College Football Bowl Projections for 2021-22
Alabama leads the way in the 2021-22 college football bowl projections.
The 2021-22 bowl schedule features 43 overall games, and Athlon Sports is here with complete projections and predictions for all of the matchups. While the season doesn’t get underway until late August, it’s never too early to take a peek at what the bowl games could look at the conclusion of the year.
The postseason officially begins on Dec. 17 with two matchups and continues until Jan. 10 with the national championship in Indianapolis. Semifinals for the College Football Playoff take place on Dec. 31 this year, with the Cotton Bowl and Orange Bowl hosting matchups.
A few dates and tie-ins are unsettled for bowl games as of mid-July. However, nearly all of the information regarding the 2021-22 bowl schedule has been released. Projections will be updated as needed this offseason. How will the postseason matchups look by December? Below are Athlon Sports' predictions for every bowl and playoff game in 2021-22:
2021 College Football Conference Predictions
Power 5: ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC | 130 Overall
Group of 5: American | C-USA | MAC | Mountain West | Sun Belt
College Football Bowl Projections for 2021-22
Bahamas Bowl (Dec. 17)
Tie-In: Conference USA vs. MAC
Projection: FAU vs. Ball State
Cure Bowl (Dec. 17)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/MW/Sun Belt/Army
Projection: UTSA vs. Tulane
Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection: UAB vs. Coastal Carolina
New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Liberty vs. Wyoming
Independence Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: BYU vs. Conference USA
Projection: BYU vs. Louisiana Tech
LendingTree Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: MAC/C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Kent State vs. Troy
LA Bowl (Dec. 18)
Tie-In: Mountain West vs. Pac-12
Projection: Boise State vs. UCLA
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: Charlotte vs. Georgia State
Famous Idaho Bowl (Dec. 21)
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Fresno State
Frisco Bowl (Dec. 21)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA/MAC/MW/Sun Belt
Projection: Air Force vs. SMU
Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 22)
Tie-In: Big 12/C-USA/AAC/Army
Projection: Baylor vs. Army
Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 23)
Tie-In: AAC/ACC/SEC
Projection: Pitt vs. UCF
Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24)
Tie-In: AAC/C-USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Houston vs. San Jose State
Camellia Bowl (Dec. 25)
Tie-In: MAC/C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Miami (Ohio) vs. Appalachian State
Quick Lane Bowl (Dec. 27)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. MAC
Projection: Minnesota vs. Toledo
Military Bowl (Dec. 27)
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Tulsa
Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: American/ACC/C-USA vs. SEC
Projection: Louisville vs. Mississippi State
First Responder Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: AAC/Big 12/C-USA/Sun Belt/MW
Projection: San Diego State vs. WKU
Liberty Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: West Virginia vs. Kentucky
Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Dec. 28)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Big Ten
Projection: Kansas State vs. Nebraska
Holiday Bowl (Dec. 28)
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Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Florida State vs. Washington
Fenway Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. American
Projection: Boston College vs. Memphis
Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Virginia vs. Maryland
Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Arizona State*
* Arizona State projection pending NCAA investigation.
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: NC State vs. Auburn
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Michigan vs. Tennessee
Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Indiana vs. USC
Gator Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Miami vs. Ole Miss
Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Utah
Outback Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Penn State vs. Missouri
Citrus Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Iowa vs. LSU
Texas Bowl (Jan. 4)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: TCU vs. Arkansas
Arizona Bowl (TBD)
Tie-In: MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Ohio vs. Nevada
Redbox Bowl (TBD)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Northwestern vs. California
New Year’s Six Bowl
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Dec. 30)
Tie-In: At-Large vs. At-Large
Projection: North Carolina vs. Florida
Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: At-Large vs. At-Large
Projection: Cincinnati vs. Texas A&M
Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1)
Tie-In: Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Iowa State vs. Georgia
CFB Playoff
Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: National Semifinal
Projection: Alabama vs. Ohio State
Orange Bowl (Dec. 31)
Tie-In: National Semifinal
Projection: Clemson vs. Oklahoma
National Championship (Jan. 10)
Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
Tie-In: Cotton Bowl Winner vs. Orange Bowl Winner
Projection: Alabama vs. Clemson
Podcast: Ranking the Top 25 Teams for 2021
