Gridiron Core
CFB Predictors
Postseason · 2026

Bowl Projections

Every team placed in a game, using each bowl's conference tie-ins and the CBS Sports Rankings. The playoff comes straight off the bracket. Six-win eligibility does not apply yet, so the ranking stands in for records nobody has.

College Football Playoffs

Round one on campus, then the quarterfinals and semifinals.

First Round

Round 1
8KentuckySEC
vs
9AlabamaSEC
Dec 18
8:00 PM ET
Lexington, KY
Kroger Field

First Round

Round 1
5Notre DameFBS Independents
vs
12Boise StatePac-12
Dec 19
12:00 PM ET
Notre Dame, IN
Notre Dame Stadium

First Round

Round 1
7BYUBig 12
vs
10Ohio StateBig Ten
Dec 19
4:00 PM ET
Provo, UT
LaVell Edwards Stadium

First Round

Round 1
6IndianaBig Ten
vs
11TexasSEC
Dec 19
8:00 PM ET
Bloomington, IN
Memorial Stadium

Fiesta Bowl

Quarterfinal
3UtahBig 12
vs
Winner 6/11
Dec 30
7:30 PM ET
Glendale, AZ
State Farm Stadium

Cotton Bowl

Quarterfinal
2GeorgiaSEC
vs
Winner 7/10
Jan 1
Time TBD
Arlington, TX
AT&T Stadium

Peach Bowl

Quarterfinal
1MiamiACC
vs
Winner 8/9
Jan 1
Time TBD
Atlanta, GA
Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Rose Bowl

Quarterfinal
4UCLABig Ten
vs
Winner 5/12
Jan 1
Time TBD
Pasadena, CA
Rose Bowl Stadium

Orange Bowl

Semifinal
Winner of the Peach Bowl
vs
Winner of the Rose Bowl
Jan 14
7:30 PM ET
Miami Gardens, FL
Hard Rock Stadium

Sugar Bowl

Semifinal
Winner of the Cotton Bowl
vs
Winner of the Fiesta Bowl
Jan 15
7:30 PM ET
New Orleans, LA
Caesars Superdome

Non-CFP Bowls

Every other bowl, earliest kickoff first.

Salute to Veterans Bowl

Georgia SouthernSun Belt4-4
vs
Florida InternationalConference USA3-5
Dec 15
5:30 PM ET
Montgomery, AL
Cramton Bowl

Frisco Football Classic

Arkansas StateSun Belt4-4
vs
Miami (OH)Mid-American5-4
Dec 15
9:00 PM ET
Frisco, TX
Toyota Stadium

Boca Raton Bowl

Florida AtlanticAmerican Athletic5-3
vs
Georgia StateSun Belt4-4
Dec 18
11:00 AM ET
Boca Raton, FL
FAU Stadium

Gasparilla Bowl

Mississippi StateSEC4-4
vs
TulsaAmerican Athletic4-4
Dec 18
2:30 PM ET
Tampa, FL
Raymond James Stadium

Myrtle Beach Bowl

East CarolinaAmerican Athletic4-4
vs
LouisianaSun Belt5-3
Dec 21
11:00 AM ET
Conway, SC
Brooks Stadium

Idaho Potato Bowl

MassachusettsMid-American4-4
vs
WyomingMountain West5-3
Dec 21
2:30 PM ET
Boise, ID
Albertsons Stadium

Puerto Rico Bowl

Western MichiganMid-American6-3
vs
App StateSun Belt5-3
Dec 22
1:30 PM ET
Bayamón, PR
Estadio Juan Ramón Loubriel

Cure Bowl

OhioMid-American7-2
vs
Texas StatePac-124-4
Dec 22
5:00 PM ET
Orlando, FL
Camping World Stadium

Independence Bowl

UCFBig 124-4
vs
ArmyAmerican Athletic5-3
Dec 22
8:30 PM ET
Shreveport, LA
Independence Stadium

New Orleans Bowl

Louisiana TechSun Belt6-2
vs
DelawareConference USA4-4
Dec 23
2:00 PM ET
New Orleans, LA
Caesars Superdome

