There’s still room for a fun bowl season in a world gone mad for the College Football Playoff.Of course, the CFP gets all the attention now, but from mid-December through the start of 2027, bowl games dominate the holiday season - and we’re all in.Based on expectations for how the conference races will go, projected records, and what the bowls and ESPN will want to do to create the best possible matchups, here’s our first look at the 2026-2027 bowl season. (The College Football Playoff predictions will come next.)Once the season gets going, we’ll update this every week as the bowl game picture changes.2026 College Football Bowl ProjectionsDec 27, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Pop-Tarts mascots entertain fans before a game between the BYU Cougars and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn ImagesCricket Celebration BowlSouth Carolina State vs Alabama StateThey’re the two best teams in their respective conferences going into the season - South Carolina State is a stronger call than Alabama State.Saturday, December 12, 2026Game Time: 12:00, ABCLocation: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GALast Season: South Carolina State 50, Prairie View A&M 38 4OTBowl Affiliations: MEAC, SWACLast Season: Jackson State 28, South Carolina State 7IS4S Salute to Veterans BowlWestern Kentucky vs Louisiana TechThis would’ve been a Conference USA matchup had Louisiana Tech not bolted for the Sun Belt. If nothing else, it would be a cheeky way to kick off the bowl season.Tuesday, December 15, 2026Game Time: 5:30, ESPNLocation: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, ALLast Season: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun BeltLast Season: South Alabama 30, Western Michigan 23Frisco Football ClassicFIU vs Arkansas StateAll due crazy respect and a basket of mini-muffins if you remember the first Frisco Football Classic. It was in 2021, there were too many bowl eligible teams, and ESPN threw this together to get another bowl into the mix. Miami University beat North Texas 27-14Tuesday, December 15, 2026Game Time: 9:00, ESPNLocation: Ford Center at the Star, Frisco, TXLast Season: No GameBowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun BeltBoca Raton BowlFlorida Atlantic vs Virginia TechWith the ACC likely to be generally snubbed by the College Football Playoff - taking just its champion - there will be way too many teams from the conference for slots. Going to Boca Raton in mid-December against the high-powered Owls wouldn’t be a bad end to James Franklin’s rebuild season with the Hokies.Friday, December 18, 2026Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPNLocation: Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Boca Raton, FLLast Season: Louisville 27, Toledo 22Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla BowlVirginia vs South CarolinaRemember, ESPN will want the best possible matchups, and forcing an ACC vs SEC showdown like this early in the bowl cycle would get things rolling.Friday, December 18, 2026Game Time: 3:30, ESPNLocation: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FLLast Season: NC State 31, Memphis 7Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA (ACC, SEC)Myrtle Beach BowlEast Carolina vs Coastal CarolinaCoastal Carolina played in this two years ago - and got walloped by UTSA 44-15 - but it’s still a bowl game with a beach. East Carolina fans would have a little 200-mile drive to watch their team.Monday, December 21, 2026Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPNLocation: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SCLast Season: Western Michigan 41, Kennesaw State 6Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6, (Not Pac-12 or Mountain West)Famous Idaho Potato BowlToledo vs North Dakota StateWhat’s a little 1,200-mile drive through Montana to get to a bowl game? Bison fans might not like the idea of going to a cold-weather destination, but the battle with Hawaii in Mountain West play is in Honolulu.Monday, December 21, 2026Game Time: 2:30, ESPNLocation: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, IDLast Season: Washington State 34, Utah State 21Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain WestPuerto Rico

BowlOhio vs Washington StateWho doesn’t want to go to this bowl? Bayamón in late December will be a nice prize for two cold-weather teams.Tuesday, December 22, 2026Game Time: 1:30, ESPNLocation: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto RicoLast Season: First YearBowl Affiliations: MAC, Group of 6 or Pac-12StaffDNA Cure BowlLouisiana vs MemphisA Florida team could end up being shoehorned in here, but Louisiana and Memphis would create a high-end Group of Six matchup between two teams that will finish around fourth-ish in their respective conferences.Tuesday, December 22, 2026Game Time: 5:00, ESPNLocation: Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FLLast Season: Old Dominion 24, USF 10Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6Radiance Technologies Independence BowlTulane vs UCFLet’s start by making the call that Louisiana Tech won’t be here for a third season in a row. Tulane should take a step back overall, but playing UCF in a bowl game in Louisiana wouldn’t be a bad way to end the campaign.Tuesday, December 22, 2026Game Time: 8:30, ESPNLocation: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LALast Season: Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14Bowl Affiliations: AAC, Big 12, CUSA, Former Pac-12New Orleans BowlLiberty vs Old DominionJames Madison or Old Dominion will likely slide in here from the Sun