About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's the real fallout of a bunch of upsets happening in mid-October? Several teams that seemed to be locks for the College Football Playoff are suddenly in danger of being realistically knocked out of the hunt. On the plus side, there's the likelihood now that teams like Texas and Alabama have to find homes in top bowl games, potentially making the games more attractive – at least when it comes to brand names. The results from one of the wildest weekends in a long, long time are reflected in the latest CFN bowl projections. Jump to the College Football Playoff Bracket and Predictions . – What will the final CFP Top 12 field be?
Oct 17, 2026; Athens, Georgia, USA; Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown (17) and wide receiver Chas Nimrod (5) celebrate a touchdown during the second quarter against Georgia at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
We're predicting that only three SEC teams will find their way into the College Football Playoff , which means the bowl powers-that-be will have to find showcase games for several powerful football schools.
With Arizona State and Cal being blown out, Washington rallying back, and Colorado and Stanford not realistically a part of the mix, there aren't a ton of sure-thing former Pac-12 programs with several slots being held open for them.
Remember, several schools won't accept the bowl bids or won't be able to go. The projections now are based on what we think will happen if everyone can field a full team. If you don't see your team, don't worry – it should all be fine once teams drop out.
South Carolina State vs Jackson State Saturday, December 12, 2026 Game Time: 12:00, ABC Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Last Season: South Carolina State 50, Prairie View A&M 38 4OT Bowl Affiliations: MEAC, SWAC
Middle Tennessee vs Louisiana Tech Tuesday, December 15, 2026 Game Time: 5:30, ESPN Location: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL Last Season: Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13 Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
FIU vs Troy Tuesday, December 15, 2026 Game Time: 9:00, ESPN Location: Ford Center at the Star, Frisco, TX Last Season: No Game Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun Belt
UCF* vs Mississippi State* Friday, December 18, 2026 Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPN Location: Flagler Credit Union Stadium, Boca Raton, FL Last Season: Louisville 27, Toledo 22 Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6
USF vs South Carolina Friday, December 18, 2026 Game Time: 3:30, ESPN Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Last Season: NC State 31, Memphis 7 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA (ACC, SEC)
Jacksonville State vs North Texas Monday, December 21, 2026 Game Time: 11:00 am, ESPN Location: Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC Last Season: Western Michigan 41, Kennesaw State 6 Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6
Western Michigan vs North Dakota State Monday, December 21, 2026 Game Time: 2:30, ESPN Location: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID Last Season: Washington State 34, Utah State 21 Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain West
Miami University vs Oregon State Tuesday, December 22, 2026 Game Time: 1:30, ESPN Location: Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium, Bayamón, Puerto Rico Last Season: No Game Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Group of 6 or Pac-12
Georgia State vs Florida Atlantic Tuesday, December 22, 2026 Game Time: 5:00, ESPN Location: Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FL Last Season: Old Dominion 24, USF 10 Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6
Baylor vs Boise State* Tuesday, December 22, 2026 Game Time: 8:30, ESPN Location: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA Last Season: Louisiana Tech 23, Coastal Carolina 14 Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, Former Pac-12
Liberty vs Louisiana Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, ESPN Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA Last Season: Western Kentucky 27, Southern Miss 16 Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, Sun Belt
Army vs West Virginia Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Game Time: 5:30, ESPN Location: Amon G Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX Last Season: Texas State 41, Rice 10 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, CUSA, (or Big 12)
Washington vs UNLV Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, CW Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Last Season: No Game Bowl Affiliations: Former Pac-12, Mountain West
Fresno State vs TCU * Wednesday, December 23, 2026 Game Time: 9:00, ESPN Location: Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX Last Season: Ohio 17, UNLV 10 Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6
New Mexico vs South Alabama Thursday, December 24, 2026 Game Time: 2:30, ESPN Location: University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM Last Season: North Texas 49, San Diego State 47 Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA or Sun Belt
Wyoming vs East Carolina Thursday, December 24, 2026 Game Time: 7:00, ESPN Location: Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI Last Season: Hawaii 35, Cal 31 Bowl Affiliations: Mountain West, CUSA (or AAC)
Virginia Tech vs Minnesota Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 12:00, ABC Location: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY Last Season: Penn State 22, Clemson 10 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten
