We’ll talk enough about the 12-team College Football Playoff, first-round matchups and everything that comes with it in December.

You will inevitably hear a slogan that asks a question that feels like a statement. Do the remaining bowls even matter? As we say every year, bowl season means something different to everyone, and in our latest predictions there are a handful of bowls we could be excited about depending on who opts out of those games.

What about these encounters?

SDS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Colorado vs. Michigan

If Deion Sanders stays true to his word and Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter play, how fun would it be to see them go up against a Michigan defense that limited Ohio State to 10 points? Would Michigan stars like Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant be enticed to play in this game? What about Will Johnson — another projected top-five pick who missed most of the season with a toe injury?

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Miami vs. USC

It would be cool to see Miami’s Cam Ward in this spot, but we’re not sure he’ll play if the Hurricanes don’t make the College Football Playoff. It’s still an entertaining matchup and a chance for Trojans freshman Jayden Maiava to improve.

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: Illinois vs. South Carolina

The Illini and Gamecocks each won nine games in the regular season, and this would be the proverbial stepping stone game in 2025. We also like the Cheez-Its. Who does not?

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Clemson vs. Iowa

Would Dabo Swinney or Kirk Ferentz accept the “mayo bath”? That’s all we need to see.

MORE: SN’s Top 25 after Week 14

The College Football Playoff’s penultimate rankings will be announced Tuesday. Sporting News will publish weekly bowl projections before revealing the first 12-team playoff field on December 8th.

The first round of the new CFP will include one game on Friday, December 20th and three on Saturday, December 21st. The quarterfinals will be played at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (December 31), Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (January 1), Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (January 1) and Allstate Sugar Bowl (January 1).

The semifinals will be played in the Capital One Orange Bowl (January 9) and the Cotton Bowl Classic (January 10). The CFP National Championship takes place on January 20th in Atlanta.

Here are our bowl predictions for Week 14.

MORE: Predicted College Football Playoff field after Week 14

2024 College Football Bowl Predictions

Outside of the College Football Playoff, there are 35 bowls involving FBS teams this season. A look at our predictions for these matches:

DATE	BOWL	MATCHUP
Dec 14	Camellia bowl	Ohio vs. James Madison
Dec 17	Boca Raton bowl	Arkansas State vs. South Florida
Dec 18	Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl	Marshall vs. Liberty
Dec 18	LA Bowl, hosted by Gronk	UNLV vs. Kansas State
Dec 19	R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl	Louisiana vs. Jacksonville State
December 20th	Staffdna Cure Bowl	East Carolina vs. South Alabama
December 20th	Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl	UConn vs. Arkansas
December 23rd	Myrtle Beach Bowl	Buffalo vs. Coastal Carolina
December 23rd	Famous Idaho Potato Peel	Western Michigan vs. Colorado State
Dec 24	Hawaii Bowl	Army vs. San Jose State
Dec 26	Detroit Bowl	Toledo vs. NC State
Dec 26	Guaranteed Price Bowl	Vanderbilt vs. Pitt
Dec 26	68 Ventures Bowl	Georgia Southern vs. Miami, Ohio
Dec 27	Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl	West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
Dec 27	Birmingham Bowl	North Carolina vs. Oklahoma
Dec 27	Autozone Liberty Bowl	TCU vs. Florida
Dec 27	SDS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl	Colorado vs. Michigan
Dec 27	DirecTV Holiday Bowl	Cal vs. Baylor
Dec 28	Wasabi Fenway Bowl	Memphis vs. Georgia Tech
Dec 28	Bad Boy Mowers pinstripe bowl	Duke vs. Nebraska
Dec 28	Isleta New Mexico Bowl	Western Kentucky vs. North Texas
Dec 28	Pop Tarts Bowl	Syracuse vs. Texas Tech
Dec 28	Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice	Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State
Dec 28	Go Bowling Military Bowl	Navy vs. Boston College
Dec 28	Valero Alamo bowl	Washington State vs. BYU
Dec 28	Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl	Tulane vs. Washington
Dec 30	Transperfect Music City Bowl	Minnesota vs. LSU
Dec 31st	Reliaquest bowl	Rutgers vs. Missouri
Dec 31st	Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl	Miami, Florida vs. USC
Dec 31st	Cheez-It Citrus Peel	Illinois vs. South Carolina
Dec 31st	Texas Bowl	Iowa State vs. Texas A&M
January 2nd	Taxslayer Gator Bowl	Louisville vs. Ole Miss
January 3rd	Servpro First Responder Bowl	UTSA vs. Texas State
January 3rd	Duke’s Mayo Bowl	Clemson vs. Iowa
January 4th	Bahamas Bowl	Bowling Green vs. Sam Houston

