Bowl Projections, College Football Playoff Predictions: Preseason Preview 2022
It’s the most fun time of the year.
It’s bowl projection and College Football Playoff prediction season, when nothing is too crazy, all the speculation makes perfect sense, and all of it done with the joyful hope that the CFP calls aren’t even close – the chase is SO much more fun when teams outside the norm are involved.
It’s also that time for the annual reminder of the ground rules.
1. ESPN wants the best matchups possible. Therefore, we have to take into account that BYU has to get a decent bowl slot, and the bigger Power Five programs available might be the call over Group of Five teams, just because. Or …
2. ESPN can just create another bowl – or five – if needed. Last year, we didn’t just get the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, we were also given the Frisco Bowl Classic at the absolute last second because there were too many bowl eligible teams. (Miami University beat North Texas 27-14, by the way.)
So if you don’t see your team here, as long as it gets to six wins, there’s going to be a post-season home somewhere. That goes along with our annual heads-up …
3. These are bowl projections. Teams will surprise, disappoint, and find their way in and out of the bowl mix all throughout the process. We’ll adapt and adjust as the season goes on. Also, you can check out all the 2022-2023 conference bowl tie-ins here.
And with that, the 2022 college football craziness starts … NOW.
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
All Times Eastern.
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Louisiana Tech vs Kent State
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Georgia State vs Florida Atlantic
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)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Boston College vs Cincinnati
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: South Carolina State 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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Air Force vs North Texas
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl presented by Stifel
Saturday, December 17, 2022
3:30, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Last Year; Utah State 24, Oregon State 13
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: San Diego State vs Washington State
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)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Western Michigan vs Louisiana
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: UCLA vs Ole Miss
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: BYU vs Missouri*
*The call is that ESPN will blow off the Group of Five vs Group of Five tie-ins to come up with a strong matchup of two teams that need spots.
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Southern Miss vs Liberty
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Fresno State vs Northern Illinois
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Coastal Carolina vs East Carolina
2022 CFN Predictions For Every Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
AAC | C-USA | Ind | MAC | M-West | Sun Belt
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: WKU vs Appalachian State
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)
Preseason Bowl Projection: SMU vs UTSA
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: Army vs Memphis
Union Home Mortgage 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)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Louisville vs Auburn
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
Preseason Bowl Projection: UAB vs Hawaii
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 2 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
NEXT: More Preseason Bowl Projections
Preseason Bowl Projections
Quick Lane Bowl
Monday, December 26, 2022
2:30, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Last Year: Western Michigan 52, Nevada 24
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs MAC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Maryland vs Central Michigan
Camellia Bowl
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
12:00, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
Last Year: Georgia State 51, Ball State 20
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Sun Belt (Conference USA)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Miami University vs Marshall
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
3:15 or 6:45, ESPN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Last Year: Air Force 31, Louisville 28
Bowl Ties: AAC, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Purdue vs TCU
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
3:15 or 6:45, ESPN
Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
Last Year: Houston 17, Auburn 13
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs SEC (ACC)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Mississippi State vs Kansas State*
*The call is for ESPN to find a spot for all of the available Big 12 teams
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Tuesday, December 27, 2022
10:15, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Last Year: Minnesota 18, West Virginia 6
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs Big 12 (Mountain West)
Preseason Bowl Projection: Nebraska vs Iowa State
Military Bowl
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
2:00, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: ACC vs American Athletic
Preseason Bowl Projection: Pitt vs UCF
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
5:30, ESPN
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, TN
Last Year: Texas Tech 34, Mississippi State 7
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: West Virginia vs Tennessee
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
8:00, FOX
Petco Park, San Diego, CA
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Virginia Tech vs Washington
TaxAct Texas Bowl
