College Football Bowl Projections for 2021-22
College football's 2021 bowl season starts on Dec. 17, and with 14 weeks in the books, it’s time to project the potential matchups this postseason. Alabama, Michigan, Georgia and Cincinnati are projected to compete in the CFB Playoff, with the New Year's Six matchups headlined by Ohio State-Utah in the Rose Bowl and Ole Miss-Baylor in the Sugar Bowl.
The 2021-22 bowl schedule features 43 overall games including the national championship. Additionally, the semifinals will take place on Friday, Dec. 31 this season. The Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl will host the semifinals, while the national championship will be held in the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. on Jan. 10.
No teams after Week 13 are projected to miss a bowl game this postseason. On Thursday, Dec. 2, a contest was added to ensure every team with at least six victories would play in a bowl.
How will the postseason matchups look by December? Below are Athlon Sports' predictions for every bowl and playoff game in 2021 after Week 14:
Editor's Note: Updated on Sunday, Dec. 5 to reflect completed bowl schedule
College Football Bowl Projections for 2021-22
Bahamas Bowl (Dec. 17)
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. MAC
Projection: Middle Tennessee vs. Toledo
Cure Bowl (Dec. 17)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/MW/Sun Belt/Army
Projection: Coastal Carolina vs. Northern Illinois
Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection: WKU vs. Appalachian State
New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: UTEP vs. Fresno State
Independence Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: BYU vs. Conference USA
Projection: BYU vs. UAB
LendingTree Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: MAC/C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty
LA Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: Mountain West vs. Pac-12
Projection: Utah State vs. Oregon State
New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Marshall vs. Louisiana
Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 20)
Tie-In: AAC/MAC/C-USA/Sun Belt
Projection: Old Dominion vs. Tulsa
Famous Idaho Bowl (Dec. 21)
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Kent State vs. Wyoming
Frisco Bowl (Dec. 21)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/MW/Sun Belt
Projection: San Diego State vs. UTSA
Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 22)
Tie-In: Big 12/C-USA/AAC/Army
Projection: Missouri vs. Army
Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 23)
Tie-In: AAC/ACC/SEC
Projection: UCF vs. Florida
Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Memphis vs. Hawaii
Camellia Bowl (Dec. 25)
Tie-In: MAC/C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Ball State vs. Georgia State
Quick Lane Bowl (Dec. 27)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. MAC
Projection: Nevada vs. Western Michigan
Military Bowl (Dec. 27)
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Boston College vs. East Carolina
Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: American/ACC/C-USA vs. SEC
Projection: Auburn vs. Houston
First Responder Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: AAC/Big 12/C-USA/Sun Belt/MW
Projection: Air Force vs. Louisville
Liberty Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State
Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Dec. 28)
Recommended Articles
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Big Ten
Projection: West Virginia vs. Minnesota
Holiday Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: UCLA vs. NC State
Fenway Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Virginia vs. SMU
Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Maryland
Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Iowa State vs. Clemson
Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Oregon vs. Oklahoma
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: South Carolina vs. North Carolina
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Purdue vs. Tennessee
Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Arizona State vs. Wisconsin
Gator Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest
Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Miami vs. Washington State
Arizona Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Boise State
Outback Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Penn State vs. Arkansas
Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Iowa vs. Kentucky
Texas Bowl (Jan. 4)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Kansas State vs. LSU
Unnamed New Bowl for 2021 (TBD)
Tie-In: Group of 5 vs. Group of 5
Projection: North Texas vs. Miami (Ohio)
New Year’s Six Bowl
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: At-Large vs. At-Large
Projection: Michigan State vs. Pitt
Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: At-Large vs. At-Large
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Ohio State vs. Utah
Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Ole Miss vs. Baylor
CFB Playoff
Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: National Semifinal
Projection: Alabama vs. Cincinnati
Orange Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: National Semifinal
Projection: Georgia vs. Michigan
National Championship (Jan. 10)
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Tie-In: Cotton Bowl Winner vs. Orange Bowl Winner
Projection: Alabama vs. Georgia