The bowl projections are going to be wild and wacky as we go on with so many moving parts, so many possibilities, and so many teams looking for a home.
With a few big upsets – the Sun Belt and Mountain West went from not looking like they would have enough options to having way too many – there are more teams than ever with a reasonable path to get in.
There are a few shifts in the biggest bowls, and once again we think ESPN will crank up the extra game they put together last season – the Frisco Bowl Classic – to accommodate two of the teams available.
A few likely teams are left off for the moment – Stanford and UNLV might be shakier than it appears – but these can and will all change in a hurry.
Bowl Projections: Week 8
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All Times Eastern
HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl
Friday, December 16, 2022
11:30 am, ESPN
Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Last Year: Middle Tennessee 31, Toledo 24
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs MAC
Bowl Projection: WKU vs Bowling Green
Duluth Trading Cure Bowl
Friday, December 16, 2022
3:00, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Coastal Carolina 47, Northern Illinois 41
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Bowl Projection: Fresno State vs Louisiana
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
11:00 am, ESPN
Fenway Park, Boston, MA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic (Conference USA)
Bowl Projection: North Carolina vs UCF
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
12:00, ABC
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Year: South Carolina State 31, Jackson State 10
Bowl Ties: MEAC vs SWAC
Bowl Projection: North Carolina Central vs Jackson State
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
2:15, ESPN
Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Last Year: Fresno State 31, UTEP 24
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs AAC, C-USA, MAC or Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Wyoming vs North Texas
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
3:30, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Boise State vs Washington
LendingTree Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
5:45, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
Last Year: Liberty 56, Eastern Michigan 20
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt (C-USA)
Bowl Projection: Buffalo vs South Alabama
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
7:30, ABC
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Last Year: Wisconsin 20, Arizona State 13
Bowl Ties: Pac-12 vs SEC
Bowl Projection: Oregon State vs LSU
Frisco Bowl
Saturday, December 17, 2022
9:15, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Year: San Diego State 38, UTSA 24
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five or Army
Bowl Projection: Appalachian State vs UTEP
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Monday, December 19, 2022
2:30, ESPN
Brooks Stadium, Conway, SC
Last Year: Tulsa 30, Old Dominion 17
Bowl Ties: C-USA, MAC, Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Miami University vs Southern Miss
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
3:30 ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Last Year: Wyoming 52, Kent State 38
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: San Jose State vs Western Michigan
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Tuesday, December 20, 2022
7:30, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Last Year: WKU 59, Appalachian State 38
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: Coastal Carolina vs UNLV
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
9:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Year: Louisiana 36, Marshall 21
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Sun Belt
Bowl Projection: Rice vs Troy
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Thursday, December 22, 2022
7:30, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Last Year: Army 24, Missouri 22
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Conference USA (Big 12, Pac-12)
Bowl Projection: Houston vs Kansas
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Last Year: UAB 31, BYU 28
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Army
Bowl Projection: SMU vs Liberty
Union Home Gasparilla Bowl
Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Year: UCF 29, Florida 17
Bowl Ties: ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC (AAC, C-USA)
Bowl Projection: Miami vs UTSA
Frisco Football Classic*
Friday, December 23, 2022
TBA, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Last Year: Miami University 27, North Texas 14
Bowl Ties: None
Bowl Projection: BYU vs Georgia Southern
*We’re making the call that once again there will be too many available bowl teams, so – this is a true projection – ESPN will revive the Frisco Football Classic like it did last season.
Easyport Hawaii Bowl
Saturday, December 24, 2022
8:00, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Complex, Honolulu, HI
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Bowl Projection: UAB vs Air Force
Bowl Projections: Week 8 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff Prediction