Memphis vs Florida State Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, ESPN Location: Fenway Park, Boston, MA Last Season: Army 41, UConn 16 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC
North Carolina vs Northwestern Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 3:30, ABC Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC Last Season: Wake Forest 43, Mississippi State 29 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big Ten (or SEC)
Ohio vs App State Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 5:30, ESPN Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL Last Season: Delaware 20, Louisiana 13 Bowl Affiliations: CUSA, MAC, Sun Belt
Penn State vs Oklahoma State Saturday, December 26, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, ABC Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ Last Season: Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17 OT Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, Big 12
Tulane vs Virginia Monday, December 28, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, ESPN Location: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD Last Season: East Carolina 23, Pitt 17 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, ACC
Duke vs USC Monday, December 28, 2026 Game Time: 5:00, CW Location: Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA Last Season: SMU 24, Arizona 19 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12
UTSA vs Auburn Tuesday, December 29, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, ESPN Location: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL Last Season: Georgia Southern 29, App State 10 Bowl Affiliations: AAC, SEC
Clemson vs Kansas State Tuesday, December 29, 2026 Game Time: 5:30, ABC Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL Last Season: BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Big 12
Oregon vs Houston Tuesday, December 29, 2026 Game Time: 9:00, ESPN Location: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX Last Season: TCU 30, USC 27 OT Bowl Affiliations: Former Pac-12, Big 12
Louisville vs Ole Miss Wednesday, December 30, 2026 Game Time: 11:30 am, ESPN Location: EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL Last Season: Virginia 13, Missouri 7 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, SEC
Nebraska vs Florida Wednesday, December 30, 2026 Game Time: 3:00, ESPN Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN Last Season: Illinois 30, Tennessee 28 Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Michigan vs Kentucky Thursday, December 31, 2026 Game Time: 12:00, ESPN Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL Last Season: Iowa 34, Vanderbilt 27 Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
SMU vs Utah Thursday, December 31, 2026 Game Time: 2:00, CBS Location: Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX Last Season: Duke 42, Arizona State 39 Bowl Affiliations: ACC, Former Pac-12
Oklahoma vs Arizona Thursday, December 31, 2026 Game Time: 3:45, ESPN Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV Last Season: Utah 44, Nebraska 22 Bowl Affiliations: SEC, Former Pac-12
Texas Tech vs Texas Thursday, December 31, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, ESPN Location: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Last Season: Houston 38, LSU 35 Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC
Wisconsin vs Alabama Saturday, January 2, 2027 Game Time: 12:00, ABC Location: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL Last Season: Texas 41, Michigan 27 Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Pitt* vs Texas A&M* Saturday, January 2, 2027 Game Time: 3:30, ESPN Location: Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX Last Season: UTSA 57, FIU 20 Bowl Affiliations: Group of 6 (or ACC)
Toledo vs Air Force Saturday, January 2, 2027 Game Time: 5:30, CW Location: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ Last Season: Fresno State 18, Miami University 3 Bowl Affiliations: MAC, Mountain West
Cincinnati vs Missouri Saturday, January 2, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, ESPN Location: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN Last Season: Navy 35, Cincinnati 13 Bowl Affiliations: Big 12, SEC, (or AAC)
Oct 17, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Nick Marsh (11) reacts after an incomplete pass reception during the fourth quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Tennessee (9) at Iowa (8) Friday, December 18, 2026 Game Time: 8:00, ESPN Location: To Be Determined
James Madison (12) at Georgia (5) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 12:00, ABC/ESPN Location: To Be Determined
Wake Forest (10) at Indiana (7) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 3:30, TNT/truTV Location: To Be Determined
LSU (11) at UCLA (6) Saturday, December 19, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: To Be Determined
Indiana (7) vs BYU (2) Wednesday, December 30, 2026 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Georgia (5) vs Miami (4) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
LSU (11) vs Notre Dame (3) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Iowa (8) vs Ohio State (1) Friday, January 1, 2027 Game Time: TBD Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Indiana (7) vs Notre Dame (3) Thursday, January 14, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, TNT/truTV Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Georgia (5) vs Ohio State (1) Friday, January 15, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, ABC/ESPN Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Georgia (5) vs Notre Dame (3) Monday, January 25, 2027 Game Time: 7:30, ABC Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Source: Sports
0 Comments