College Football Playoff First Round Predictions

A look at the four College Football Playoff first-round games for the 2024-25 season. These first round games will be played on campus:

DATE	BOWL	MATCHUP
December 20th	CFP first round game	No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Notre Dame
Dec 21	CFP first round game	No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Georgia
Dec 21	CFP first round game	No. 9 Tennessee and No. 8 Ohio State
Dec 21	CFP first round game	No. 12 Alabama and No. 5 Penn State

Is Dabo Swinney right? This actually looks like the SEC-Big Ten Invitational, and this is a world in which Indiana and Alabama would be underdogs. Who has a better chance of causing an upset? Ohio State’s Will Howard (180.5), Indiana State’s Kurtis Rourke (175.2) and Penn State’s Drew Allar (171.0) all rank in the top five in the FBS in passer efficiency . How would they fare against the SEC’s defenses? Ohio State coach Ryan Day is under the most pressure here after the regular-season finale loss to Michigan. The Buckeyes (10.8 ppg) and Volunteers (13.1 ppg) rank first and fourth, respectively, in scoring defense. Notre Dame starts the playoffs against Arizona State, although we still expect the Sun Devils to have room for a first-round bye. These are two of the hottest teams in the FBS.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Predictions

A look at the College Football Playoff quarterfinal games for the 2024-25 season. These games will be played at traditional New Year’s Eve Six Bowl locations:

DATE	BOWL	MATCHUP
Dec 31st	Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Quarterfinals)	No. 4 Boise State vs. No. 5 Penn State
January 1st	Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (Quarterfinals)	No. 3 SMU vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
January 1st	Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential (Quarterfinals)	No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State
January 1st	Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinals)	No. 2 Texas vs. No. 7 Georgia

Penn State and Notre Dame fans would complain a lot here if they knew they were going to be ranked in the top five, but Boise State and SMU had byes in the first round. The Broncos would get a chance to relive their Fiesta Bowl glory against the Nittany Lions. The Irish and Mustangs met for the first time since the Irish’s 59-6 victory on November 11, 1989 – the first season since SMU’s return from the Death Penalty. With this seeding structure, it’s a rematch between the Ducks and Buckeyes and a three-way match between the Longhorns and Bulldogs. This is another reason we need to fix the seedings in the new-look College Football Playoff.

College Football Playoff Semifinal Predictions

A look at the College Football Playoff semifinal games for the 2024-25 season. These games will be played at traditional New Year’s Eve Six Bowl locations:

DATE	BOWL	MATCHUP
January 9th	Capital One Orange Bowl (semifinals)	No. 2 Texas vs. No. 6 Notre Dame
January 10th	Cotton Bowl Classic (semifinals)	No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 5 Penn State

This route has some advantages for the No. 5 seed, and Penn State takes advantage and earns a rematch with the Ducks in the Cotton Bowl Classic. Oregon uses the Cotton Bowl route for travel purposes. We don’t like that the Ducks have to face the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions again – but there will be rematches. Accept it. The Orange Bowl between the Longhorns and Irish would generate more interest. Notre Dame (11.6 ppg) and Texas (12.1 ppg) rank second and third, respectively, in scoring defense. That would be an instant classic.

College Football Playoff Championship Selection

A look at the College Football Playoff championship game for the 2024-25 season. This game is scheduled for Monday, January 20th at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

DATE	BOWL	MATCHUP
January 20th	CFP National Championship	No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Texas

That’s undoubtedly the chalky answer, but the Ducks and Longhorns were the two teams that avoided chaos throughout the regular season. The bye week counts, and Dillon Gabriel – who led Oklahoma to a 34-30 win over Texas in the Red River Rivalry on October 7, 2023 – has another duel with Ewers.