Non-Playoff Bowls
December 12
Celebration Bowl
- Matchup: Morgan State vs. Jackson State
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Time: 12 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: MEAC Champion vs. SWAC Champion
December 15
Salute to Veterans Bowl
- Matchup: Georgia Southern vs. North Texas
- Location: Montgomery, AL
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Frisco Football Classic
- Matchup: Louisiana vs. Wyoming
- Location: Frisco, TX
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
December 18
Boca Raton Bowl
- Matchup: Ohio vs. FAU
- Location: Boca Raton, FL
- Time: 11 AM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Gasparilla Bowl
- Matchup: USF vs. Virginia Tech
- Location: Tampa, FL
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
December 21
Myrtle Beach Bowl
- Matchup: Georgia State vs. Toledo
- Location: Conway, SC
- Time: 11 AM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. At-Large
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
- Matchup: James Madison vs. North Dakota State
- Location: Boise, ID
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. At-Large
There is a very real possibility that 12-win James Madison and North Dakota State squads get left out of the College Football Playoff. The winner of Western Michigan-Boise State seems poised to make the College Football Playoff early on. If that is the case, then ESPN will work its magic and get these two former FCS titans together in Boise, with NDSU being the de facto home team here.
December 22
Puerto Rico Bowl
- Matchup: Troy vs. Eastern Michigan
- Location: San Juan, PR
- Time: 1:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-large vs. MAC
Cure Bowl
- Matchup: FIU vs. Tulsa
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 5 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. Group of Five
Independence Bowl
- Matchup: Oregon State vs. Cincinnati
- Location: Shreveport, LA
- Time: 8:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Legacy PAC-12 #6 vs. Big 12 (Sun Belt backup tie-in)
December 23
New Orleans Bowl
- Matchup: Liberty vs. Louisiana Tech
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Armed Forces Bowl
- Matchup: NC State vs. Army
- Location: Fort Worth, TX
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Group of Five vs. At-large
Poinsettia Bowl
- Matchup: Washington vs. Fresno State
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Time: 7:30 PM ET | The CW
- Tie-in: New PAC-12 Member #2 vs. Former PAC-12 school #7
Frisco Bowl
- Matchup: UConn vs. San Jose State
- Location: Frisco, TX
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
December 24
New Mexico Bowl
- Matchup: Western Michigan vs. New Mexico
- Location: Albuquerque, NM
- Time: 2:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Mountain West vs. At-Large
Barring they make the College Football Playoff, New Mexico seems like a lock for their home town bowl since it will be on Christmas Eve and they haven’t appeared since 2016.
This would also be a rematch of the 1961 Aviation Bowl, New Mexico’s only bowl win until 2007.
Hawai’i Bowl
- Matchup: Texas State vs. Air Force
- Location: Honolulu, HI
- Time: 8 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: New PAC-12 member #2 vs. Mountain West
After appearing in the DFW for their last three bowls from 2021 to 2023, the Falcons get an island reprieve. This would be Air Force’s first appearance on the island for a bowl game since 1998, when they went 12-1 and won the WAC. They capped their dream year with a 45-25 win in the Oahu Bowl over Washington.
December 26
Pinstripe Bowl
- Matchup: Duke vs. Minnesota
- Location: Bronx, NY
- Time: 12 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 10 non-CFP #5
Fenway Bowl
- Matchup: Marshall vs. UMass
- Location: Boston, MA
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: AAC vs. At-Large
After a huge win over Rutgers, the possibility of UMass playing its first bowl game since the 1978 Pioneer Bowl at Fenway Park is too much of an opportunity for the Fenway Bowl to pass up.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
- Matchup: Penn State vs. Pitt
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 10 non-CFP #3
This would be the 101st meeting between these two and first since 2019.
