The Rose and Sugar will be the first round of the new College Football Playoff, and the Fiesta, Orange, Cotton and Peach are now the really big, super-colossal megabowls that you’re supposed to care about, even though they really don’t mean anything more than a big matchup. 

The ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC conference champions are all guaranteed a spot in one of the big new bowls, if they’re not in College Football Playoff, and the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion – American Athletic, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West or Sun Belt – by the new 13 member playoff committee will get into one of the big bowls, but doesn’t have an automatic spot in the playoff. That means there will be six at-large spots available based on the committee’s rankings. 

The other main thing to note is the generally loose nature of the tie-ins now. The conferences will have more say than ever when it comes to geographic location, best matchup and more to make it all work out.   

One other key item – Notre Dame. Basically, the ACC is still trying to figure it all out, but if the ACC champion is in the College Football Playoff, the first choice for the Orange Bowl is an ACC team. If there isn’t a worthy one, then yes, Notre Dame will be able to take the spot. It’s not mandated, but at the moment, yes, it is possible.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Saturday, Dec. 20, 11:00 a.m. ET ESPN
Mountain West vs. Sun Belt No. 2
Prediction: Utah State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette  

Gildan New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Saturday, Dec. 20, 2:20 ET ESPN
C-USA vs. Mountain West
Prediction: UAB vs. Air Force  

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Saturday, Dec. 20, 3:30 ET ABC
Mountain West No. 1 vs. Pac-12 No. 6
Prediction: Nevada vs. Utah

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Bronco Stadium, Boise, ID
Saturday, Dec. 20, 5:45 ET ESPN
MAC vs. Mountain West
Prediction: Toledo vs. Boise State  

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
Saturday, Dec. 20, 9:15 ET ESPN
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Prediction: Central Michigan vs. Arkansas State

Miami Beach Bowl
Marlins Park, Miami, FL
Monday, Dec. 22, 2:00 p.m. ET ESPN
American Athletic vs. BYU
Prediction: East Carolina vs. BYU 

Boca Raton Bowl 
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL 
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 6:00 ET ESPN
C-USA vs. MAC
Prediction: Louisiana Tech vs. Bowling Green 

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Tuesday, Dec. 23, 9:30 ET ESPN
Mountain West vs. Navy
Prediction: Fresno State vs. Navy  

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 12:00 ET ESPN
C-USA vs. MAC 
Prediction: Middle Tennessee vs. Northern Illinois 

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 8:00 ET, ESPN
C-USA or Pac-12 vs. Mountain West
Prediction: California vs. Colorado State

Heart of Dallas Bowl
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX 
Friday, Dec. 26, 12:00 ET ESPN
Big Ten vs. C-USA
Prediction: Maryland vs. North Texas

Detroit Lions Bowl
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Friday, Dec. 26, 4:30 p.m. ET ESPN
ACC vs. Big Ten
Prediction: Pitt vs. Indiana

BITCOIN St. Petersburg Bowl
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Friday, Dec. 26, 8:00 ET ESPN
American Athletic vs. ACC
Prediction: UCF vs. Miami

Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Saturday, Dec. 27, 1:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
American Athletic vs. ACC
Prediction: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech

Hyundai Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Saturday, Dec. 27, 2:00 PM CBS
ACC vs. Pac-12 No. 5
Prediction: Georgia Tech vs. Arizona State

Duck Commander Independence Bowl
Independence Stadiums, Shreveport, LA
Saturday, Dec. 27, 4:00 p.m. ET ESPN2
ACC vs. SEC (or C-USA if ACC or SEC team isn’t available)
Prediction: Duke vs. LSU

New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Saturday, Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ET ESPN
ACC vs. Big Ten
Prrediction: Boston College vs. Rutgers

National University Holiday Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
Saturday, Dec. 27, 8:00 p.m. ET ESPN
Big Ten No. 4 vs. Pac-12 No. 3
Prediction: Penn State vs. Arizona

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Monday, Dec. 29, 2:00 p.m. ET ESPN
Big 12 No. 4 vs. SEC (or American Athletic)
Prediction: Kansas State vs. Florida

Russell Athletic Bowl
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, FL
Monday, Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. ET ESPN
ACC No. 2 vs. Big 12 No. 3
Prediction: Virginia vs. Baylor

AdvoCare Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Monday, Dec. 29, 9:00 ET ESPN
Big 12 No. 6 vs. SEC  
Prediction: Texas vs. Arkansas 

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
LP Field, Nashville, TN
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 3:00 p.m. ET ESPN
ACC (or Big Ten No. 5, depending on Gator) vs. SEC
Prediction: Northwestern vs. Missouri

Belk Bowl
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 6:45 ET ESPN
ACC vs. SEC No. 7
Prediction: NC State vs. South Carolina

San Francisco Bowl
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA 
Tuesday, Dec. 30, 10:00 ET ESPN
Big Ten No. 7 vs. Pac-12 No. 4
Prediction: Minnesota vs. Stanford

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
Wednesday, Dec. 31, ESPN
At-Large or ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC champ
vs. At-Large or ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC champ
Prediction: Ohio State vs. Auburn

Fiesta Bowl
University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 4:00 ET ESPN
At-Large vs. ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC champ
Prediction: Marshall vs. Mississippi State

Discover Orange Bowl
Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 8:00 ET ESPN
ACC champion or ACC runner-up vs. highest-ranked Big Ten, Notre Dame or SEC
Prediction: Clemson vs. Notre Dame 

Capital One Bowl
Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando FL
Thursday, Jan. 1, 1:00 ET ABC
Big Ten No. 2 (or ACC if Big Ten in Orange) vs. SEC No. 2
Prediction: Iowa vs. Georgia

Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Thursday, Jan. 1, 1:00 ET ESPN2
Big Ten No. 3 vs. SEC No. 3
Prediction: Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss

AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Thursday, Jan. 1, 12:30 ET ESPN 
At-Large vs. ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 or SEC champ 
Prediction: Oklahoma vs. Nebraska

Rose Bowl: College Football Playoff Matchup
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Thursday, Jan. 1, 5:00 PM ET ESPN
Prediction: Oregon vs. Michigan State 

Allstate Sugar Bowl: College Football Playoff Matchup
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Thursday, Jan. 1, 8:30 ET ESPN
Prediction: Alabama vs. Florida State

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Friday, Jan, 2, 12:00 ESPN
American Athletic vs. Army (Big 12 if Army not eligible)
Prediction: Houston vs. West Virginia

TaxSlayer Bowl
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Friday, Jan. 2 ESPN
ACC (or Big Ten No. 5, depending on Music City) or Notre Dame vs. SEC No. 5
Prediction: Louisville vs. Texas A&M

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX 
Friday, Jan. 2, 6:45 ET ESPN
Big 12 No. 2 vs. Pac-12 No. 2
Prediction: TCU vs. UCLA

Cactus Bowl
Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe AZ
Friday, Jan. 2 10:15 p.m. ET ESPN
Big 12 No. 5 vs. Pac-12 No. 7
Prediction: Oklahoma State vs. USC

Birmingham Bowl
Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
Saturday, Jan. 3, 1:00 p.m. ET ESPN2
American Athletic vs. SEC No. 9 (or C-USA or MAC) 
Prediction: Memphis vs. Kentucky

GoDaddy Bowl
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Sunday, Jan. 4, 9:00 p.m. ET ESPN
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Prediction: Akron vs. Texas State 

College Football Playoff Championship 
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Monday, Jan. 12, 8:30 p.m. ET ESPN
Prediction: Oregon vs. Alabama