ESPN releases 2023 college football bowl projections after Week 2
With another big weekend of college football action in the books, the bowl projections and postseason outlooks have changed considerably.
Texas took down Alabama to give one of the College Football Playoff favorites its first loss, while a handful of other contenders continued to take care of business. Then were were plenty of mid-level games that had outcomes that could shake up the bowl projections.
Below are the bowl projections for the 2023 college football season after Week 2, courtesy of ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach.
CFP National Championship
NRG Stadium (Houston)
Monday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Florida State
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Michigan
While Schlabach’s bowl projections held intact from last week, Bonagura had to shake up his national title selection thanks to this week’s games. Previously he had Georgia vs. Alabama in the national title game. Now he’s got Georgia taking on Florida State, a matchup that would provide some really interesting storylines.
CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Monday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Florida State
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Texas
Both ESPN writers saw their Rose Bowl semifinal predictions change from Week 1, thanks to the Alabama vs. Texas game. While Bonagura previously had Michigan vs. Alabama, he now has Michigan vs. Florida State. Schlabach had Michigan vs. USC but has opted to bump Texas into USC’s spot in this semifinal.
CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
Monday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. USC
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Florida State
Both ESPN writers have Georgia making the College Football Playoff title game, so both have Georgia in pole position getting the berth in the southern semifinal game in their bowl projections. Bonagura has USC in the mix here now, while Schlabach has bumped Ohio State for Florida State. Texas bumps Ohio State in Schlabach’s overall playoff prediction.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Friday, Dec. 29
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Tennessee vs. Texas
Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Penn State
To kick off the other New Year’s Six games, Tennessee and Texas would be a fantastic offensive matchup. Moreover, the two schools can fight over the bragging rights on who the real ‘UT’ is. Schlabach’s pick features an equally interesting Notre Dame vs. Penn State matchup, a series that has a dead even 9-9-1 record through 19 games.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 30
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Alabama vs. USC
Both ESPN writers have Alabama falling to the Peach Bowl after dropping a game against Texas on Saturday. While the Crimson Tide aren’t yet out of the playoff hunt, that means that both writers are presumably predicting a second loss for the Crimson Tide at some point in these bowl projections. Schlabach’s Alabama vs. USC matchup would be a great one for the fans.
Capital One Orange Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 30
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
4 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Miami vs. Ohio State
Once again, both writers agree that Ohio State will be in the Orange Bowl, though they differ quite a bit on which opponent the Buckeyes would face. Schlabach’s pick of Miami definitely raises some eyebrows and is a testament to the job quarterback Tyler Van Dyke and the Hurricanes did in erasing some doubters this weekend with a big win over Texas A&M.
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Monday, Jan. 1
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
1 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Washington vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Washington vs. Tulane
Washington is a consensus pick here in the Fiesta Bowl, likely to emerge from the Pac-12 as one of the strongest teams in the league. Good enough to earn a Fiesta Bowl bid? We’ll see. But a matchup against Penn State would provide an interesting contrast of styles. And a Tulane matchup would be a fun redux of the Tulane vs. Pac-12 showdown from bowl season last year insofar as bowl projections go.
Remaining Bowl Projections:
Saturday, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Liberty
Schlabach: Eastern Michigan vs. Liberty
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central
Schlabach: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Middle Tennessee vs. Texas State
Schlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. Troy
Cure Bowl
Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Troy vs. Louisiana Tech
Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Florida Atlantic
New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Utah State
Schlabach: Florida International vs. San Diego State
LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Colorado vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: UCLA vs. Wyoming
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas Tech vs. UCLA
Schlabach: Texas Tech vs. Washington State
Monday, Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Eastern Michigan vs. Coastal Carolina
Schlabach: UAB vs. South Alabama
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia State vs. San José State
Schlabach: BYU vs. Air Force
Thursday, Dec. 21
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UAB vs. Georgia Southern
Schlabach: East Carolina vs. Georgia Southern
Friday, Dec. 22
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
6:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Marshall vs. Auburn
Schlabach: Army vs. Auburn
Saturday, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida vs. Cal
Schlabach: South Carolina vs. Tulsa
Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Appalachian State vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Eastern Michigan vs. Coastal Carolina
Schlabach: UTSA vs. Western Kentucky
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. Wyoming
Schlabach: Ball State vs. Fresno State
68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
7 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: James Madison vs. Western Kentucky
Schlabach: Coastal Carolina vs. Toledo
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Utah
Schlabach: Wisconsin vs. Colorado
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UTSA vs. Air Force
Schlabach: Kansas vs. Boise State
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan State vs. Toledo
Schlabach: Rutgers vs. Ohio
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Rice
Schlabach: Cincinnati vs. Cal
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Illinois vs. TCU
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. TCU
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: NC State vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Syracuse vs. Memphis
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Mississippi State
Schlabach: Wake Forest vs. Kentucky
Holiday Bowl
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Bonagura: Duke vs. Oregon
Schlabach: Duke vs. Utah
TaxAct Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UCF vs. Kentucky
Schlabach: UCF vs. Arkansas
(FUN FACT: There were 12 instances this week in the bowl projections where both Bonagura and Schlabach penciled in the same team to the same bowl, exclusing the New Year’s Six bowls.)
Thursday, Dec. 28
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Pitt vs. SMU
Schlabach: Georgia Tech vs. SMU
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Rutgers
Schlabach: Pitt vs. Illinois
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Miami vs. Cincinnati
Schlabach: Clemson vs. Kansas State
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: Oklahoma vs. Oregon
Friday, Dec. 29
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Syracuse vs. Auburn
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Texas A&M
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Louisville vs. Washington State
Schlabach: NC State vs. Oregon State
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Oklahoma State vs. Arkansas
Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi State
Saturday, Dec. 30
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Maryland vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Maryland vs. Ole Miss
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m.
Bonagura: Northern Illinois vs. Boise State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. San José State
Monday, Jan. 1
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. LSU
Schlabach: North Carolina vs. LSU
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: Iowa vs. Tennessee
There is still a long way to go and as we saw in Week 2, expectations can change in a hurry in college football. So while these bowl projections are a lot of fun and a great source of entertainment, you can be sure there will be plenty of movement going forward. For now, though some teams are beginning to establish themselves at the forefront of the College Football Playoff race.