68 Ventures Bowl
- Matchup: Miami (OH) vs. New Mexico State
- Location: Mobile, AL
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
Cactus Bowl
- Matchup: Baylor vs. Northwestern
- Location: Tempe, AZ
- Time: 7:30 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: Big 12 vs. Big Ten non-CFP #6
December 28
Military Bowl
- Matchup: UTSA vs. North Carolina
- Location: Annapolis, MD
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: American vs. ACC
Holiday Bowl
- Matchup: USC vs. Clemson
- Location: San Diego, CA
- Time: 5 PM ET | The CW
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Legacy PAC-12 member #3
December 29
Birmingham Bowl
- Matchup: UAB vs. South Alabama
- Location: Birmingham, AL
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
These two Alabama foes have not met since 2020 and this would be the third meeting ever. UAB won both prior meetings.
Pop-Tarts Bowl
- Matchup: Oklahoma State vs. Wake Forest
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 5:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: ACC vs. Big 12
Alamo Bowl
- Matchup: Houston vs. Oregon
- Location: San Antonio, TX
- Time: 9 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Legacy PAC-12 member #1 vs. Big 12
December 30
Gator Bowl
- Matchup: Florida State vs. LSU
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
- Time: 11:30 AM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. ACC
Music City Bowl
- Matchup: Wisconsin vs. Kentucky
- Location: Nashville, TN
- Time: 2 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Big 10 non-CFP #4 vs. SEC
December 31
Reliaquest Bowl
- Matchup: Florida vs. Nebraska
- Location: Tampa, FL
- Time: 3 PM ET | ABC
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big Ten non-CFP #2
Sun Bowl
- Matchup: SMU vs. USC
- Location: El Paso, TX
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Former PAC-12 member #4 vs. ACC
SMU would be the first Texas team to play in the Sun Bowl since 1999. SMU has not apprared in the Sun Bowl since 1982.
Las Vegas Bowl
- Matchup: Mississippi State vs. Arizona
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Time: 3:45 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Legacy PAC-12 member #2 vs. SEC
Texas Bowl
- Matchup: Auburn vs. Kansas State
- Location: Houston, TX
- Time: 7.30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big 12
January 2
Citrus Bowl
- Matchup: Iowa vs. Tennessee
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Time: 12 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: Big Ten non-CFP #1 vs. SEC
First Responder Bowl
- Matchup: Memphis vs. Louisville
- Location: College Park, TX
- Time: 3:30 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: At-Large vs. At-Large
Liberty Bowl
- Matchup: Missouri vs. West Virginia
- Location: Memphis, TN
- Time: 7 PM ET | ESPN
- Tie-in: SEC vs. Big 12 (American Conference Backup)
Arizona Bowl
- Matchup: Buffalo vs. UNLV
- Location: Tucson, AZ
- Time: TBD | The CW
- Tie-in: MAC vs. Mountain West
College Football Playoff
First Round
- #5 Alabama vs. #12 Boise State
- #6 UCLA vs. #11 Notre Dame
- #7 Indiana vs. #10 Utah
- #8 Texas Tech vs. #9 Mississippi
Quarterfinals
Fiesta Bowl
- Matchup: #2 BYU vs. #7 Indiana
- Location: Glendale, AZ
- Date: December 30th
Peach Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Miami vs. #8 Texas Tech
- Location: Atlanta, GA
- Date: January 1st | 12 PM ET
Rose Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Ohio State vs. #6 UCLA
- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Date: January 1st | 4 PM ET
Cotton Bowl
- Matchup: #4 Georgia vs. #5 Alabama
- Location: Arlington, TX
- Date: January 1st | 8 PM ET
Semifinals
Orange Bowl
- Matchup: #1 Notre Dame vs. #4 Ole Miss
- Location: Miami Gardens, FL
- Date: January 14th | 7:30 PM ET
Sugar Bowl
- Matchup: #3 Georgia vs. #2 Indiana
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Date: January 15th | 7:30 PM ET
National Championship Game
- Matchup: #1 Notre Dame vs. #3 Georgia
- Location: Miami, FL
- Date: January 19th | 7:30 PM ET | ESPN
