Bowl Projections: College Football News Predictions After Week 8

Bowl Projections After Week 8

The goal with the bowl projections right based on the bowl ties and affiliations, and what we know, and what we hear, and ...

Sometimes, these really are bowl PROJECTIONS, which means we have to make a call or three, so here we go with a whopper ...

The NCAA will cave to the pressure from the public, and the ESPN/bowl types, and will find a place for either FCS-to-FBS "transition" school Jacksonville State or James Madison - even though a ranked JMU has already been told it can't/won't be eligible for a bowl, even though it's the best team in a loaded Sun Belt. And why will this happen?

There might not be enough bowl eligible six-win teams.

That means if Jacksonville State and James Madison aren't in, it goes to the APR - Academic Progress Rate; you can check out the rankings here - and this is where things get really looney. 

Conference USA won't be close to filling all its bowl slots, so Jacksonville State makes sense. However, a gajillion Sun Belt teams will be eligible and have to be shoehorned into bowls, which makes the James Madison thing murky.

Again, this goes to APR if those two don't go. That means if any of these teams don't get to six wins, the most likely possible five-win options would be Wake Forest of South Carolina.

So we're all over the map with this week's bowl projections, but this should all start to clear up fast. For now ...

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HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
11:00 pm ET, ESPN
To Be Determined
Last Season: UAB 24, Miami University 20
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs MAC
Bowl Projection: FIU vs Central Michigan

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
2:15 pm ET, ESPN
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Season: WKU 44, South Alabama 23
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Liberty vs Louisiana

Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ABC
Exploria Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: Troy 18, UTSA 12
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: Colorado State vs Coastal Carolina

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
5:45 pm ET, ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Last Season: BYU 24, SMU 23
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: New Mexico State vs Fresno State

LA Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
7:30 pm ET, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Last Season: Fresno State 29, Washington State 6
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Air Force vs Arizona

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
9:15 pm ET, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Last Season: Houston 23, Louisiana 16
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Baylor vs Washington State

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Monday, December 18, 2023
2:30 pm ET, ESPN
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Last Season: Marshall 28, UConn 14
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: Jacksonville State vs Georgia State
*Jacksonville State projected to get exemption to fill in here. Otherwise, South Carolina on APR

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
9:00 pm ET, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Season: Boise State 35, North Texas 32
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: TCU vs SMU 
*Extra eligible Big 12 team projected to fill in here for the strong matchup

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

Thursday, December 21, 2023
8:00 pm ET, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Last Season: Toledo 21, Liberty 19
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: UNLV vs Troy   

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

Friday, December 22, 2023
6:30 pm ET, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Season: Wake Forest 27, Missouri 17
Bowl Ties: AAC, ACC, Pac-12, SEC
Bowl Projection: Mississippi State vs UCF  

Birmingham Bowl 

Saturday, December 23, 2023
12:00 pm ET, ABC
Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Last Season: East Carolina 53, Coastal Carolina 29
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs SEC
Bowl Projection: USF vs Auburn

Camellia Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
12:00 pm ET, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery Alabama
Last Season: Buffalo 23, Georgia Southern 21
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Northern Illinois vs Georgia Southern

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ABC
Amon G Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Last Season: Air Force 30, Baylor 15
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Conference USA
Bowl Projection: UTSA vs WKU

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Last Season: Eastern Michigan 41, San Jose State 27
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: Ohio vs Wyoming

68 Ventures Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
7:00 pm ET, ESPN
Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL
Last Season: Southern Miss 38, Rice 24
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Eastern Michigan vs South Alabama 

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
7:30 pm ET, ABC
Reliant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Last Season: Oregon State 30, Florida 3
Bowl Ties: Pac-12 vs Big Ten
Bowl Projection: USC vs Nebraska

EastPost Hawaii Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Last Season: MTSU 25, San Diego State 23
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: Rice vs Utah State

Quick Lane Bowl

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
2:00 pm ET, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Last Season: New Mexico State 24, Bowling Green 19
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs MAC
Bowl Projection: Rutgers vs Toledo

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
5:30 pm ET, ESPN
Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Last Season: Memphis 38, Utah State 10
Bowl Ties: ACC, American Athletic, Pac-12, SEC
Bowl Projection: Texas State vs Bowling Green

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
9:00 pm ET, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Last Season: Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma State 17
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs Big Ten
Bowl Projection: BYU vs Minnesota

Military Bowl

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
2:00 pm ET, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Last Season: Duke 30, UCF 13
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic Conference
Bowl Projection: Marshall vs Navy
*No ACC teams projected available

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
5:30 pm ET, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Last Season: Maryland 16, NC State 12
Bowl Ties: ACC vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Syracuse vs Florida

TaxAct Texas Bowl

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
9:00 pm ET, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Last Season: Texas Tech 42, Ole Miss 25
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Kansas vs Kentucky

Holiday Bowl

Wednesday, December 27, 2023
9:00 pm ET, FOX
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Last Season: Oregon 28, North Carolina 27
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Louisville vs Utah

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Thursday, December 28, 2023
11:00 am ET, ESPN
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Last Season: Louisville 24, Cincinnati 7
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic Conference
Bowl Projection: Boston College vs Memphis

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Thursday, December 28, 2023
2:15 pm ET, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Last Season: Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big Ten
Bowl Projection: NC State vs Maryland

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Thursday, December 28, 2023
5:45 pm ET, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: Fresno State 35, Oklahoma 32
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big 12
Bowl Projection: Miami vs Oklahoma State

Valero Alamo Bowl

Thursday, December 28, 2023
9:15 pm ET, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Last Season: Washington 27, Texas 20
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Kansas State vs UCLA

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Friday, December 29, 2023
12:00 pm ET, ESPN
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Last Season: Notre Dame 45, South Carolina 38
Bowl Ties: ACC vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Duke vs Missouri

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Friday, December 29, 2023
2:00 pm ET, CBS
Sun Bowl, El Paso, TX
Last Season: Pitt 37, UCLA 35
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Clemson vs Oregon State

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Friday, December 29, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, Memphis, TN
Last Season: Arkansas 55, Kansas 53 (3OT)
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs SEC
Bowl Projection: West Virginia vs Texas A&M

TransPerfect Music City Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
2:00 pm ET, ABC
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Last Season: Iowa 21, Kentucky 0
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Iowa vs Tennessee

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
4:30 pm ET, Barstool
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Last Season: Ohio 30, Wyoming 27 (OT)
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: Miami University vs Boise State

ReliaQuest Bowl

Monday, January 1, 2024
12:00 pm ET, ESPN2
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Season: Mississippi State 19, Illinois 10
Bowl Ties: ACC or Big Ten or SEC
Bowl Projection: Notre Dame vs LSU

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Monday, January 1, 2024
1:00 pm ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Season: LSU 63, Purdue 7
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Wisconsin vs Ole Miss

NEXT: New Year's Six Bowl Projections

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New Year's Six Bowls | CFP Predictions
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