Bowl Projections, College Football Playoff Predictions: After Week 12

The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 12.

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The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 12.


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Future College Football Playoff Sites & Dates

These projections are all going to go haywire when it’s time to really do this for three reasons.

1) The SEC. In some way, shape and form, LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Florida will all likely be in the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six games. That screws up the whole SEC pecking order, meaning there will be a few big openings against good Power Five teams.

If Mississippi State loses to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and doesn’t become bowl eligible, and/or if Tennessee doesn’t get to six wins … uh oh. There could be as many as five bowls that have to fill open SEC spots, which is a problem because …

2) There won’t be any Power Five at-large teams to choose from. There will be some very, very good teams playing some very, very mediocre Group of Five teams because there simple won’t be enough options. And that means …

3) This is all going to be screwed up by a few bowls that will jump the gun. The Belk, AutoZone Liberty, Franklin American Mortgage Music City, and Academy Sports + Outdoor Texas will all be desperate for an SEC team. All of a sudden, Kentucky and Tennessee could be the most beloved programs in college football. The bowls that don’t get them might have to scramble for the best available MAC team.

2019-2020 Bowl Projections: Week 12

Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl

Friday, December 20
2:00 ET, ESPN
Thomas Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
MAC vs. Conference USA
Projection: Ohio vs. Florida Atlantic
Last Season: FIU 35, Toledo 32

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

Friday, December 20
7:30 ET, ESPN2
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
American Athletic vs. at-large
Secondary: MAC, and if not, Conference USA
Projection: Tulane vs. Ball State
Last Season: Ohio 27, San Diego State 0

Cure Bowl

Saturday, December 21
1:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
American Athletic vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Temple vs.  Georgia State
Last Season: Tulane 41, Louisiana 24

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 21
2:00 ET, ESPN
Branch Field at Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Conference USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Southern Miss vs. Nevada
Last Season: Utah State 52, North Texas 13

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Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

Saturday, December 21
3:30 ET, ABC
Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
American Athletic vs. MAC
Projection: Charlotte* vs. Miami University
Last Season: UAB 37, Northern Illinois 13

Camellia Bowl

Saturday, December 21
5:30 ET, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Toledo vs. Arkansas State
Last Season: Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21

Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl

Saturday, December 21
7:30 ET, ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Mountain West (champion) vs. Pac-12
Projection: Hawaii vs. Cal
Last Season: Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Saturday, December 21
9:00 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt (champion)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State
Last Season: Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee 13

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

Monday, December 23
2:30 ET, ESPN
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
American Athletic vs. Conference USA
Secondary: ACC
Projection: UCF vs. WKU
Last Season: Marshall 38, USF 20

SoFi Hawai’i Bowl

Tuesday, December 24
8:00 ET, ESPN
Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union Field at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
BYU vs. American Athletic or Mountain West
Projection: BYU vs. Wyoming
Last Season: Louisiana Tech 31, Hawaii 14

Walk-On’s Independence Bowl

Thursday, December 26
4:00 ET, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
ACC vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic, Conference USA
Projection: Florida State vs. Memphis
Last Season: Duke 56, Temple 27

Quick Lane Bowl

Thursday, December 26
8:00 ET, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
ACC vs. Big Ten
Secondary: MAC
Projection: North Carolina vs. Michigan State
Last Season: Minnesota 34, Georgia Tech 10

Military Bowl Presented By Northrup Grumman

Friday, December 27
12:00 ET, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium, Annapolis, MD
ACC vs. American Athletic
Projection: Louisville vs. Navy 
Last Season: Cincinnati 35, Virginia Tech 31

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Friday, December 27
3:20 ET, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Nebraska
Last Season: Wisconsin 35, Miami 3

Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl

Friday, December 27
6:45 ET, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. SMU*
*No SEC team projected available
Last Season: Baylor 45, Vanderbilt 38

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

Friday, December 27
8:00 ET, FS1
SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Michigan vs. USC
Last Season: Northwestern 31, Utah 20

Cheez-It Bowl

Saturday, December 28
10:15 ET, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Secondary: Mountain West
Projection: Kansas State vs. San Diego State
Last Season: TCU 10, Cal 7 OT

Camping World Bowl

Saturday, December 28
12:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Last Season: Syracuse 34, West Virginia 18

SERVPRO First Responders Bowl

Monday, December 30
12:30 ET, ESPN
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Projection: TCU vs. Marshall
Last Season: Boise State vs. Boston College cancelled

Redbox Bowl

Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, FOX
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Illinois vs. Washington State
Last Season: Oregon 7, Michigan State 6

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
SEC vs. (likely) ACC, or Big Ten
Projection: Miami vs. Liberty*
Last Season: Auburn 63, Purdue 14
*No SEC team projected available

Belk Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
12:00 ET, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Pitt vs. Mississippi State
*No SEC team projected available
Last Season: Virginia 28, South Carolina 0

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
2:00 ET, CBS
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia vs. Arizona State
Last Season: Stanford 14, Pitt 13

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
3:45 ET, ESPN
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Big 12 vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic
Projection: Iowa State vs. Tennessee
Last Season: Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 33

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
4:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Sun Belt vs. Mountain West
Projection: Georgia Southern vs. San Jose State
Last Season: Nevada 16, Arkansas State 13 OT

Valero Alamo Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
7:30 ET, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Baylor vs. Washington
Last Season: Washington State 28, Iowa State 26

VRBO Citrus Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
SEC vs. Big Ten or ACC
Projection: Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin
Last Season: Kentucky 27, Penn State 24

