2026-27 Week 6 College Football Playoff, bowl projections

If Week 6 showed anything, it's to never underestimate the underdog. Only two ranked matchups were played:Georgiaearned a conference road victory over Alabama, and UCLApulled off an upset over Oregonin Eugene.

But four unranked teams defeated ranked opponents with then-No. 1 Texasfalling to Oklahomain the Red River Rivalry game, Kentuckypulling off its second surprise over a top-25 opponent, plus South Carolinaand North Carolinaearning big wins.

In the wake of all that, we take a look at how the postseason picture shifted after Week 6.

New to the 2026 season, the Power 4 conference champions will get automatic bids to the CFP along with the highest-ranked Group of 6 team regardless of whether it is a league champ. The remaining slots in the 12-team field will go to the next seven highest-ranked teams. Notre Dame is guaranteed a spot in the field if it is among the top 12 teams.

The four highest-ranked teams (not necessarily conference champions) will be awarded first-round byes. The other eight teams will meet in first-round games at the campus sites of Seeds 5 through 8.

The festivities of bowl season kick off with the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 12 and wrap up with the CFP National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.

ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach will make their predictions for all the postseason matchups every week of the season until the actual matchups are set Dec. 6.

All times Eastern

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First-round games | Quarterfinals

Semis, title game | Bowl season

College Football Playoff

First-round games (at campus sites)

Friday, Dec. 18

8 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, Dec. 19

Noon, ABC/ESPN

3:30 p.m., TNT

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura:No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Texas

Schlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Indiana

Bonagura:No. 11 Texas Tech at No. 6 Ohio State

Schlabach:No. 11 Utah at No. 6 Alabama

Bonagura:No. 10 UCLA at No. 7 Alabama

Schlabach:No. 10 UCLA at No. 7 Texas

Bonagura:No. 9 BYU at No. 8 Utah

Schlabach:No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 BYU

CFP quarterfinals

Wednesday, Dec. 30

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura:No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana

Schlabach:No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 3 Notre Dame

Friday, Jan. 1

Time slots for quarterfinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl to be determined on Selection Day (Dec. 6)

Quarterfinals Game 2

Noon, TNT

Bonagura:No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Miami

Schlabach:No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 4 Ohio State

Quarterfinals Game 3

4 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura:No. 7 Alabama vs.No. 2 Notre Dame

Schlabach: No.10 UCLA vs. No. 2 Miami

Quarterfinals Game 4

8 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:No. 8 Utah vs.No. 1 Georgia

Schlabach:No. 8 Ole Miss vs. No. 1 Georgia

CFP semifinals, national championship game

Thursday, Jan. 14

Capital One Orange Bowl

Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura:No. 3 Miami vs.No. 2 Notre Dame

Schlabach:No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Miami

Friday, Jan. 15

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura:No. 4 Indiana vs.No. 1 Georgia

Schlabach:No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Georgia

Monday, Jan. 25

CFP National Championship

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)

7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura:No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Georgia

Schlabach: No. 2 Miami vs. No. 1 Georgia

Bowl season schedule

Saturday, Dec. 12

Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura:South Carolina State vs. Jackson State

Schlabach:Morgan State vs. Jackson State

Tuesday, Dec. 15

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Miami (Ohio) vs. Florida International

Schlabach:Buffalo vs. Louisiana

Frisco Football Classic

The Star (Frisco, Texas)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Buffalo vs. Louisiana

Schlabach:USF vs. San Diego State

Friday, Dec. 18

Boca Raton Bowl

Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)

11 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Liberty vs. Tulsa

Schlabach:Appalachian State vs. Western Michigan

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: SouthFlorida vs. Florida

Schlabach:Virginia vs. South Carolina

Monday, Dec. 21

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)

11 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Central Michigan vs. Georgia State

Schlabach:Liberty vs. South Alabama

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Western Michigan vs. UNLV

Schlabach:Toledo vs. Air Force

Tuesday, Dec. 22

Puerto Rico Bowl

Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium (Bayamón, Puerto Rico)

1:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:UMass vs. South Alabama

Schlabach:East Carolina vs. Delaware

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

Acrisure Bounce House (Orlando, Florida)

5 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Ohio vs. James Madison

Schlabach:Louisiana Tech vs. Florida International

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)

8:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:UConn vs. Iowa State

Schlabach:Cal vs. UCF

Wednesday, Dec. 23

New Orleans Bowl

Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Jacksonville State vs. Appalachian State

Schlabach:Jacksonville State vs. James Madison

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:UCF vs. North Texas

Schlabach:Kansas State vs. Army

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

7:30 p.m., The CW

Bonagura: Washington vs.Oregon State

Schlabach:Arizona State vs. Oregon State

Frisco Bowl

The Star (Frisco, Texas)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:North Carolina vs. Memphis

Schlabach:North Texas vs. New Mexico

Thursday, Dec. 24

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:San José State vs. UTSA

Schlabach:UNLV vs. Texas State

Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl

Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)

7 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:North Dakota State vs. Fresno State

Schlabach:North Dakota State vs. Fresno State

Saturday, Dec. 26

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Yankee Stadium (New York)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura:Louisville vs. Northwestern

Schlabach:Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Fenway Park (Boston)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Virginia vs. East Carolina

Schlabach:Louisville vs. UTSA

Duke's Mayo Bowl

Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)

3:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura:Duke vs. Penn State

Schlabach:Duke vs. Northwestern

68 Ventures Bowl

Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Florida Atlantic vs. Louisiana Tech

Schlabach:Florida Atlantic vs. Eastern Michigan

Cactus Bowl

Mountain America Stadium (Tempe, Arizona)

7:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura:Michigan vs. Cincinnati

Schlabach:Michigan vs. Cincinnati

Monday, Dec. 28

Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Clemson vs. Army

Schlabach:North Carolina vs. Memphis

Trust & WillHoliday Bowl

Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

5 p.m., The CW

Bonagura:Wake Forest vs. Air Force

Schlabach:Pittsburgh vs. USC

Tuesday, Dec. 29

JLab Birmingham Bowl

Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Auburn vs. Tulane

Schlabach:Auburn vs. NC State

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Pittsburgh vs. Baylor

Schlabach:SMU vs. Houston

Valero Alamo Bowl

Alamodome (San Antonio)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Houston vs. Oregon

Schlabach:Texas Tech vs. Oregon

Wednesday, Dec. 30

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)

11:30 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura:SMU vs. Ole Miss

Schlabach:Wake Forest vs. LSU

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)

3 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Iowa vs. Mississippi State

Schlabach:Wisconsin vs. Kentucky

Thursday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Noon, ESPN

Bonagura:Wisconsin vs. LSU

Schlabach:Nebraska vs. Mississippi State

Old El Paso Sun Bowl

Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)

2 p.m., CBS

Bonagura:Virginia Tech vs. Arizona

Schlabach:Clemson vs. Washington

Las Vegas Bowl

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)

3:45 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:USC vs. Oklahoma

Schlabach:Arizona vs. Missouri

Kinder's Texas Bowl

Reliant Stadium (Houston)

7:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura:Oklahoma State vs. Kentucky

Schlabach:Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma

Saturday, Jan. 2

Citrus Bowl

Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura:Nebraska vs. Tennessee

Schlabach:Iowa vs. Tennessee

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)

3:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura:Eastern Michigan vs. Troy

Schlabach:Penn State vs. Texas A&M

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl

Casino Del Sol Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)

4:30 p.m., The CW

Bonagura:Toledo vs. New Mexico

Schlabach:Ohio vs. Wyoming

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)

7:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura:Kansas State vs. Missouri

Schlabach:Baylor vs. Florida

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