Bowl Projections: Unbeatens Form New Year’s Six Traffic Jam

Where does your team check in on our latest forecast of all 40 college football bowl games?

Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports

We’re through six weeks of the college football season, and does anyone know who will compete in the Playoff on Dec. 28? The sixth iteration of the College Football Playoff could feature the fiercest debate yet, with 16 teams entering Week 7 undefeated. We can likely scrap Appalachian State, Minnesota, Memphis and SMU from our list of true contenders, along with Baylor and Wake Forest. What we’re left with is one of the greater logjams in recent history.

Four SEC teams remain unbeaten through six weeks, as do a trio of Big Ten schools. Clemson is still unscathed as is Oklahoma, and Texas could very well vault back into the Playoff picture with a win in the Red River Showdown in Dallas on Saturday. Boise State will certainly need a hoard of luck to crack the Playoff, though this could be the best Broncos squad since the Kellen Moore days. The depth of title contenders has never been greater in the CFP era.

So how will the packed top 10 sort itself out in the coming weeks? 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
Western Kentucky vs. Ohio

Frisco Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
American vs. Sun Belt
UCF vs. Georgia State

Dec. 21

Celebration Bowl, Atlanta (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
MEAC vs. SWAC
Florida A&M vs. Alcorn State

New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MWC
Southern Miss vs. Air Force

Cure Bowl, Orlando (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
American vs. Sun Belt
Temple vs. Georgia Southern

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

Camellia Bowl, Montgomery (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Western Michigan vs. Arkansas State

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

New Orleans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Florida Atlantic vs. Louisiana Lafayette

Dec. 23

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

Dec. 24

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

Dec. 26

Independence Bowl, Shreveport (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech

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

Dec. 27

Military Bowl, Annapolis (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
American vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Navy vs. Florida State

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

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

Holiday Bowl, San Diego (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Iowa vs. Arizona State

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

Dec. 28

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

Dec. 30

First Responder Bowl, Dallas (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
West Virginia vs. UAB

Music City Bowl, Nashville (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Texas A&M vs. Duke

Redbox Bowl, Santa Clara (4 p.m. ET, FOX)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Michigan State vs. Arizona

Dec. 31

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

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

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

Arizona Bowl, Tucson (4:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
MWC vs. Sun Belt
San Diego State vs. Appalachian State

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

Jan. 1

Citrus Bowl, Orlando (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Penn State vs. Florida

Outback Bowl, Tampa (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Michigan vs. Auburn

Jan. 2

Birmingham Bowl (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. American
North Texas vs. Memphis

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

Jan. 3

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

Jan 4

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

Jan. 6

Mobile Alabama Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Ball State vs. Coastal Carolina

New Year's Six Bowls

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

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

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

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, Atlanta (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