Armed Forces Bowl

South FloridaAmerican Athletic6-2
vs
CincinnatiBig 125-3
Dec 23
5:30 PM ET
Fort Worth, TX
Amon G. Carter Stadium

Frisco Bowl

Fresno StatePac-125-3
vs
Air ForceMountain West6-2
Dec 23
9:00 PM ET
Frisco, TX
Toyota Stadium

New Mexico Bowl

UNLVMountain West5-3
vs
Jacksonville StateConference USA6-2
Dec 24
2:30 PM ET
Albuquerque, NM
University Stadium

Hawai'i Bowl

North Dakota StateMountain West7-2
vs
LibertyConference USA7-1
Dec 24
7:00 PM ET
Honolulu, HI
Clarence T.C. Ching Complex

Pinstripe Bowl

North CarolinaACC4-4
vs
MinnesotaBig Ten5-3
Dec 26
12:00 PM ET
Bronx, NY
Yankee Stadium

Fenway Bowl

PittsburghACC6-3
vs
MemphisAmerican Athletic7-2
Dec 26
2:00 PM ET
Boston, MA
Fenway Park

Duke's Mayo Bowl

LouisvilleACC5-3
vs
WisconsinBig Ten5-3
Dec 26
3:30 PM ET
Charlotte, NC
Bank of America Stadium

68 Ventures Bowl

James MadisonSun Belt7-2
vs
ToledoMid-American6-2
Dec 26
5:30 PM ET
Mobile, AL
Hancock Whitney Stadium

Cactus Bowl

Iowa StateBig 124-4
vs
NebraskaBig Ten5-3
Dec 26
7:30 PM ET
Phoenix, AZ
Chase Field

Military Bowl

ClemsonACC5-3
vs
North TexasAmerican Athletic6-2
Dec 28
2:00 PM ET
Annapolis, MD
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

Birmingham Bowl

OklahomaSEC4-4
vs
UTSAAmerican Athletic7-1
Dec 29
2:00 PM ET
Birmingham, AL
Protective Stadium

Pop-Tarts Bowl

20HoustonBig 126-2
vs
15Wake ForestACC7-1
Dec 29
5:30 PM ET
Orlando, FL
Camping World Stadium

Alamo Bowl

13Texas TechBig 127-1
vs
OregonBig Ten5-3
Dec 29
9:00 PM ET
San Antonio, TX
Alamodome

Gator Bowl

25South CarolinaSEC5-3
vs
DukeACC6-2
Dec 30
11:30 AM ET
Jacksonville, FL
EverBank Stadium

Music City Bowl

19MissouriSEC6-2
vs
23NorthwesternBig Ten6-2
Dec 30
3:00 PM ET
Nashville, TN
Nissan Stadium

ReliaQuest Bowl

16TennesseeSEC6-2
vs
18IowaBig Ten6-2
Dec 31
12:00 PM ET
Tampa, FL
Raymond James Stadium

Sun Bowl

WashingtonBig Ten5-3
vs
Virginia TechACC6-2
Dec 31
2:00 PM ET
El Paso, TX
Sun Bowl Stadium

Las Vegas Bowl

AuburnSEC4-4
vs
Oregon StatePac-125-3
Dec 31
3:45 PM ET
Las Vegas, NV
Allegiant Stadium

Texas Bowl

Oklahoma StateBig 125-3
vs
14LSUSEC6-2
Dec 31
7:30 PM ET
Houston, TX
NRG Stadium

Citrus Bowl

12Ole MissSEC6-2
vs
17USCBig Ten7-2
Jan 2
12:00 PM ET
Orlando, FL
Camping World Stadium

First Responder Bowl

TCUBig 124-4
vs
24New MexicoMountain West7-1
Jan 2
3:30 PM ET
Dallas, TX
Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Liberty Bowl

FloridaSEC5-3
vs
BaylorBig 125-3
Jan 2
7:30 PM ET
Memphis, TN
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium

Holiday Bowl

22ArizonaBig 126-2
vs
SMUACC6-2
Date TBD
Time TBD
San Diego, CA
Snapdragon Stadium

Arizona Bowl

BuffaloMid-American6-3
vs
San José StateMountain West4-5
Date TBD
Time TBD
Tucson, AZ
Arizona Stadium