Post-Week 7 Bowl Projections For the 2024 College Football Season

Oct 17, 2024

For the second straight week, college football fans were treated to a gem of a Saturday slate. Oregon's thrilling 32–31 win over Ohio State was one of a number of games that shook up the College Football Playoff Race as the season hit its midpoint.

With another big week on tap this coming Saturday—headlined by Georgia's voyage to Texas for an SEC showdown—here's a look at how the bowl picture is shaping up. All notes from last week apply: in line with College Football Playoff guidelines, we have not shied away from rematches; conference tie-ins were played fast and loose (the Big Ten once again ate several Group of Five slots); the AP Poll and College Football Reference's Simple Rating System were used as signposts.

A handful of especially interesting matchups will be highlighted at the end. Fans, start your Priceline searches.

GAME

LOCATION

DATE

PROJECTED MATCHUP

Celebration Bowl

Atlanta

Dec. 14

North Carolina Central vs. Florida A&M

Camellia Bowl

Montgomery, Ala.

Dec. 14

Oklahoma State vs. Coastal Carolina

Frisco Bowl

Frisco, Texas

Dec. 17

Marshall vs. Western Kentucky

Boca Raton Bowl

Boca Raton, Fla.

Dec. 18

Eastern Michigan vs. James Madison

LA Bowl

Inglewood, Calif.

Dec. 18

Washington vs. UNLV

New Orleans Bowl

New Orleans

Dec. 19

Sam Houston vs. Lousiana-Monroe

Cure Bowl

Orlando

Dec. 20

Minnesota vs. Louisiana-Lafayette

Gasparilla Bowl

Tampa

Dec. 20

North Texas vs. Kentucky

College Football Playoff First Round—Game 1

Athens, Ga.

Dec. 20

No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 7 Georgia

College Football Playoff First Round—Game 2

Columbus

Dec. 21

No. 11 Tennessee vs. No. 6 Ohio State

College Football Playoff First Round—Game 3

University Park, Pa.

Dec. 21

No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 Penn State

College Football Playoff First Round—Game 4

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Dec. 21

No. 9 LSU vs. No. 8 Alabama

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Conway, S.C.

Dec. 23

Texas State vs. Maryland

Potato Bowl

Boise, Idaho

Dec. 23

Buffalo vs. TCU

Hawaii Bowl

Honolulu

Dec. 24

Rutgers vs. Liberty

Detroit Bowl

Detroit

Dec. 26

Northern Illinois vs. Wisconsin

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Phoenix

Dec. 26

Iowa vs. Colorado

68 Ventures Bowl

Mobile, Ala.

Dec. 26

Northwestern vs. Georgia Southern

Birmingham Bowl

Birmingham

Dec. 27

Tulane vs. Florida

Armed Forces Bowl

Fort Worth

Dec. 27

UCF vs. Memphis

Liberty Bowl

Memphis

Dec. 27

Cincinnati vs. South Carolina

Holiday Bowl

San Diego

Dec. 27

Louisville vs. USC

Las Vegas Bowl

Las Vegas

Dec. 27

Oklahoma vs. Arizona State

Fenway Bowl

Boston

Dec. 28

Navy vs. Boston College

Pinstripe Bowl

Bronx, N.Y.

Dec. 28

Nebraska vs. Syracuse

New Mexico Bowl

Albuquerque

Dec. 28

Michigan State vs. Arizona

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Orlando

Dec. 28

Kansas State vs. Duke

Arizona Bowl

Tucson

Dec. 28

Toledo vs. San Jose State

Military Bowl

Annapolis, Md.

Dec. 28

Georgia Tech vs. Army

Alamo Bowl

San Antonio

Dec. 28

Washington State vs. BYU

Independence Bowl

Shreveport, La.

Dec. 28

California vs. Utah

Music City Bowl

Nashville

Dec. 30

Illinois vs. Missouri

ReliaQuest Bowl

Tampa

Dec. 31

Pittsburgh vs. Ole Miss

Sun Bowl

El Paso, Texas

Dec. 31

Virginia vs. Oregon State

Citrus Bowl

Orlando

Dec. 31

Indiana vs. Texas A&M

Texas Bowl

Houston

Dec. 31

Arkansas vs. Texas Tech

Fiesta Bowl

Glendale, Ariz.

Dec. 31

No. 12 Boise State or No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 4 Iowa State

Peach Bowl

Atlanta

Jan. 1

No. 11 Tennessee or No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Miami

Rose Bowl

Pasadena, Calif.

Jan. 1

No. 10 Clemson or No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 2 Oregon

Sugar Bowl

New Orleans

Jan. 1

No. 9 LSU or No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Texas

Gator Bowl

Jacksonville

Jan. 2

Notre Dame vs. Vanderbilt

First Responder Bowl

Dallas

Jan. 3

West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

Duke's Mayo Bowl

Charlotte

Jan. 3

Michigan vs. SMU

Bahamas Bowl

Nassau

Jan. 4

Connecticut vs. Ohio

Orange Bowl

Miami Gardens, Fla.

Jan. 9

Peach Bowl winner vs. Rose Bowl winner

Cotton Bowl

Arlington, Texas

Jan. 10

Fiesta Bowl winner vs. Sugar Bowl winner

National Championship

Atlanta

Jan. 20

Orange Bowl winner vs. Cotton Bowl winner

Florida A&M and North Carolina Central, projected to meet in the Celebration Bowl, were conference rivals from 2010 to '21... Marshall and Western Kentucky (Frisco Bowl) were in Conference USA together from 2014 to '21 (remember their off-the-wall '14 matchup?)... Georgia and Clemson (CFP First Round) played Aug. 31, with the Bulldogs winning 34–3... Alabama is scheduled to play LSU (CFP First Round) in Baton Rouge on Nov. 9... Florida and Tulane (Birmingham Bowl) are former SEC foes of 33 years (1933-65); they have not met since 1984... UCF and Memphis (Armed Forces Bowl) are former Conference USA and AAC foes; they played for the latter league's championship in 2017 and 2018... Cincinnati and South Carolina (Liberty Bowl) once were bandied about as potential conference foes... Navy and a Boston College team (Fenway Bowl) quarterbacked by future NFL MVP Matt Ryan met in the 2006 Meineke Car Care Bowl... California and Utah (Independence Bowl) are ex-Pac-12 foes, and astute fans will remember when College GameDay visited their 2015 game... Illinois and Missouri (Music City Bowl) are rivals... Arkansas and Texas Tech (Texas Bowl) were in the Southwest Conference together from 1960 to '91... A Peach Bowl between Miami and Ohio State would produce a rematch of the controversial 2003 Fiesta Bowl... Virginia Tech and West Virginia (First Responder Bowl) are rivals... Notable potential Cotton Bowl matchups include Iowa State-Texas, Penn State-Texas and Alabama-Penn State... Notable potential Orange Bowl matchups include Miami-Oregon, Ohio State-Oregon and Clemson-Miami.

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Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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