Belt. Liberty might get a slightly bigger stage if it wins the Conference USA title, but no matter what, this is always a decent game.Wednesday, December 23, 2026Game Time: 2:00, ESPNLocation: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LALast Season: Western Kentucky 27, Southern Miss 16Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun BeltLast Season: Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26Lockheed Martin Armed Forces BowlArmy vs West VirginiaThis spot might be left open for the loser of the Army vs Navy game. No matter what, if that happens and it’s a matchup against West Virginia, expect a combined 500 yards of rushing offense.Wednesday, December 23, 2026Game Time: 5:30, ESPNLocation: Amon G Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TXLast Season: Texas State 41, Rice 10Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA, (or Big 12)Frisco BowlFresno State vs Miami UniversityLet’s just make a crazy prediction now that it’s a matchup of Group of Six conference championship game losers. Ideally, there would be a Texas team involved in this - UTSA might be the call - but these two programs would put on a solid show.Wednesday, December 23, 2026Game Time: 9:00, ESPNLocation: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TXLast Season: Ohio 17, UNLV 10Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6Isleta New Mexico BowlBoise State vs TroyThere’s supposed to be a Mountain West team here, but there won’t be enough available. The same goes for Pac-12 teams that are actually in the Pac-12 - the former Pac-12 programs will gobble up almost all of the slots.Thursday, December 24, 2026Game Time: 2:30, ESPNLocation: University Stadium, Albuquerque, NMLast Season: North Texas 49, San Diego State 47Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA or Sun BeltSheraton Hawaii BowlAir Force vs Kennesaw StateThere’s no way possible to ask any matchup to come up with anything as strong as the last two Hawaii Bowls - a five-overtime USF win over San Jose State in 2004, and last year’s late Hawaii win - but these two running games would make it interesting.Thursday, December 24, 2026Game Time: 7:00, ESPNLocation: Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HILast Season: Hawaii 35, Cal 31Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA (or AAC)Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe BowlWake Forest vs MinnesotaA showdown between the last two Duke’s Mayo Bowl winners, this would be a fantastic matchup. The Gophers are fantastic under PJ Fleck in bowl games, and the Demon Deacons have won three straight bowls.Saturday, December 26, 2026Game Time: 12:00, ABCLocation: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NYLast Season: Penn State 22, Clemson 10Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big TenWasabi Fenway BowlUSF vs PittAt least five ACC teams would fit this slot. Pitt doesn’t play boring bowls, and watching the team from Tampa play in Boston in late December would

certainly be a story.Saturday, December 26, 2026Game Time: 2:00, ESPNLocation: Fenway Park, Boston, MALast Season: Army 41, UConn 16Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACCDuke’s Mayo BowlFlorida State vs NebraskaThe fun of the traditional dumping of mayonnaise on the winning head coach has been better than the game over the last few seasons, but for people of a certain age, the idea of Nebraska vs Florida State in a bowl game just sounds like fun.Saturday, December 26, 2026Game Time: 3:30, ABCLocation: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NCLast Season: Wake Forest 43, Mississippi State 29Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten (or SEC)68 Ventures BowlJacksonville State vs Georgia SouthernPut these two offenses in a late December game, throw defense out the window, get your popcorn, and enjoy one of the highest-scoring firefights of the bowl season.Saturday, December 26, 2026Game Time: 5:30, ESPNLocation: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, ALLast Season: Delaware 20, Louisiana 13Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun BeltCactus BowlWisconsin vs Arizona StateOne of those bowls that ends up finishing in the wee hours of the morning for parts of the country, it has been well worth it over the last two seasons. The Badgers and Sun Devils would pack the place.Saturday, December 26, 2026Game Time: 7:30, ABCLocation: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZLast Season: Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17 OTBowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Big 12Freedom Mortgage Military BowlNavy vs Georgia TechIf Navy doesn’t get a College Football Playoff spot as the top Group of Six champion, this would be among the best games of the bowl season. Navy doesn’t have opt-outs, and the Yellow Jackets would care.Monday, December 28, 2026Game Time: 2:00, ESPNLocation: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MDLast Season: East Carolina 23, Pitt 17Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACCJLab Birmingham BowlUTSA vs AuburnSort of a catch-all for teams that need a spot, Auburn makes too much sense with so many SEC teams needing a bowl spot, and UTSA is projected to be one of the best teams in the American.Tuesday, December 29, 2026Game Time: 2:00, ESPNLocation: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, ALLast Season: Georgia Southern 29, App State 10Bowl Affiliations: AAC, SECPop-Tarts BowlNC State vs Kansas StateIt’s become one of the signature games of the bowl season, and that includes the great games on the field. Both programs would bring