Outback Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Penn State vs. Auburn
Last Season: Iowa 27, Mississippi State 22

Birmingham Bowl

Thursday, January 2
3:00 ET, ESPN
Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
American Athletic vs. SEC
Secondary: ACC
Projection: Cincinnati vs. UAB*
Last Season: Wake Forest 37, Memphis 34
*No SEC team projected available

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TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Thursday, January 2
7:00 ET, ESPN
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
SEC vs. (likely) Big Ten, or ACC
Projection: Kentucky vs. Iowa
Last Season: Texas A&M 52, NC State 13

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Friday, January 3
3:30 ET, ESPN
Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Utah State
Last Season: BYU 49, Western Michigan 18

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Saturday, January 4
11:30 am ET, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Big Ten vs. Mountain West
Projection: Indiana vs. Air Force 
Last Season: Army 70, Houston 14

Mobile Alabama Bowl

Monday, January 6
7:30 ET, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Louisiana
Last Season: Troy 42, Buffalo 32

2019-2020 College Football Conference Bowl Tie-Ins

NEXT: New Year’s Six Bowls & College Football Playoff

Jerry Palm discusses where Tennessee is most likely to go bowling

Tennessee will return to action in Week 13.

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KNOXVILLE – Tennessee (5-5, 3-3 SEC) will return to action in Week 13 following an open date.

The Vols will play at Missouri (5-5, 2-4 SEC) with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. ET.

A win would make Tennessee bowl eligible with a regular season finale home contest against Vanderbilt awaiting on Nov. 30.

Ahead of the Tennessee-Missouri game, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports provided his thoughts on where the Vols could go bowling in the postseason.

If UT finished the regular season with a 7-5 or 6-6 record, Palm views Tennessee’s bowl destination the same with six or seven wins.

“Their record does not really matter,” Palm told Vols Wire.

Palm mentioned Tennessee’s destination most likely “depends more on whether the Music City Bowl prefers Louisville (6-4, 4-3 ACC) or Kentucky (5-5, 3-5 SEC).”

“I think the Music City Bowl or Liberty Bowl are most likely,” Palm said of Tennessee. “The Texas Bowl and Belk Bowl are also in play with an outside chance at the Gator Bowl.”

Palm currently has Tennessee projected to play Louisville in the Music City Bowl on Dec. 30.

AP Poll: Notre Dame Back in Top 15

What it all means is that if Notre Dame wins out they’ll have a realistic chance at finishing the regular season in the top-10

The latest AP Poll is out after Week 12 concluded and Notre Dame moved up in that one as well, just like the Amway Coaches Poll Powered by USA Today, earlier today.

The latest poll is as follows:

Here is the new top 25:

1) LSU

2) Ohio State

3) Clemson

4) Georgia

5) Alabama

6) Oregon

7) Utah

8) Oklahoma

9) Penn State

10) Florida

11) Minnesota

12) Michigan 

13) Baylor

14) Wisconsin

15) Notre Dame

16) Auburn

17) Cincinnati

18) Memphis

19) Iowa

20) Boise State

21) SMU

22) Oklahoma State

23) Appalachian State

24) Texas A&M

25) Virginia Tech

Others receiving votes:

Indiana 47, Iowa State 31, Virginia 23, Navy 13, Air Force 12, Pittsburgh 9, San Diego State 7, USC 6, Washington 6, Texas 4, Illinois 1

How high can Notre Dame get by the end of the year? It’ll need help to be in the top-10 but here are a few things to take note of:

Wisconsin and Minnesota still have to play in two weeks, while Baylor has a great chance of meeting Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship which would mean a pair of guaranteed loses ahead of Notre Dame.

It’s also worth noting Penn State and Michigan both have to play Ohio State where the Buckeyes will be favored against both, meaning two more very possible losses for teams Notre Dame is within shouting distance off.

Finally Oregon and Utah meeting in the PAC-12 Championship will mean one more guaranteed loss by one of them.

What it all means is that if Notre Dame wins out they’ll have a realistic chance at finishing the regular season in the top-10 and in turn, have an actual chance at a Cotton or Orange Bowl appearance.

Stay tuned as the Irish continue their quest for a ten-win regular season and possibly a NY-6 bowl as they welcome Boston College to South Bend on Saturday.

College Football Bowl Projections: New Years Six Still Possible for Notre Dame?

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?” as Jim Carey once said in Dumb and Dumber. It might not be a great one, but it’s not entirely done. At least yet. That being Notre Dame’s chances of making a New Year’s Six bowl game. The vast-majority of …

“So you’re saying there’s a chance?” as Jim Carey once said in Dumb and Dumber.

It might not be a great one, but it’s not entirely done.  At least yet.

That being Notre Dame’s chances of making a New Year’s Six bowl game.  The vast-majority of prognasticators still don’t see it happening that way, but we found one respected expert that did.

So where are the Irish likely headed?  Here’s what we found in this week’s edition of the Notre Dame Bowl Projections:

247Sports/Brad Crawford
Camping World Bowl vs. Texas

CBS/Jerry Palm
Camping World Bowl vs. Texas

College Football News/Pete Fiutak
Camping World Bowl vs. Texas

ESPN (2 Experts)
Bonaqura – Camping World Bowl vs. Texas
Schlabach – Camping World Bowl vs. Oklahoma State

The Sporting News/Bill Bender
Cotton Bowl vs. Memphis

Stadium/Brett McMurphy
Camping World Bowl vs. Oklahoma State

There you go.  He’s @BillBender92 on Twitter if you’re looking for more of his work but he’s got the Irish in the New Year’s Six with three to go.