Entering Sunday’s announcement of the College Football Playoff pairings, here are my final bowl projections.
After Sunday’s semifinal matchups are announced, I will update with any new information I receive involving the remaining 37 bowl games before the New Year’s Six bowls are announced about 3 p.m. ET.
In the past two years in my final projections, I have correctly predicted about 71 percent of the schools in their correct bowl.
In my final projections in 2017, I correctly had 77 of the 78 bowl-bound schools. Of the 78 bids, I had 53 schools in the correct bowl, including 15 bowls where I correctly projected both teams.
My final projections in 2018 were even better: I correctly picked all 78 bowl teams and which four teams would be left out. I projected 57 schools in the correct bowl, including 22 bowls where I correctly projected both teams.
Hopefully I can improve on those numbers in 2019.
On to my final projections as of Sunday morning:
College Football Playoff
Championship – Jan. 13 (CFP semifinal winners)
Projection: LSU vs. Ohio State
Semifinals
Peach Bowl – Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: LSU (CFP No. 1) vs. Oklahoma (CFP No. 4)
Fiesta Bowl – Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Ohio State (CFP No. 2) vs. Clemson (CFP No. 3)
New Year’s 6 Bowls
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Baylor vs. Georgia
Orange Bowl – Jan. 1 (ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame)
Projection: Virginia vs. Florida
Cotton Bowl – Dec. 28 (at-large vs. Group of Five*)
Projection: Penn State vs. Memphis*
Other Bowls
Citrus Bowl – (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Michigan vs. Alabama
Outback Bowl – (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Minnesota vs. Auburn
Gator Bowl – (Big Ten/ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Indiana vs. Kentucky
Holiday Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa vs. USC
Liberty Bowl – (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Kansas State vs. Navy**
Redbox Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Illinois vs. Cal
Sun Bowl – (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Florida State vs. Arizona State
Military Bowl – (ACC vs. American)
Projection: North Carolina vs. Temple
Arizona Bowl – (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: San Diego State vs. Arkansas State
Belk Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Mississippi State
Alamo Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas vs. Utah
Camping World Bowl – (ACC vs. Big 12)
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Iowa State
Music City Bowl – (ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Louisville vs. Tennessee
Texas Bowl – (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
Pinstripe Bowl – (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Michigan State
Independence Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Miami vs. Southern Miss**
Cheez-It Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Air Force** vs. Washington State
Quick Lane Bowl – (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Pitt vs. Western Michigan**
First Responder Bowl – (Big 12 vs. C-USA)
Projection: Eastern Michigan** vs. Louisiana Tech
Hawaii Bowl – (AAC vs. BYU)
Projection: Hawaii** vs. BYU
Mobile Bowl – (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Miami (OH) vs. Louisiana
Armed Forces Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Western Kentucky** vs. Utah State
Birmingham Bowl – (American vs. SEC)
Projection: Cincinnati vs. Boston College**
Idaho Potato Bowl – (MAC vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Ohio vs. Nevada
Bahamas Bowl – (C-USA vs. MAC)
Projection: Charlotte vs. Buffalo
Gasparilla Bowl – (American vs. C-USA)
Projection: UCF vs. Marshall
Frisco Bowl – (American vs. Open)
Projection: Tulane vs. Central Michigan**
Boca Raton Bowl – (American vs. MAC)
Projection: SMU vs. Florida Atlantic**
New Orleans Bowl – (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: UAB vs. Appalachian State
Camellia Bowl – (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Kent State vs. Georgia State
Las Vegas Bowl – (Mountain West vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Boise State vs. Washington
Cure Bowl – (American vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Liberty** vs. Georgia Southern
New Mexico Bowl – (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: FIU vs. Wyoming
Teams in bold have already officially accepted bid.
*-The highest rated champion from the Group of Five conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt) will be selected to play in the Cotton Bowl.
**-Replaces team from league that can’t fill bowl.