Editor’s note: This story has been updated with further reporting.
Welcome to the College Football Playoff, TCU.
The Horned Frogs went from tepidly splashing along the CFP’s edge to diving into the deep end this week. TCU removed any doubt of its Playoff contender status with a hard-fought win against Texas. In this week’s projections, the Horned Frogs entered the top four with Oregon’s exit and leaped past Tennessee into the No. 3 slots.
For the second consecutive week, Georgia remains No. 1, Michigan No. 2 and Tennessee No. 4. A few teams circling around the Playoff wading pool like hungry sharks include potential Pac-12 champion USC, projected Big Ten runner-up Ohio State and SEC West champion LSU.
Penn State edged projected Pac-12 runner-up Oregon as the final New Year’s Six at-large spot in the Cotton Bowl. UCF replaced Tulane as the top Group of 5 champion.
A few other notes:
- Should Penn State jump ahead of an SEC at-large team not headed to the Playoff or Sugar Bowl, the Nittany Lions will play in the Orange Bowl. That would give the Big Ten’s ReliaQuest (formerly Outback) spot to the ACC.
- 64 teams are bowl eligible for 82 spots. With two weeks left in the regular season, we project 83 eligible teams.
Reminders:
- Most bowls do not have to select in strict order of conference standings. “Big 12 No. 3” means third choice, not third place. The SEC office plays matchmaker with its bowls and schools.
- Notre Dame can fill one of the ACC’s bowl spots.
- ESPN Events owns and operates 16 of the 41 FBS bowls, most of them involving the Group of 5 conferences. They have latitude to move teams around to create interesting matchups. One we came up with: A Birmingham Bowl matchup of Tulane and Coastal Carolina.
- Bowls’ priorities range from TV audience to maximizing attendance. A team like Texas could generate sizable ratings but a motivated fan base like Kansas could swarm to a location in droves and help boost ticket sales and the local economy.
All times Eastern.
New Year’s Six
| BOWL | DATE | TEAM | CITY | VIEWING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Orange |
December 30 |
Clemson (ACC) vs. Alabama (SEC/B1G/ND) |
Miami |
8 p.m. ESPN |
|
Sugar |
December 31 |
Kansas State (Big 12) vs. LSU (SEC) |
New Orleans |
Noon, ESPN |
|
Fiesta |
December 31 |
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 TCU |
Glendale, Ariz. |
4 pm/8 pm ESPN |
|
Peach |
December 31 |
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Tennessee |
Atlanta |
4 pm/8 pm ESPN |
|
Cotton |
Jan. 2 |
Penn State (at-large) vs. UCF (at-large/G5) |
Arlington, Texas |
1 p.m. ESPN |
|
Rose |
Jan. 2 |
Ohio State (B1G) vs. USC (Pac-12) |
Pasadena, Calif. |
5 p.m. ESPN |
Remaining Bowls
| BOWL | DATE | TEAMS | LOCATION | VIEWING |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bahamas |
December 16 |
Eastern Michigan (MAC) vs. Western Kentucky (C-USA) |
Nassau, Bahamas |
11:30 a.m. ESPN |
|
Cure |
December 16 |
South Alabama (ESPN) vs. Toledo (AAC) |
Orlando, Fla. |
3 p.m. ESPN |
|
Fenway |
December 17 |
Syracuse (ACC No. 9) vs. Memphis* (AAC) |
Boston |
11 a.m. ESPN |
|
New Mexico |
December 17 |
San Jose State (MWC) vs. BYU (ESPN) |
Albuquerque, NM |
2:15 p.m. ESPN |
|
LA Bowl |
December 17 |
Washington State (Pac-12 No. 6) vs. Boise State (MWC No. 1) |
Inglewood, Calif. |
3:30 pm ABC |
|
Lendingtree |
December 17 |
Appalachian State (Sun Belt No. 5) vs. Wyoming* (C-USA/MAC) |
Mobile, Ala. |
5:45 p.m. ESPN |
|
Vegas |
December 17 |
Oregon (Pac-12 No. 3) vs. Arkansas (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Las Vegas |
