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ClutchPoints’ Midseason College Football Bowl Predictions
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The post ClutchPoints' Midseason College Football Bowl Predictions appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Making a bowl game can be a big step forward for some College Football programs. Including the College Football Playoff , 45 bowl games will be played between FBS schools. While some teams have sights set on a College Football Playoff berth , others are just hoping to make a bowl game. This is how ClutchPoints sees the games breaking down.
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LA Bowl- December 13th
The LA Bowl will kick off bowl season and feature a former or current Pac-12 team against a Mountain West foe.
LA Bowl: Washington State vs. Utah State
Salute to Veterans Bowl- December 16th
The Salute to Veterans Bowl commonly features two group of five teams , normally with a MAC opponent against a team from the Sun Belt.
Salute to Veterans Bowl: Ohio vs. Marshall
Cure Bowl- December 17th
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Orlando, Florida, is the site for this next game, as the Cure Bowl commonly hosts two group of five teams. Although if a group of five team is not available or a power conference team does not have a game, this is a common spot for them.
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Cure Bowl: NC State vs. Troy
68 Ventures Bowl- December 17th
This game is a common match-up for group of five teams, with Conference USA, the MAC, and Sun Belt all having tie-ins to the game.
68 Ventrues Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Bowling Green
Myrtle Beach Bowl- December 18th
The Myrtle Beach bowl will also host teams from either Conference USA, the MAC, or the Sun Belt, although Coastal Carolina normally gets priority. They may not be bowl eligible, leading to this matchup.
Myrtle Beach Down: Texas State vs. Jacksonville State
Gasparilla Bowl- December 19th
The Gasparilla Bowl is one of the first on the schedule with a power conference potential, having teams from the ACC, American, and SEC tied into the game.
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Gasparilla Bowl: UTSA vs. Wake Forest
Idaho Potato Bowl- December 22nd
The MAC and Mountain West play in the Idaho Bowl on the blue turf of Boise State. While the bowl does like to keep the home team, it has drifted away from that in recent years with the success of Boise State.
Idaho Potato Bowl: Toledo vs. Fresno State
Boca Raton Bowl- December 23rd
Two group of five teams will be meeting in Boca Raton for this bowl game. It could be a chance for a quality re-match between two intrastate foes.
Boca Raton Bowl: Liberty vs. Old Dominion
New Orleans Bowl- December 23rd
The New Orleans Bowl has been a common sight for two of the best in Conference USA and the Sun Belt. It could easily feature two conference champions in this game.
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New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana Tech vs. James Madison
Frisco Bowl- December 23rd
The Frisco Bowl is another group of five against group of five game. San Diego State has appeared in the game twice and will for a third time in this one.
Frisco Bowl: San Diego State vs. Kennesaw State
Hawaii Bowl- December 24th
The Hawaii Bowl will feature a team from the American Conference against the Mountain West. Often, the game features Hawaii if they are bowl eligible due to logistical purposes, and will this year as well.
Hawaii Bowl: East Carolina vs. Hawaii
GameAbove Sports Bowl- December 26th
This game has tie-ins with a Big Ten team and a MAC team. Normally, it is a lower-level Big Ten team against one of the top teams in the MAC, which is what should happen in this game.
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GameAbove Sports Bowl: Northwestern vs. Western Michigan
Rate Bowl- December 26th
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The Rate Bowl commonly features two power conference schools, with tie-ins to the Big 12 and Big 10. These typically are mid-level, but bowl-eligible teams.
Rate Bowl: Iowa State vs. Maryland
First Responder Bowl- December 26th
This game will feature teams from either the American, ACC, or Big 12. Commonly, it ends up being an American against a Big 12 team, which is the matchup we have here.
First Responder Bowl: Memphis vs. TCU
Military Bowl- December 27th
The Military Bowl will comprise of an ACC team against one from the American, and prefers to reserve a spot for a service academy. They will get both the American Conference and service academy box checked with Navy.
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Military Bowl: Pitt vs. Navy
Pinstripe Bowl- December 27th
A game in a baseball stadium is often the site for two mid-level power conference teams. The Pinstripe Bowl has tie-ins with the ACC and Big Ten, giving a solid matchup here.
Pinstripe Bowl: Louisville vs. Penn State
Fenway Bowl- December 27th
Like the Pinstripe Bowl, the Fenway Bowl features a power conference team, but also takes one of the top teams from the American. With one of the American Conference teams likely to make the College Football Playoff, it will take another top school here.
Fenway Bowl: Clemson vs. Tulane
Pop-Tarts Bowl- December 27th
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The main draw of this game has been the edible trophy, but it will still feature two power conference schools. It will be an ACC against Big 12 matchup here.
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Pop-Tarts Bowl: Duke vs. Arizona State
Arizona Bowl- December 27th
The Arizona Bowl has consistently featured a top team from the MAC and Mountain West, but not necessarily their champion. The same holds true for this matchup.
Arizona Bowl: Buffalo vs. Boise State
New Mexico Bowl- December 27th
This will be a Mountain West team against any other group of five opponent. The bowl has historically liked to feature a home state team, if they can, and if New Mexico State can get to six wins, it is a perfect spot for them.
