Bowl Projections Week 7: What Happens To Texas and Penn State?

- At the moment, we don't have nearly enough teams for all of the bowl slots. We're going against our own team-by-team season predictions in some cases and will assume a few upsets along the way to fill in the openings.

- The Mountain West bowl tie-ins are a disaster. The American Conference champ should get the spot in the CFP - at least that's the call, for now.

The Mountain West would have a fantastic Boise State team, a UNLV squad that might have 11 wins, and other teams with strong records - San Diego State just got interesting - going to bowls that aren't going to be close to as strong as needed for these teams. So, as always ...

- Remember, ESPN could work the system to force matchups that have nothing to do with the contracted bowl ties. These are our calls based on the assumption that everything sticks to the plan.

- College Football Playoff Predictions

Cricket Celebration Bowl

Saturday, December 15, 2025
12:00, ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Affiliations: MEAC, SWAC
Last Season: Jackson State 28, South Carolina State 7
Projection: North Carolina Central vs Jackson State

LA Bowl

Saturday, December 15, 2025
9:00, ESPN
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Bowl Affiliations: MW, Former Pac-12
Last Season: UNLV 24, Cal 13
Projection: Boise State vs Washington State

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

Tuesday, December 16, 2025
9:00, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
Last Season: South Alabama 30, Western Michigan 23
Projection: Bowling Green vs Troy

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

Wednesday, December 17, 2025
5:00, ESPN
Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Affiliations: Gof5, Gof5
Last Season: Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 27
Projection: Rice vs Louisiana

68 Ventures Bowl

Wednesday, December 17, 2025
8:30, ESPN
Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Sun Belt, CUSA
Last Season: Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31
Projection: Western Michigan vs Georgia Southern

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Friday, December 19, 2025
12:00 am, ESPN
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
Last Season: UTSA 44, Coastal Carolina 15
Projection: Ball State vs Southern Miss

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

Friday, December 19, 2025
3:30, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC, CUSA, SEC
Last Season: Florida 33, Tulane 8
Projection: UConn vs Old Dominion

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Monday, December 22, 2025
2:00, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, MW, Sun Belt
Last Season: Northern Illinois 28, Fresno State 20 2OT
Projection: Miami University vs San Jose State

Boca Raton Bowl

Tuesday, December 23
2:00, ESPN
Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Bowl Affiliations: Gof5, Gof5
Last Season: James Madison 27, WKU 17
Projection: Buffalo vs Appalachian State

New Orleans Bowl

Tuesday, December 23
7:00, ESPN2
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun Belt
Last Season: Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26
Projection: WKU vs James Madison

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl

Tuesday, December 23
9:00, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Gof5
Last Season: Memphis 42, West Virginia 37
Projection: Texas State vs Fresno State

Hawaii Bowl

Wednesday, December 24
8:00, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MW AAC
Last Season: USF 41, San Jose State 39 5OT
Projection: Liberty vs Hawaii

GameAbove Sports Bowl

Friday, December 26
1:00, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, MAC
Last Season: Toledo 48, Pitt 46 6OT
Projection: Iowa vs Ohio

Rate Bowl

Friday, December 26
4:30, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Big 12, MW
Last Season: Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41
Projection: Nebraska vs Kansas

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Friday, December 26
8:00, ESPN
Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Gof5 ACC, Big 12
Last Season: Texas State 30, North Texas 28
Projection: Memphis vs Houston

Go Bowling Military Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
11:00 am, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC,
Last Season: East Carolina 26, NC State 21
Projection: Navy vs SMU

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
2:15, ESPN
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC,
Last Season: UConn 27, North Carolina 14
Projection: East Carolina vs Pitt

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
12:00, ABC
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten,
Last Season: Nebraska 20, Boston College 15
Projection: Duke vs Maryland

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
3:30, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big 12
Last Season: Iowa State 42, Miami 41
Projection: Cal vs Baylor

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
4:30, CW Network
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Bowl Affiliations: MAC, MW
Last Season: Miami University 43, Colorado State 17
Projection: Toledo vs New Mexico

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
5:45, ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, MW, CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
Last Season: TCU 34, Louisiana 3
Projection: New Mexico State vs San Diego State

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
7:30, ESPN
EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, SEC
Last Season: Ole Miss 52, Duke 20
Projection: Florida State vs Ole Miss

Kinder’s Texas Bowl

Saturday, December 27, 2025
9:15, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC
Last Season: LSU 44, Baylor 31
Projection: TCU vs Oklahoma

Birmingham Bowl

Monday, December 29, 2025
2:00, ESPN
Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC, CUSA, SEC
Last Season: Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27
Projection: North Texas vs Auburn

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Tuesday, December 30, 2025
2:00, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, Big 12, Former Pac-12
Last Season: Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6
Projection: Tulane vs Arizona

TransPerfect Music City Bowl

Tuesday, December 30, 2025
5:30, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Last Season: Missouri 27, Iowa 24
Projection: Minnesota vs Vanderbilt

Valero Alamo Bowl

Tuesday, December 30, 2025
9:00, ABC
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, Former Pac-12
Last Season: BYU 36, Colorado 14
Projection: Iowa State vs USC

ReliaQuest Bowl

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
12:00, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC, ACC,
Last Season: Michigan 19, Alabama 13
Projection: Illinois vs Texas

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
2:00, CBS
Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12
Last Season: Louisville 35, Washington 34
Projection: Virginia vs Arizona State

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
3:00, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Last Season: Illinois 21, South Carolina 17
Projection: Penn State vs Texas A&M

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
3:30, ESPN
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Former Pac-12
Last Season: USC 35, Texas A&M 31
Projection: Michigan vs Utah

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Friday, January 2, 2026
1:00, ESPN
Amon G Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA, Big 12
Last Season: Navy 21, Oklahoma 20
Projection: Army vs BYU

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Friday, January 2, 2026
4:30, ESPN
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC
Last Season: Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26
Projection: Cincinnati vs Mississippi State

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Friday, January 2, 2026
8:00, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, SEC
Last Season: Minnesota 24, Virginia Tech 10
Projection: Louisville vs Missouri

Bahamas Bowl

Date TBD
Time/TV: TBD
Bowl City TBD
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC
Last Season: Buffalo 26, Liberty 7
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs Central Michigan

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl

Date TBD
Time TBD, FOX
Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12
Last Season: Syracuse 52, Washington State 35
Projection: Clemson vs Washington