2021 preseason College Football News bowl projections, predictions and possible matchups for the College Football Playoff.
Before getting started here with the preseason bowl projections, a few ground rules.
1. Understand that any and all of this could blow up in an instant. Not every bowl game listed is totally set, the rules and tie-ins could change on a whim – contracts, schmontracts – and …
2. ESPN has a whole lot to say about all of this. The network’s owned and operated bowl structure is designed to create the most desirable matchups possible. Again, that should all work within the contracted conference tie-ins, but don’t be shocked if this looks a whole lot different in a few months.
3. Yeah, yeah, yeah, we’re not exactly going out on a limb with the College Football Playoff projections, but we’ll get into the wackier – and not-so-crazy – calls and predictions later. We’ll do this all again just before the season starts. And finally …
4. These are merely projections. Don’t like them, or like them too much? It’s a LONG season, and we’ll adapt and adjust along the way.
Preview 2021: Preseason Bowl Projections
All Times Eastern
Bahamas Bowl
Friday, December 17
ESPN, 12:00 pm
Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Bowl Tie-Ins: Conference USA vs. MAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Rice vs. Ohio
Cure Bowl
Friday, December 17
ESPN2, 6:00 pm
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: Group of Five vs. Group of Five (or Army)
Preseason Bowl Projection: WKU vs. Georgia Southern
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ESPN, 11:00 am
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: Group of Five vs. Group of Five (or Army)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Florida Atlantic vs. Fresno State
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ABC, 12:00 pm
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Tie-Ins: MEAC vs. SWAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Norfolk State vs. Alcorn State
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ESPN, 2:15 pm
Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Bowl Tie-Ins: -USA vs. Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Marshall vs. Nevada
2021 CFN Predictions For Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ABC, 3:30 pm
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Bowl Tie-Ins: C-USA vs. BYU
Preseason Bowl Projection: UAB vs. BYU
LendingTree Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ESPN, 5:45 pm
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Bowl Tie-Ins: MAC vs. Sun Belt
Preseason Bowl Projection: Buffalo vs. Troy
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ABC, 7:30 pm
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Mountain West vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Boise State vs. UCLA
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Saturday, December 18
ESPN, 9:15 pm
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Tie-Ins: C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Preseason Bowl Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Monday, December 20
ESPN, 2:30 pm
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Bowl Tie-Ins: Sun Belt vs. AAC or MAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Coastal Carolina vs. Toledo
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tuesday, December 21
ESPN, 3:30 pm
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Bowl Tie-Ins: MAC vs. Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Miami University vs. San Jose State
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Tuesday, December 21
ESPN, 7:30 pm
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: Group of Five vs. Group of Five (or Army)
Preseason Bowl Projection: SMU vs. UTSA
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Wednesday, December 22
ESPN, 7:30 pm
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 or C-USA or Pac-12 or Army
Preseason Bowl Projection: Baylor vs. Army
Union Home Mortgage Bowl
Thursday, December 23
ESPN, 7:00 pm
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: AAC or ACC or Pac-12 or SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Wake Forest vs. Liberty
Hawaii Bowl
Friday, December 24
ESPN, 8:00 pm
Clarence TC Ching Complex, Honolulu, HI
Bowl Tie-Ins: American Athletic vs. Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Houston vs. Hawaii
Camellia Bowl
Saturday, December 25
ESPN, 2:30 pm
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
Bowl Tie-Ins: MAC vs. Sun Belt (or C-USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Ball State vs. Louisiana
NEXT: More Preseason Bowl Projections
Preseason Bowl Projections
Quick Lane Bowl
Monday, December 27
ESPN, 11:00 am
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. MAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Air Force* vs. Western Michigan
*No Big Ten team projected available
Military Bowl presented by Peraton
Monday, December 27
ESPN, 2:30 pm
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Bowl Tie-Ins: American vs. ACC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Memphis vs. Louisville
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Tuesday, December 28
ESPN, 12:00 pm
Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Bowl Tie-Ins: American Athletic vs. SEC
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Tuesday, December 28
ESPN, 3:15 pm
Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: AAC or ACC or Big 12 or Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Kansas State vs. Cal
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Tuesday, December 28
ESPN, 6:45 pm
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, TN
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: West Virginia vs. Kentucky
San Diego State Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Tuesday, December 28
FOX, 8:00 pm
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: North Carolina vs. USC
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Tuesday, December 28
FOX, 10:15 pm
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Big 12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Minnesota vs. Texas Tech
Fenway Bowl
Wednesday, December 29
ESPN, 11:00 am
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Bowl Tie-Ins: AAC vs. ACC (or C-USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Cincinnati vs. Boston College
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Wednesday, December 29
ESPN, 2:15 pm
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. Big Ten
Preseason Bowl Projection: Virginia vs. Indiana
Cheez-It Bowl
Wednesday, December 29
ESPN, 5:45 pm
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. Big 12
Preseason Bowl Projection: NC State vs. Texas
Valero Alamo Bowl
Wednesday, December 29
ESPN, 9:15 pm
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Utah
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 11:30 am
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Pitt vs. Missouri
Related
College Football Bowl Ties, Affiliations For Each Conference 2021-2022
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 3:00 pm
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Northwestern vs. Tennessee
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 10:30 pm
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Iowa vs. Washington
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Friday, December 31
ESPN, 11:00 am
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Miami vs. Auburn
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Friday, December 31
CBS, 12:30 pm
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: ACC vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Arizona State
Outback Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN2, 12:00 pm
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Michigan vs. Ole Miss
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN2, 1:00 pm
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Penn State vs. Florida
Mercari Texas Bowl
Tuesday, January 4
ESPN, Time TBA
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: TCU vs. Mississippi State
Two bowl games expected to be back, but still up in the air …
Offered Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Bowl Tie-Ins: MAC vs. Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Kent State vs. San Diego State
Redbox Bowl
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Purdue vs. Stanford
NEXT: New Year’s Six Bowl Projections, Preview 2021
New Year’s Six Bowl Projections: Preview 2021
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 7:00 pm
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Preseason Bowl Projection: UCF vs. Texas A&M
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 1:00 pm
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Preseason Bowl Projection: LSU vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl Game
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 5:00 pm
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 8:45 pm
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Iowa State vs. Georgia
NEXT: 2021-2022 College Football Playoff Projections
2021-2022 College Football Playoff Projections
Capital One Orange Bowl
Friday, December 30
ESPN, Time TBA
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Bowl Tie-Ins: CFP vs. CFP
Preseason Bowl Projection: Clemson vs. Oklahoma
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Friday, December 30
ESPN, Time TBA
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Bowl Tie-Ins: CFP vs. CFP
Preseason Bowl Projection: Alabama vs. Ohio State
College Football Playoff National Championship
Monday, January 10
ESPN, 8:00 pm
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Bowl Tie-Ins: CFP vs. CFP
Preseason Bowl Projection: Alabama vs. Oklahoma