New Mexico Bowl: UNLV vs. New Mexico State
Gator Bowl- December 27th
The Gator Bowl normally gets a team that missed out of the playoff hunt against a more surprising team, compared to years past. It is an ACC and SEC matchup, and this year it is two surprise bowl contenders.
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Gator Bowl: Virginia vs. Mississippi State
Texas Bowl- December 27th
The Texas Bowl gets a power conference matchup as the Big 12 faces the SEC. It gets a quality matchup this year.
Texas Bowl: Baylor vs. Auburn
Birmingham Bowl- December 29th
This is a bowl with conference tie-ins to three different conferences. The American, ACC, and SEC all have tie-ins, but this is normally a perfect spot for a group of five team against a power opponent.
Birmingham Bowl: North Texas- Oklahoma
Independence Bowl- December 30th
This should be a clash between a power conference and the group of five, with the Big 12 and Conference USA.
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Independence Bowl: BYU vs. Western Kentucky
Music City Bowl- December 30th
The Music City Bowl has traditionally featured an SEC school against a Big Ten school. Consequently, the schools have been more defensive focused in recent years.
Music City Bowl: LSU vs. Nebraska
Alamo Bowl- December 30th
The Alamo Bowl will feature the Big 12 against a former Pac-12 team or a current one. This could easily result in a former Pac-12 rematch as contracts end for the former conference teams.
Alamo Bowl: Utah vs. USC
ReliaQuest Bowl- December 31st
It is a Big Ten against SEC clash in the ReliaQuest Bowl. This is normally held for two of the top teams to not make the playoffs from the two conferences, but a step behind the Citrus Bowl.
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ReliaQuest Bowl: Illinois-Tennessee
Sun Bowl- December 31st
The Sun Bowl is an ACC matchup against former Pac-12 teams, which could result in an all-ACC matchup. It does not this year.
Sun Bowl: Florida State-Arizona
Citrus Bowl- December 31st
The Citrus Bowl will host a classic Big Ten against SEC matchup, hosting two teams in the middle of the conference.
Citrus Bowl: Michigan-LSU
Las Vegas Bowl- December 31st
As the contract ends for the Pac-12, this game features a former Pac-12 team against a Big Ten opponent.
Las Vegas Bowl: Iowa vs. California
Armed Forces Bowl- January 2nd
The Armed Forces Bowl normally puts a Big 12 team against the American or Mountain West, although the bowl prefers to put a service academy in the game. Army and Navy both need six wins before their game to be eligible.
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Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Army
Liberty Bowl- January 2nd
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The Liberty Bowl should feature a Big 12 team agaisnt an SEC team based on tie-ins.
Liberty Bowl: Cincinnati vs. South Carolina
Duke's Mayo Bowl- January 2nd
The Duke's Bowl with not only feature a Mayo Bowl at the end of the game, but also an ACC against an SEC school.
Duke's Mayo Bowl: SMU vs. Vanderbilt
Holiday Bowl- January 2nd
This is the final bowl game outside of the College Football playoff. This will pit an ACC school agaisnt a former Pac-12 program
Holiday Bowl: Georgia Tech- Washington
CFP First Round- December 19th or 20th
Seeds five through 12 will play in the first round of the playoffs. Four games will be played in the first round, comprising four of the 45 bowl games. They will be played at the high seed homesites, meaning the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth seeds will have home games. Currently, ClutchPoints has these as the four matchups.
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CFP First Round: Texas Tech vs. South Florida
CFP First Round: Oregon vs. Texas
CFP First Round: Ole Miss vs. Notre Dame
CFP First Round: Georgia vs. Texas A&M
Cotton Bowl- December 31st
The Cotton Bowl Classic has traditionally been associated with the SEC and Big 12. With this being a semi-final game, as well as the Sugar Bowl likely taking an SEC, expect a Big 12 team if they get a bye.
Cotton Bowl: Indiana vs. Texas Tech
Sugar Bowl- January 1st
The Sugar Bowl has often been host to the SEC Champion. This should not change here as they face a first-round winner.
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Oregon
Rose Bowl- January 1st
The Rose Bowl is customarily held for the Big Ten Champion. The Big Ten champion could request elsewhere, but is likely playing here. The Big Ten champ will face a first-round winner here.
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Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas A&M
Orange Bowl- January 1st
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The Orange Bowl has customarily fit in with the ACC. Assuming the ACC champion gets a bye, they would face a first-round winner here.
Orange Bowl: Miami vs. Notre Dame
Fiesta Bowl- January 8th
The Fiesta Bowl is the first of the two semi-final match-ups. It will feature two winners from the quarterfinals.
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Indiana
Peach Bowl- January 8th
The Peach Bowl is the site for a semi-final match-up, which will feature the winners of two of the quarter-final games.
Peach Bowl: Miami vs. Oregon
CFP Title Game- January 19th
The culmination of the playoff comes on January 19th in Miami, Florida. The winner of the Peach Bowl and Fiesta Bowl will meet.
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CFP Title Game: Miami (FL) against Ohio State
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