Wednesday, December 28, 2022
9:00, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Last Year: Kansas State 42, LSU 20
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Baylor vs Arkansas
Pinstripe Bowl
Thursday, December 29, 2022
2:00, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Last Year: Maryland 54, Virginia Tech 10
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big Ten
Preseason Bowl Projection: North Carolina vs Minnesota
Cheez-It Bowl
Thursday, December 29, 2022
5:30, ESPN
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Clemson 20, Iowa State 13
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big 12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Miami vs Texas
Valero Alamo Bowl
Thursday, December 29, 2022
9:00, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Last Year: Oklahoma 47, Oregon 32
Bowl Ties: Big 12 vs Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Oklahoma State vs Utah
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
12:00, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
Last Year: South Carolina 38, North Carolina 21
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big Ten
Preseason Bowl Projection: Wake Forest vs Iowa
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
2:00, CBS
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
Last Year: Central Michigan 24, Washington State 21
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Virginia vs Arizona State
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
3:30, ESPN
TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL
Last Year: Wake Forest 38, Rutgers 10
Bowl Ties: ACC vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Florida State vs Kentucky
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
4:30, Barstool
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Last Year: Canceled
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Preseason Bowl Projection: Toledo vs Boise State
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Saturday, December 31, 2022
12:00, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Last Year: Purdue 48, Tennessee 45 OT
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Michigan State vs South Carolina
ReliaQuest Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2023
12:00, ESPN2
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Last Year: Arkansas 24, Penn State 10
Bowl Ties: SEC vs Big Ten or ACC
Preseason Bowl Projection: LSU vs Wisconsin
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2023
1:00, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Last Year: Kentucky 20, Iowa 17
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: Penn State vs Florida
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 1 | New Year’s Six
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
New Year’s Six Bowl Projections 2022-2023: NEXT
New Year’s Six Bowl Projections 2022-2023
Capital One Orange Bowl
Friday, December 30, 2022
7:30 or 8:00, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Last Year: CFP Semifinal Georgia 34, Michigan 11
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big Ten, Notre Dame, or SEC
Preseason Bowl Projection: NC State vs Notre Dame
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Saturday, December 31, 2022
12:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Year: Baylor 21, Ole Miss 7
Bowl Ties: SEC vs Big 12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Texas A&M vs Oklahoma
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2023
1:00, ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Last Year: CFP Semifinal Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6
Bowl Ties: New Year’s Six vs top Group of Five champion
Preseason Bowl Projection: USC vs Houston
Rose Bowl
Monday, January 2, 2023
5:00, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Last Year: Ohio State 48, Utah 45
Bowl Ties: Big Ten vs Pac-12
Preseason Bowl Projection: Michigan vs Oregon
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 1 | Bowl Projections, Part 2
College Football Playoff
CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
2022-2023 College Football Playoff Projections: NEXT
College Football Playoff Projections 2022-2023
Some team will rise up from out of nowhere and make a big push – like Michigan last year. USC might be close, and Notre Dame could be in the mix if it beats the Trojans.
However, the early call is that Ohio State and Clemson each roll through the Big Ten and ACC, respectively, to get the 2 and 3 seeds. Alabama will lose along the way, but it’ll earn the No. 1 spot after beating Georgia in the SEC Championship.
Two scenarios for a Bama vs. Georgia rematch. Georgia loses once during the regular season, and it gets in because there are only three teams that finish with one loss or go unbeaten – and assuming it doesn’t get blown out against Alabama in the first meeting. The second possibility is a loss to Florida. The Gators go to the SEC Championship, Georgia finishes 11-1, and it gets the 4 seed.
College Football Playoff Semifinal: Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Saturday, December 31, 2022
4:00 or 8:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Year: Michigan State 31, Pitt 21
Bowl Ties: CFP vs CFP
Preseason Bowl Projection: Alabama vs Georgia
College Football Playoff Semifinal: Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, December 31, 2022
4:00 or 8:00, ESPN
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Last Year: Oklahoma State 37, Notre Dame 35
Bowl Ties: CFP vs CFP
Preseason Bowl Projection: Ohio State vs Clemson
College Football Playoff National Championship
Monday, January 9, 2023
TBA, ESPN
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA
Last Year: Georgia 33, Alabama 18
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Winner vs Fiesta Bowl Winner
Bowl Projection: Alabama vs Ohio State
Bowl Projections: Preseason 2022-2023
Bowl Projections, Part 1 | Bowl Projections, Part 2
New Year’s Six | CFN 2022 Preview of Every Team
