Bowl Projections Week 9, Updated College Football Playoff Predictions

@PeteFiutak 

- For the first time in the process, it's easy to find enough teams, at least for now. There will be upsets, and a few spots will come down to a head-to-head matchup to fill the conference tie-in, but this week, there are far more teams to choose from. However ...

- The complaint continues - the Mountain West. Assuming the American champion gets into the College Football Playoff, there are way too many Mountain West teams and no great matchups other than the LA Bowl. There might not be any big matchups with Power Four teams, because of ...

- Washington State? The bowls that have a slew of tie-ins with former Pac-12 schools now in the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 have to fill those holes, so where does Wazzu go?

How about UConn? Going back to the Mountain West, some of those teams will have to travel to games thousands of miles away.

We try to figure it all out with the latest bowl projections and 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: NC 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 Utah

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: Texas State vs Jacksonville State

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: WKU vs App State

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: Toledo vs Troy

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: East Carolina 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: UCF vs Memphis

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: Central Michigan vs UNLV

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: UConn vs Marshall

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: Louisiana Tech 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: Fresno State vs Houston

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: Northwestern vs Miami University

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 Baylor

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: Maryland vs Kansas State

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: Tulane vs NC State

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: Wake Forest vs Penn State

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: Louisville vs BYU

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: Western Michigan vs San Diego State

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: UTSA vs New Mexico

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: Clemson vs Oklahoma

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 Texas

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: Florida State 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: North Texas vs Washington State

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 LSU

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 Washington

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: USC vs Tennessee

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: Pitt vs Cal

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: Michigan vs Ole Miss

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: Iowa vs Arizona State

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 Kansas

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 Missouri

Holiday Bowl

Friday, January 2, 2026
Time TBD, FOX
Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12
Last Season: Syracuse 52, Washington State 35
Projection: Duke vs Arizona

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: Virginia vs Vanderbilt

Bahamas Bowl

Date December 2025
Time/TV: TBD
Bowl City TBD
Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC
Last Season: Buffalo 26, Liberty 7
Projection: Kennesaw State vs Ohio

College Football Playoff Projections

Playoff First Round

Friday, December 19, 2025
Time TBD
Home site of higher seed
Last Season: Notre Dame 27, Indiana 17
Projection: (12) Illinois Fighting Illini at (5) Texas Tech Red Raiders

Saturday, December 20, 2025
Time TBD
Home site of higher seed
Last Season: Texas 38, Clemson 24
Projection: (11) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at (6) Georgia Bulldogs

Saturday, December 20, 2025
Time TBD
Home site of higher seed
Last Season: Penn State 38, SMU 10
Projection: (10) USF Bulls at (7) Oregon Ducks

Saturday, December 20, 2025
Time TBD
Home site of higher seed
Last Season: Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17
Projection: (9) Notre Dame Fighting Irish at (8) Texas A&M Aggies

Playoff Quarterfinals

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Wednesday, December 31, 2025
7:30, ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Last Season: Ohio State 28, Texas 14 (CFP Semifinal)
Projection: (6) Georgia Bulldogs vs (3) Indiana Hoosiers

Capital One Orange Bowl

Thursday, January 1, 2025
12:00, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Bowl Affiliations: ACC
Last Season: Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24 (CFP Semifinal)
Projection: (12) Illinois Fighting Illini vs (4) Miami Hurricanes

Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential

Thursday, January 1, 2025
4:00, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten
Last Season: Ohio State 41, Oregon 21 (CFP Quarterfinal)
Projection: (9) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs (1) Ohio State Buckeyes

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Thursday, January 1, 2025
8:00, ESPN
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Affiliations: Big 12 or SEC (higher ranked champion)
Last Season: Notre Dame 23, Georgia 10 (CFN Quarterfinal)
Projection: (7) Oregon Ducks vs (2) Alabama Crimson Tide

Playoff Semifinals

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Thursday, January 8, 2026
7:30, ESPN
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Bowl Affiliations: 1/8/9 seed vs 4/5/12 seed or 3/6/11 seed vs 2/7/10 seed
Last Season: Penn State 31, Boise State 14 (CFP Quarterfinal)
Projection: (7) Oregon Ducks vs (3) Indiana Hoosiers

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Friday, January 9, 2026
7:30, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Affiliations: 1/8/9 seed vs 4/5/12 seed or 3/6/11 seed vs 2/7/10 seed
Last Season: Texas 39, Arizona State 31 2OT (CFP Quarterfinal)
Projection: (4) Miami Hurricanes (1) Ohio State Buckeyes

College Football Playoff National Championship

Monday, January 19, 2026
7:30, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Last Season: Ohio State 34, Notre Dame 23
Projection: (7) Oregon Ducks (1) Ohio State Buckeyes