7:30 pm ABC |
|
Frisco |
December 17 |
Texas Tech (ESPN) vs. Oregon State (ESPN) |
Frisco, Texas |
9:15 p.m. ESPN |
|
Myrtle Beach |
December 19 |
Rice (ESPN) vs. Southern Miss (ESPN) |
Myrtle Beach, SC |
2:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Idaho Potato |
December 20 |
Fresno State (MWC) vs. Central Michigan (MAC) |
Boise, Idaho |
3:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Boca Raton |
December 20 |
FAU (ESPN) vs. Miami-Ohio (ESPN) |
Boca Raton, Fla. |
7:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
New Orleans |
December 21 |
Troy (Sun Belt No. 2) vs. Middle Tennessee (C-USA) |
New Orleans |
8 p.m. ESPN |
|
Armed Forces |
December 22 |
Air Force (ESPN) vs. SMU (AAC) |
Fort Worth, Texas |
7:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Independence |
December 23 |
Louisiana* (Army) vs. Houston (AAC) |
Shreveport, La. |
3 p.m. ESPN |
|
Gasparilla |
December 23 |
Connecticut (ESPN) vs. NC State (ESPN) |
Tampa, Fla. |
6:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Hawaii |
December 24 |
UNLV (MWC) vs. UAB (C-USA) |
Honolulu |
8 p.m. ESPN |
|
Quick Lane |
December 26 |
Michigan State (Big Ten No. 8) vs. Buffalo (MAC) |
Detroit |
2:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Camellia |
December 27 |
North Texas (ESPN) vs. Marshall (ESPN) |
Montgomery, Ala. |
Noon ESPN |
|
First Responder |
December 27 |
Liberty (ESPN) vs. UTSA (ESPN) |
University Park, Texas |
3:15 pm/6:45 pm ESPN |
|
Birmingham |
December 27 |
Tulane (AAC) vs. Coastal Carolina* (SEC No. 9) |
Birmingham, Ala. |
3:15 pm/6:45 pm ESPN |
|
Guaranteed Rate |
December 27 |
Wisconsin (Big Ten No. 7) vs. Baylor (Big 12 No. 6) |
Phoenix |
10:15 p.m. ESPN |
|
Military |
December 28 |
East Carolina (AAC) vs. Louisville (ACC No. 8) |
Annapolis, Md. |
2 p.m. ESPN |
|
Liberty |
December 28 |
Kansas (Big 12 No. 5) vs. Cincinnati* (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Memphis, Tenn. |
5:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Holiday |
December 28 |
Notre Dame (ACC Nos. 2-4) vs. UCLA (Pac-12 No. 4) |
San Diego |
8 pm Fox |
|
Texas |
December 28 |
Oklahoma (Big 12 No. 4) vs. Mississippi State (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Houston |
9 p.m. ESPN |
|
Pinstripe |
December 29 |
Minnesota (Big Ten No. 5) vs. Pittsburgh (ACC Nos. 5-7) |
Bronx, NY |
2 p.m. ESPN |
|
Cheez-It |
December 29 |
Oklahoma State (Big 12 No. 3) vs. Florida State (ACC Nos. 2-4) |
Orlando, Fla. |
5:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Alamo |
December 29 |
Texas (Big 12 No. 2) vs. Washington (Pac-12 No. 2) |
San Antonio, Texas |
9 p.m. ESPN |
|
Duke’s Mayo |
December 30 |
Maryland (Big Ten No. 6) vs. Duke (ACC Nos. 5-7) |
Charlotte, NC |
Noon ESPN |
|
Sun |
December 30 |
Wake Forest (ACC Nos. 5-7) vs. Utah (Pac-12 No. 5) |
El Paso, Texas |
2 p.m. CBS |
|
Gator |
December 30 |
North Carolina (ACC Nos. 2-4) vs. Florida (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
3:30 p.m. ESPN |
|
Arizona |
December 30 |
San Diego State (MWC) vs. Ohio (MAC) |
Tucson, Ariz. |
4:30 p.m. Barstool |
|
Music City |
December 31 |
Illinois (Big Ten No. 4) vs. Kentucky (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Nashville |
Noon ABC |
|
ReliaQuest |
Jan. 2 |
Iowa (Big Ten No. 3) vs. South Carolina (SEC Nos. 3-8) |
Tampa, Fla. |
Noon ESPN2 |
|
Citrus |
Jan. 2 |
Purdue (Big Ten No. 2) vs. Ole Miss (SEC No. 2) |
Orlando, Fla. |
1 p.m. ABC |
(Top photo of TCU QB Max Duggan: Ben Queen / USA Today)
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