Bowl Projections: Win Over Texas Opens Clear LSU Path to the Playoff

The Tigers' statement win in Austin shook up our playoff projection. How does the rest of the updated bowl picture shake out?

The crop of College Football Playoff teams are barely sorted through Week 2, though LSU earned a statement win in Austin on Saturday night. The Tigers finally unveiled an offense in-step with the 21st century, sprinting past the Longhorns with a 45–38 victory. Joe Burrow and Co. still have a long way to the playoff, but LSU’s path is now clear. The Tigers can drop one game in their next 10—likely at Alabama on Nov. 9—then waltz into the Playoff as long as the SEC East champ has two-plus losses. Defeating the Longhorns can make up for LSU’s potential absence from the conference title game.

We won’t bury the Longhorns just yet, nor will we discard any one-loss squad from both the Playoff and New Year’s Six conversation. So where is your favorite team slated to land at the conclusion of 2019? Check out Sports Illustrated’s full slate of bowl projections below.

Dec. 20

Bahamas Bowl, Nassau (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MAC
Marshall vs. Eastern Michigan

Frisco Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
American vs. Sun Belt
SMU vs. Louisiana Lafayette

Dec. 21

Celebration Bowl, Atlanta (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
MEAC vs. SWAC
South Carolina State vs. Alcorn State

New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MWC
UTEP vs. Nevada

Cure Bowl, Orlando (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
American vs. Sun Belt
Navy vs. Arkansas State

Boca Raton Bowl (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
MAC vs. American
Buffalo vs. Temple

Camellia Bowl, Montgomery (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Northern Illinois vs. Troy

Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Pac-12 vs. SEC or Big Ten or MWC
Washington State vs. Boise State

New Orleans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State

Dec. 23

Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. ACC or American
UAB vs. Cincinnati  

Dec. 24

Hawai'i Bowl, Honolulu (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC or BYU vs. American
Hawaii vs. USF

Dec. 26

Independence Bowl, Shreveport (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Vanderbilt vs. Wake Forest

Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Illinois vs. NC State

Dec. 27

Military Bowl, Annapolis (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
American vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Memphis vs. Miami

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx (3:20 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Nebraska vs. Boston College

Texas Bowl, Houston (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Baylor vs. Mississippi State

Holiday Bowl, San Diego (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Maryland vs. Washington

Cheez-It Bowl, Phoenix (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Cal vs. Kansas State

Dec. 28

Camping World Bowl, Orlando (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big 12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Iowa State vs. Notre Dame

Dec. 30

First Responder Bowl, Dallas (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
TCU vs. North Texas

Music City Bowl, Nashville (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
North Carolina vs. Purdue 

Redbox Bowl, Santa Clara (4 p.m. ET, FOX)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Minnesota vs. Stanford

Dec. 31

Belk Bowl, Charlotte (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC
South Carolina vs. Syracuse 

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, El Paso (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Pac-12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
USC vs. Virginia Tech

Liberty Bowl, Memphis (3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Texas Tech vs. Kentucky

Arizona Bowl, Tucson (4:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
MWC vs. Sun Belt
BYU vs. Coastal Carolina

Alamo Bowl, San Antonio (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon

Jan. 1

Citrus Bowl, Orlando (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Iowa vs. Auburn

Outback Bowl, Tampa (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Michigan State vs. Texas A&M

Jan. 2

Birmingham Bowl (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
ACC vs. American
Duke vs. Houston

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Florida vs. Penn State

Jan. 3

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. MWC
Western Michigan vs. Utah State

Jan 4

Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth (11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC vs. Big Ten
San Diego State vs. Indiana

Jan. 6

Mobile Alabama Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Ohio vs. Georgia Southern

New Year's Six Bowls

Cotton Bowl Classic, Arlington (Dec. 28, noon, ESPN)
At-large vs. At-large
Texas vs. UCF

Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens (Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN)
ACC vs. Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame
Virginia vs. Michigan

Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena (Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Wisconsin vs. Utah

Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN)
SEC vs. Big 12
Oklahoma vs. Georgia

Fiesta Bowl, Glendale (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Clemson vs. LSU

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, New Orleans (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Alabama vs. Ohio State

College Football Playoff National Championship, New Orleans (Jan. 13, 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinal winner vs. CFP semifinal winner