College football bowl projections after Week 15

ByKyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach ESPN logo
Thursday, December 17, 2020
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With the College Football Playoff selection show (ESPN and ESPN App, noon ET) just a week away, there is a little shake-up in our weekly projections.

After No. 6 Florida's shocking loss against LSU, one ultimately decided by an untimely penalty after the Gators' Marco Wilson tossed a cleat down the field, we are looking at a different semifinals lineup.


Teams that have opted out of bowl games so far include Boston College, Pitt, Virginia and Stanford. LSU has self-imposed a bowl ban.

ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach make their latest picks. This will be updated as game matchups become locked in.

College Football Playoff

College Football Playoff National Championship presented by AT&Tbr/>Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Floridabr/>Jan. 11, ESPNbr/>Bonagura: Alabama vs. Clemsonbr/>Schlabach: Alabama vs. Clemson

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Rose Bowl presented by Capital Onebr/>Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Californiabr/>Jan. 1, ESPNbr/>Bonagura: Ohio State vs. Clemsonbr/>Schlabach: Ohio State vs. Clemson

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowlbr/>Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleansbr/>Jan. 1, ESPNbr/>Bonagura: Alabama vs. Notre Damebr/>Schlabach: Alabama vs. Notre Dame

Bowl schedule

Dec. 21

Myrtle Beach Bowl br/>Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)br/>2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Georgia Southern vs. Western Kentuckybr/>Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky

Actual matchup: Appalachian State vs. North Texas

Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowlbr/>Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)br/>3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Boise State vs. Ball Statebr/>Schlabach: Nevada vs. Tulane

Actual matchup: Nevada vs. Tulane

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowlbr/>FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)br/>7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: UCF vs. Kent Statebr/>Schlabach: UCF vs. Florida Atlantic

Actual matchup: UCF vs. BYU

Dec. 23

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowlbr/>Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)br/>3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: UAB vs. Louisianabr/>Schlabach:Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern/p>

br/>Actual matchup: Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern

Montgomery Bowlbr/>Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)br/>7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2 and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Statebr/>Schlabach: Memphis vs. Liberty

Actual matchup: Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic

Dec. 24

New Mexico Bowlbr/>TBD (Albuquerque, New Mexico)br/>3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: San Jose State vs. BYUbr/>Schlabach:San Jose State vs. Houston

Actual matchup: Hawai'i vs. Houston

Dec. 25

Camellia Bowlbr/>Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)br/>2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Buffalo vs. Coastal Carolinabr/>Schlabach: Ball State vs. Georgia State

Dec. 26

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowlbr/>Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)/p>

Noon on ABC and the ESPN App

br/>Bonagura: Georgia Tech vs. Libertybr/>Schlabach:Georgia Tech vs. South Carolina

Cure Bowl

Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)br/>Noon on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Florida Atlantic vs. Troybr/>Schlabach: UAB vs. Louisiana

SERVPRO First Responder Bowlbr/>Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)br/>3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Tulsabr/>Schlabach: Wake Forest vs. BYU

Actual matchup: UTSA vs TBD

LendingTree Bowlbr/>Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)br/>3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Marshall vs. Appalachian Statebr/>Schlabach: Marshall vs. Coastal Carolina

Actual matchup: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowlbr/>Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)br/>7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Army vs. Oregonbr/>Schlabach: Army vs. Oregon

Guaranteed Rate Bowlbr/>Chase Field (Phoenix)br/>10:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Penn State vs. West Virginiabr/>Schlabach: Rutgers vs. West Virginia

Dec. 28

Military Bowl Presented by Perspectabr/>Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)br/>2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura:Louisville vs. Navybr/>Schlabach:Louisville vs. Navy

Dec. 29

Cheez-It Bowlbr/>Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)br/>5:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Miami vs. Oklahoma Statebr/>Schlabach: Miami vs. Texas

Valero Alamo Bowlbr/>Alamodome (San Antonio)br/>9 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. Washingtonbr/>Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Colorado

Dec. 30

Duke's Mayo Bowlbr/>Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)br/>Noon on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Virginia Tech vs. Wisconsinbr/>Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Penn State

TransPerfect Music City Bowlbr/>Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)br/>3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Tennesseebr/>Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Kentucky

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classicbr/>AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)br/>7:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Floridabr/>Schlabach: Oklahoma vs. Florida

Dec. 31

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowlbr/>Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)br/>Noon on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Colorado vs. Missouri/p>

Schlabach: Washington vs. Mississippi State

AutoZone Liberty Bowlbr/>Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)br/>4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: TCU vs. South Carolinabr/>Schlabach: TCU vs. Tennessee

Arizona Bowlbr/>Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)br/>4 p.m. on CBSSNbr/>Bonagura: Western Michigan vs. Nevadabr/>Schlabach: Buffalo vs. Boise State

Mercari Texas Bowlbr/>NRG Stadium (Houston)br/>8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Texas vs. Arkansasbr/>Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Arkansas

Jan. 1

TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowlbr/>Legion Field (Birmingham, Alabama)br/>Noon on ESPN2 and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Memphis vs. Mississippi Statebr/>Schlabach: Tulsa vs. San Jose State

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowlbr/>Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)br/>12:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Georgia vs. Cincinnatibr/>Schlabach: Georgia vs. Cincinnati

Vrbo Citrus Bowlbr/>Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)br/>1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Northwestern vs. Auburnbr/>Schlabach: Northwestern vs. Auburn

Jan. 2

TaxSlayer Gator Bowlbr/>TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)br/>Noon on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: NC State vs. Ole Missbr/>Schlabach: NC State vs. Ole Miss

Outback Bowlbr/>Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)br/>12:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Iowa vs. Kentuckybr/>Schlabach: Iowa vs. Missouri

PlayStation Fiesta Bowlbr/>State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)br/>4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: USC vs. Indianabr/>Schlabach: USC vs. Indiana

Capital One Orange Bowlbr/>Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)br/>8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN Appbr/>Bonagura: Texas A&M vs. North Carolinabr/>Schlabach: Texas A&M vs. North Carolina

Canceled bowl games

Bowl games that have been canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic:


  • New Era Pinstripe Bowl

  • Fenway Bowl

  • San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

  • Bahamas Bowl

  • Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

  • Hawai'i Bowl

  • LA Bowl

  • Las Vegas Bowl

  • Redbox Bowl

  • Sun Bowl

  • Quick Lane Bowl

  • Celebration Bowl

  • Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

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