Athlon projects the bowls and playoff for 2014.
College football’s postseason format has changed significantly last year, with 2014 the first season of a four-team playoff.
As a result of the new playoff format, the changes in the postseason extended to the bowl games.
Whether it was a change in date or conference affiliation, nearly every bowl game was impacted by the new format.
While there will be an adjustment period on remembering all of the new tie-ins and bowl affiliations, the bowl lineup for 2014 and beyond has improved.
Counting the three playoff games, there will be 39 bowl games for 2014. The postseason is set to start on Dec. 20, with five games scheduled to take place, starting with the New Orleans Bowl between the Sun Belt and Mountain West.
Listen to the latest Athlon Sports' Cover 2 College Football Podcast:
Related Content: Everything You Need to Know About the College Football Playoff
Conference Predictions: ACC | American | Big 12 | Big Ten | C-USA | MAC | MW | Pac-12 | SEC | Sun Belt
College Football's 2014 Bowl Projections
Bowl Date Tie-In Projection New Orleans
Dec. 20 Sun Belt vs.
Mountain WestUL Lafayette vs.
Utah State![]()
New Mexico Dec. 20 C-USA vs.
Mountain WestNorth Texas vs.
San Diego State![]()
Las Vegas Dec. 20 Mountain West
vs. Pac-12 No. 6Arizona vs.
Boise State![]()
Famous Idaho Potato Dec. 20 MAC vs.
Mountain WestBall State vs.
Nevada![]()
Camellia Dec. 20 MAC vs.
Sun BeltArkansas State vs.
Toledo![]()
Miami Beach Dec. 23 American vs.
BYUBYU vs.
East Carolina![]()
Boca Raton Dec. 23 C-USA vs.
MACFAU vs.
Northern Illinois![]()
Poinsettia Dec. 23 Mountain West vs.
NavyFresno State vs.
Navy![]()
Bahamas Dec. 24 C-USA vs.
MACMTSU vs.
Ohio![]()
Hawaii Dec. 24 C-USA vs.
Mountain WestColorado State vs.
Rice![]()
Heart of Dallas Dec. 26 Big Ten vs.
C-USAMaryland vs.
UTSA![]()
Bitcoin St. Petersburg Dec. 26 ACC No. 10 vs.
AmericanGeorgia Tech vs.
USF![]()
Military Dec. 27 ACC No. 7-9 vs.
American AthleticCincinnati vs.
Pittsburgh![]()
Sun Dec. 27 ACC No. 3-6 vs.
Pac-12 No. 5Miami vs.
Washington![]()
Pinstripe Dec. 27 ACC No. 3-6 vs.
Big Ten No. 5-7Nebraska vs.
North Carolina![]()
Independence Dec. 27 ACC No. 7-9 vs.
SEC No. 3-8Duke vs.
Utah*![]()
Holiday Dec. 27 Big Ten No. 2-4 vs.
Pac-12 No. 3Michigan vs.
USC![]()
Liberty Dec. 29 Big 12 No. 5 vs.
SEC No. 3-8Oklahoma State vs.
Tennessee![]()
Russell Athletic Dec. 29 ACC No. 2 vs.
Big 12 No. 3Notre Dame vs.
Kansas State![]()
Texas Dec. 29 Big 12 No. 4 vs.
SEC No. 3-8Texas A&M vs.
TCU![]()
Detroit Dec. 30 ACC No. 7-9 vs.
Big TenNorthwestern vs.
Syracuse![]()
Belk Dec. 30 ACC No. 3-6 vs.
SEC No. 3-8Louisville vs.
Mississippi State![]()
San Francisco Dec. 30 Big Ten No. 5-7 vs.
Pac-12 No. 4Arizona State vs.
Minnesota![]()
Music City Dec. 30 ACC/Big Ten vs.
SEC No. 3-8Iowa vs.
Missouri![]()
Capital One Jan. 1 SEC No. 2 vs
Big Ten/ACCOhio State vs.
Ole Miss![]()
Outback Jan. 1 Big Ten No. 2-4 vs.
SEC No. 3-8Florida vs.
Wisconsin![]()
Armed Forces Jan. 2 American/Army vs.
Big 12 No. 7Houston vs.
Oregon State*![]()
TaxSlayer Jan. 2 ACC/Big Ten vs.
SEC No. 3-8Virginia Tech vs.
LSU![]()
Alamo Jan. 2 Big 12 No. 2 vs.
Pac-12 No. 2Stanford vs.
Texas![]()
Cactus Jan. 2 Big 12 No. 6 vs.
Pac-12 No. 7Texas Tech vs.
Washington State![]()
Birmingham Jan. 3 American vs.
SEC No. 9UCF vs.
Vanderbilt![]()
GoDaddy Jan. 4 MAC vs.
Sun BeltBowling Green vs.
South Alabama![]()
Related Content: Everything You Need to Know About the College Football Playoff New Year's Bowls
Chick-fil-A Peach Dec. 31 At-large vs.
At-large
Georgia vs.
MarshallFiesta Dec. 31 At-large vs.
At-largeUCLA vs.
South Carolina![]()
Orange Dec. 31 ACC No. 1 vs.
Big Ten/ND/SECClemson vs.
Auburn![]()
Cotton Jan. 1 At-large vs.
At-largeMichigan State vs.
Baylor![]()
College Football Playoff
Rose Jan. 1 Playoff Semifinal Alabama vs.
Oklahoma![]()
Sugar Jan. 1 Playoff Semifinal Florida State vs.
Oregon![]()
CFB Championship Jan. 12 Semifinal Winner vs.
Semifinal WinnerFlorida State over
Alabama![]()