. SEC
Projection: Tulane vs. Mississippi State

Independence Bowl (Dec. 30)

Location: Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. Big 12
Projection: Kennesaw State vs. Kansas

Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)

Location: Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Minnesota vs. LSU

Alamo Bowl (Dec. 30)

Location: Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Houston vs. USC

ReliaQuest Bowl (Dec. 31)

Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Nebraska vs. Oklahoma

Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)

Location: Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas
Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: SMU vs. Arizona State

Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31)

Location: Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Michigan vs. Texas

Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 31)

Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Iowa vs. Utah

Armed Forces Bowl (Jan. 2)

Location: Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. AAC/CUSA
Projection: Baylor vs. Army

Liberty Bowl (Jan. 2)

Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Kansas State vs. Florida

Duke's Mayo Bowl (Jan. 2)

Location: Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Pitt vs. Vanderbilt

Holiday Bowl (Jan. 2)

Location: Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia vs. Washington

Bahamas Bowl (TBD)

Location: TBD
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. MAC
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Miami (Ohio)

College Football Playoff

College Football Playoff First Round

Games to be played on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. Contests will be played at home site of higher-ranked team.

No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 Memphis
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Louisville
No. 7 Oregon vs. No. 10 BYU
No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Notre Dame

College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31)

Location: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Projection: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 7 Oregon

Orange Bowl (Jan. 1)

Location: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Projection: No. 4 Texas A&M vs. No. 5 Georgia

Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)

Location: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
Projection: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Notre Dame

Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1)

Location: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Projection: No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 6 Ole Miss

Semifinals

Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8)

Location: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Projection: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Texas A&M

Peach Bowl (Jan. 9)

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Projection:No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 3 Alabama

National Championship

Date: Jan. 19, 2026
Location: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Projection: Ohio State over Alabama

*Indicates conference not projected to fulfill all of its bowl tie-ins. An at-large team will be selected to fill those spots.