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2025 Bowl Projections after Week 8: Notre Dame, Georgia Tech Rising in Playoff Field
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- 2025 Bowl Projections after Week 8: Notre Dame, Georgia Tech Rising in Playoff Field
(© Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images)
College football's Week 8 schedule produced several results that significantly altered the
projected playoff field and bowl projections
following Saturday's action. Ohio State remains the No. 1 seed after its win at Wisconsin, with Indiana moving to No. 2 after Miami's loss to Louisville on Friday night. Alabama jumps to the No. 3 projected seed after coach Kalen DeBoer's squad picked up a massive victory over Tennessee.
Week 8 results also impacted bowl games outside of the College Football Playoff. With the SEC projected to only have four playoff teams (down from six last week), the pecking order within the conference is shuffled. LSU and Tennessee join the bowls outside of the playoff, with Vanderbilt also on the rise. Florida State tumbles in the ACC pecking order after its loss to Stanford on Saturday night.
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Just missing the bowl projections after Week 8: South Carolina, Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Kennesaw State, Syracuse, UCF, Washington State, San Jose State, Bowling Green, Rice, Florida Atlantic, New Mexico, Arkansas State, Kansas State, Colorado, New Mexico State, Liberty, ULM, Wyoming, FIU, and Coastal Carolina.
How will the postseason matchups look by December? Below are Athlon Sports' preseason predictions for every bowl and playoff game in 2025-26 after Week 8:
College Football Bowl Projections for 2025-26 (After Week 8)
LA Bowl (Dec. 13)
Location:SoFi Bowl in Inglewood, Calif.
Tie-In:Mountain West vs. Pac-12
Projection:Boise State vs. Washington
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IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (Dec. 16)
Location:Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
Tie-In:MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection:Jacksonville State* vs. Western Michigan
Cure Bowl (Dec. 17)
Location:Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In:Sun Belt vs. AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection:James Madison vs. Toledo
68 Ventures Bowl (Dec. 17)
Location:Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.
Tie-In: Sun Belt/AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection:Temple vs. Marshall
Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 19)
Location:Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C.
Tie-In: Sun Belt vs. AAC/CUSA/MAC
Projection:Georgia Southern vs. UConn
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Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 19)
Location:Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Tie-In:ACC vs. SEC
Projection:Auburn vs. Memphis
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 22)
Location:Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho
Tie-In:MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection:Buffalo vs. Utah State
Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 23)
Location:Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.
Tie-In:AAC/CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection:North Texas vs. Old Dominion
New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 23)
Location:Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Tie-In:Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Projection:Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss
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Frisco Bowl (Dec. 23)
Location:TBD in Frisco, Texas
Tie-In:AAC/CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt
Projection:UTSA vs. Appalachian State
Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24)
Location:Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii
Tie-In:American vs. Mountain West
Projection:East Carolina vs. Hawaii
GameAbove Sports Bowl (Dec. 26)
Location:Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
Tie-In:Big Ten vs. MAC
Projection:Maryland vs. Ohio
Rate Bowl (Dec. 26)
Location:Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz.
Tie-In:Big 12 vs. Big Ten
Projection:Baylor vs. Northwestern
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First Responder Bowl (Dec. 26)
Location:Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas
Tie-In:Big 12/AAC/CUSA/ACC
Projection:Wake Forest vs. Fresno State
Military Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:Navy-Marine Corps Stadium in Annapolis, Md.
Tie-In:ACC vs. American
Projection:Duke vs. Navy
Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.
Tie-In:ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection:Florida State vs. Iowa
Fenway Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.
Tie-In:ACC vs. American
Projection:NC State vs. Tulane
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Pop-Tarts Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In:ACC vs. Big 12
Projection:Louisville vs. BYU
Arizona Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:Arizona Stadium in Tucson, Ariz.
Tie-In:MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection:Central Michigan vs. San Diego State
New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:University Stadium in Albuquerque, N.M.
Tie-In:Conference USA vs. Mountain West
Projection:Texas State* vs. UNLV
Gator Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.
Tie-In:ACC vs. SEC
Projection:SMU vs. Vanderbilt
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Texas Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location:NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas
Tie-In:Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection:TCU vs. Missouri
Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 29)
Location:Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Ala.
Tie-In:ACC/American vs. SEC
Projection:Troy* vs. Mississippi State
Independence Bowl (Dec. 30)
Location: Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.
Tie-In:American vs. Pac-12/Big 12
Projection:California vs. Kansas
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Location:Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.
Tie-In:Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection:Minnesota vs. Tennessee
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Alamo Bowl (Dec. 30)
Location:Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
Tie-In:Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection:Iowa State vs. USC
ReliaQuest Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location:Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
Tie-In:Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection:Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
Sun Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location:Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas
Tie-In:ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection:Clemson vs. Arizona
Citrus Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location:Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.
Tie-In:Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection:Michigan vs. Texas
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Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location:Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
Tie-In:Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection:Illinois vs. Arizona State
Armed Forces Bowl (Jan. 2)
Location:Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas
Tie-In:Big 12 vs. AAC/CUSA
Projection:Houston vs. Army
Liberty Bowl (Jan. 2)
Location:Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis, Tenn.
Tie-In:Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection:Cincinnati vs. Florida
Duke's Mayo Bowl (Jan. 2)
Location:Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
Tie-In:ACC vs. SEC
Projection:Virginia vs. LSU
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Holiday Bowl (Jan. 2)
Location:Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Tie-In:ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection:Pitt vs. Utah
Bahamas Bowl (TBD)
Location:TBD
Tie-In:Conference USA vs. MAC
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Miami (Ohio)
College Football Playoff
College Football Playoff First Round
Games to be played on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20. Contests will be played at home site of higher-ranked team.
No. 5 Texas A&M vs. No. 12 South Florida
No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 11 Notre DameNo. 7 Miami vs. No. 10 Georgia Tech
No. 8 Ole Miss vs. No. 9 Texas Tech
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College Football Playoff Quarterfinals
Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location:AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Projection:No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 7 Miami
Orange Bowl (Jan. 1)
Location:Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Projection:No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 5 Texas A&M
Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)
Location:Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.
Projection:No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Ole Miss
Sugar Bowl (Jan. 1)
Location:Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La.
Projection:No. 3 Alabama vs. No. 6 Oregon
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Semifinals
Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 8)
Location:State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Projection:No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Georgia
Peach Bowl (Jan. 9)
Location:Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga.
Projection:No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 3 Alabama
National Championship
Date:Jan. 19, 2026
Location:Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Projection:Ohio State over Alabama
*Indicates conference not projected to fulfill all of its bowl tie-ins. An at-large team will be selected to fill those spots.
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Related: Top 25 Predictions: How the AP Poll Could Shake Out After Week 8
Related: It's Time to Talk About Vanderbilt as a College Football Playoff Contender
Related: College Football 2025 Midseason All-America Team
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
