Bowls come. Bowls go. Bowl season always remains, at least for now. In an ever-changing college football landscape, the postseason prize for winning at least six games is under increasing threat of extinction, with some teams choosing not to participate following the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Yet, while it endures, we can always look forward to college football bowl projections. The ultimate symbol of hope breaks down which teams should be planning a postseason party, who they might face, and where they might play, powered by PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter (FPM).
College Football Bowl Projections | Playoff Bowls
Peach Bowl
Miami (FL) vs. Notre Dame
Cotton Bowl
Texas Tech vs. Georgia
Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Ole Miss
Fiesta Bowl
Indiana vs. Oregon
Orange Bowl
Notre Dame vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl
Georgia vs. Ohio State
Once again, the legacy New Year’s Six bowls make up the quarterfinal and semifinal stages of the College Football Playoff, with the first-round matchups taking place on the campus of the highest-seeded team involved. The Peach Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl host quarterfinal clashes, with the semifinal showdowns at the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl.
The Peach Bowl projection is a regular-season rematch between the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish that assumes Mario Cristobal’s team gets the better of Marcus Freeman’s men when the two teams meet on Nov. 7. Darian Mensah’s arrival gives the ‘Canes a better quarterback than last year, but can an inexperienced o-line hold up through the year?
PREDICT THE CFB SEASON: PFN’s Free CFB Playoff Predictor
Despite the controversy of the quarterback situation through the offseason, the Texas Tech Red Raiders roster is stacked with talent once more, and they’re a preseason favorite to land a Big 12 title. PFN’s FPM gives Joey McGuire’s team a 30% chance of landing a conference crown, which should give them a first-round bye.
Their Cotton Bowl opponent in our college football bowl projections is a Georgia Bulldogs team that has a 22.8% chance of winning a tight SEC race, with a 71.8% chance of making the College Football Playoff. Kirby Smart’s team hasn’t been discussed as much as other flashy SEC outfits this fall, but the Bulldogs have the right blend of returning and emerging talent.
The Big Ten once again appears set to be the frontrunning conference in 2026, with our college football bowl projections placing three teams in the quarterfinals, led by the projected number one seed, the Ohio State Buckeyes. Ryan Day’s team leads all contenders with a 15% chance of winning the national title, driven by the return of Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin.
The reigning champion Indiana Hoosiers are set to prove they’re no flash-in-the-pan, with long-time TCU starter Josh Hoover taking over an offensive system that led Fernando Mendoza to the Heisman Trophy. Our college football bowl projections pit them against the Oregon Ducks in an enticing Fiesta Bowl matchup that we’re deprived of on the 2026 Big Ten schedule.
For a full analysis of our projected bracket, check out our College Football Playoff predictions, which include a breakdown of every round and predict a national championship winner.
College Football Bowl Projections | Non-Playoff Bowls
- Celebration Bowl
South Carolina State vs. Alabama State - IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Old Dominion vs. Buffalo - Frisco Football Classic
Liberty vs. Appalachian State - Boca Raton Bowl
East Carolina vs. Florida International - Gasparilla Bowl
UTSA vs. Syracuse - Myrtle Beach Bowl
Texas State vs. Coastal Carolina - Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
North Dakota State vs. Ohio - Cure Bowl
Miami (OH) vs. FAU - Puerto Rico Bowl
Oregon State vs. Air Force - Independence Bowl
Houston vs. California - New Orleans Bowl
James Madison vs. Western Kentucky - Armed Forces Bowl
Army vs. Kansas State - Frisco Bowl
North Texas vs. Jacksonville State - New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico vs. Washington State - Hawaii Bowl
Hawaii vs. Delaware - Pinstripe Bowl
Clemson vs. Michigan State - Fenway Bowl
Virginia Tech vs. Navy - Duke’s Mayo Bowl
NC State vs. Minnesota - 68 Ventures Bowl
Western Michigan vs. South Alabama - Cactus Bowl
Michigan vs. TCU - Military Bowl
Georgia Tech vs. Tulane - Birmingham Bowl
USF vs. Florida - Pop-Tarts Bowl
Virginia vs. Oklahoma State - Alamo Bowl
BYU vs. Washington - Gator Bowl
SMU vs. Oklahoma - Music City Bowl
Penn State vs. Missouri - ReliaQuest Bowl
Illinois vs. LSU - Sun Bowl
Pittsburgh vs. UCLA - Las Vegas Bowl
Rutgers vs. Arizona - Texas Bowl
Cincinnati vs. Tennessee - Citrus Bowl
Iowa vs. Texas A&M - First Responder Bowl
Memphis vs. Duke - Liberty Bowl
Baylor vs. South Carolina - Arizona Bowl
Toledo vs. UNLV - Holiday Bowl
Louisville vs. Utah - Poinsettia Bowl
San Diego State vs. Arizona State