the intensity.Tuesday, December 29, 2026Game Time: 5:30, ABCLocation: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FLLast Season: BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big 12Valero Alamo BowlUtah vs WashingtonWe project Utah as one of the first teams out of the College Football Playoff, and Washington as one of the top Big Ten/former Pac-12 teams available, with USC playing in this last year. (And yes, two former Pac-12 teams can play in this as long as one is currently affiliated with the Big 12.)Tuesday, December 29, 2026Game Time: 9:00, ESPNLocation: Alamodome, San Antonio, TXLast Season: TCU 30, USC 27 OTBowl Affiliations: Former Pac-12, Big 12TaxSlayer Gator BowlClemson vs Ole MissThere’s a world where this matchup happens in the College Football Playoff. But the two big-name programs are more likely to end up in one of the better bowl matchups of the season.Wednesday, December 30, 2026Game Time: 11:30 am, ESPNLocation: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FLLast Season: Virginia 13, Missouri 7Bowl Affiliations: ACC, SECLiberty Mutual Music City BowlIowa vs FloridaA blast of a bowl over the last few seasons, at the very least Iowa and Florida would bring the fight in yet another close Big Ten vs SEC battle in Nashville.Wednesday, December 30, 2026Game Time: 3:00, ESPNLocation: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TNLast Season: Illinois 30, Tennessee 28Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SECReliaQuest BowlMichigan vs AlabamaThese two did this at the end of the 2024 season - the Wolverines beat the Tide 19-13 - and while this bowl would be a disappointing landing spot for both programs, it’s still Michigan and

Alabama on New Year’s Eve.Thursday, December 31, 2026Game Time: 12:00, ESPNLocation: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FLLast Season: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SECTony the Tiger Sun BowlSMU vs ArizonaArizona makes too much sense in one of the underappreciated bowl slots in the cycle. SMU staying in Texas would help make this a much-watch battle.Thursday, December 31, 2026Game Time: 2:00, CBSLocation: Sun Bowl, El Paso, TXLast Season: Duke 42, Arizona State 39Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Pac-12Las Vegas BowlIllinois vs CalIllinois or Iowa would work here. The opponent gets tricky. There’s a shot Boise State - if it wins the Pac-12 title - would be the call, but the ACC will have so many bowl eligible teams that Cal makes more sense as a former Pac-12 program.Thursday, December 31, 2026Game Time: 3:45, ESPNLocation: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NVLast Season: Utah 44, Nebraska 22Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Pac-12Kinder’s Texas BowlTCU vs TennesseeTCU in Houston would be a no-brainer, and with so many SEC teams available, getting Tennessee in a primetime New Year’s Eve game would be a coup.Thursday, December 31, 2026Game Time: 7:30, ESPNLocation: NRG Stadium, Houston, TXLast Season: Houston 38, LSU 35Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SECCitrus BowlPenn State vs Texas A&MOne of the most prestigious bowls outside of the College Football Playoff, the big names and big conferences would make this worth getting up early for.Saturday, January 2, 2027Game Time: 12:00, ABCLocation: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FLLast Season: Texas 41, Michigan 27Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SECSERVPRO First Responder BowlNorth Texas vs DukeNorth Texas playing in Dallas would help the bowl, and Duke - who should take a step back, but will still be in for a nice season - has to go somewhere with all the ACC teams looking for bowl homes.Saturday, January 2, 2027Game Time: 3:30, ESPNLocation: Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TXLast Season: UTSA 57, FIU 20Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6 (or ACC)AutoZone Liberty BowlHouston vs MissouriThis bowl always gets lost late in the post-season, but the Cougars and Tigers are two good teams that - if they still have enough starters around - would bring a solid narrative.Saturday, January 2, 2027Game Time: 7:30, ESPNLocation: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TNLast Season: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC, (or AAC)Trust & Will Holiday BowlLouisville vs USCMuch of this depends on where the game ends up in the cycle. Both the Cardinals and Trojans will be top 25 teams that just miss out on the College Football Playoff discussion.Date TBDGame Time: TBDLocation: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CALast Season: SMU 24, Arizona 19Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Pac-12Last Season: Syracuse 52, Washington State 35Poinsettia BowlSan Diego State vs New MexicoIn both football and basketball, the Aztecs and Lobos became a nice mini-rivalry in the Mountain West. It would be a fun showdown in Snapdragon.Date TBDGame Time: TBDLocation: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Last Season: No GameBowl Affiliations: Pac-12, Mountain WestLast Season: No GameArizona BowlWestern Michigan vs Colorado StateThis matchup deserves a bigger stage, but there isn’t any room for it early in the bowl cycle. The Broncos should win the MAC, and the Rams should be in for a great first season under Jim Mora.Date TBDGame Time: TBDLocation: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZLast Season: Fresno State 18, Miami University 3Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain West(College Football Playoff predictions to come next)

Source: Yahoo Sports