ESPN releases 2023 preseason college football bowl projections

ESPN released its 2023 preseason college football bowl projections and there are some fascinating matchups that could happen at the end of the season.

All eyes are on the College Football Playoff in its final year before expansion. Sounds like we’ve been saying that all summer for the conferences too. Anyway, some familiar faces return to the top while there could be fresh playoff blood for enticing matchups.

Below are the bowl projections for the 2023 college football season, courtesy of ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach.

CFP National Championship

NRG Stadium (Houston)
Monday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Michigan

Bonagura is opting for Georgia against Alabama, an all-SEC final for all of the marbles. This started it all, at least for Georgia’s potential dynasty. Part three for the national title? Yes, please. Schlabach is throwing it back to two years ago with a rematch of a previous semifinal. This time, it looks like it’s between the two best teams on paper in the preseason. Time for Jim Harbaugh’s first title?

CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl

Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Monday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Michigan vs. USC

Michigan and Alabama sounds like a national title game on paper but this time, it’s just for a huge pile of roses. In all seriousness, this is one of the toughest matchups you can get for a College Football Playoff semifinal. But if that’s fun, then Michigan against USC might be better. Schlabach has the hard-nosed Wolverines from the north against the high-flying Trojans out west. Who wins that battle of attrition?

CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl

Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
Monday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Florida State
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Ohio State

The other semifinal in the Sugar Bowl features Georgia from both ESPN experts. Bonagura has Florida State being a first-timer in the final four, so we can assume the Seminoles win the ACC to get to the big dance. On the flip side, Schlabach has Georgia in as well, but a rematch with Ohio State is on the table. Just one year later, the Bulldogs and Buckeyes could put on another epic performance to get to the title game.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Friday, Dec. 29
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: USC vs. Kansas State
Schlabach: Texas vs. LSU

To kick off the other New Year’s Six games, USC and Kansas State is a fun matchup. Even amid realignment, we won’t see something like this regularly. The presumably favored Trojans against last year’s Big 12 champions? Not bad. Schlabach’s pick is something out of a movie though. The Longhorns don’t get to the playoff, but they get to the NY6. Taking on the LSU Tigers? This will be a pivotal game early in the tenures of both coaches.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Saturday, Dec. 30
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: LSU vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Clemson vs. Alabama

The Peach Bowl features LSU according to Bonagura, but the Tigers will get upstart Tulane. Tulane was ranked in the preseason AP Top 25, so put some respect on the Green Wave’s name. They took down USC on a big stage last year after all. But how about a former national championship matchup in Schlabach’s scenario? That sounds like fun. It’s not for all of the marbles, but it’s for a big title and a lot of bragging rights between the two powers.

Capital One Orange Bowl

Saturday, Dec. 30
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
4 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Florida State vs. Penn State

Clemson is featured again here, this time by Bonagura in the Orange Bowl, just where the Tigers were last season. But they’ll get Ohio State, in a CFP semifinal rematch from a few years ago. A nice consolation prize to the playoff. Schlabach has a great projection on paper because it’s a fresh matchup at this stage. Penn State and Florida State don’t get to the playoff, but the two schools get to battle it out on a New Year’s Six stage in a big year for both teams.

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Monday, Jan. 1
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
1 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Utah vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Washington vs. Tulane

Fiesta Bowl means party or something like that. How about those Utah Utes back on another big stage? They would love a crack at revenge against Penn State after last year’s Rose Bowl loss. But the other matchup from Schlabach, Washington has another successful season but unfortunately doesn’t get to the playoff. That’s okay, Tulane has a chance to upstage another Power Five opponent and fans are here for it.

Remaining Bowl Games:

Saturday, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Buffalo vs. Liberty
Schlabach: Eastern Michigan vs. Middle Tennessee

Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central
Schlabach: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Western Kentucky vs. Marshall
Schlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. Troy

Cure Bowl
Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisiana vs. Northern Illinois
Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. North Texas

New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: North Texas vs. San Jose State
Schlabach: New Mexico State vs. San Diego State

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UCLA vs. Boise State
Schlabach: UCLA vs. Boise State

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Cincinnati vs. Washington State
Schlabach: Baylor vs. Arizona

Monday, Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Troy
Schlabach: Ball State vs. Georgia Southern

Tuesday, Dec. 19
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Appalachian State vs. UNLV
Schlabach: Kansas vs. Air Force

Thursday, Dec. 21
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Ball State vs. Middle Tennessee
Schlabach: East Carolina vs. South Alabama

Friday, Dec. 22
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
6:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Duke vs. Missouri
Schlabach: Army vs. UAB

Saturday, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Auburn vs. UAB
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Florida Atlantic

Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UTEP vs. Florida Atlantic
Schlabach: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Army vs. Texas Tech
Schlabach: UTSA vs. Western Kentucky

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Buffalo vs. Wyoming

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
7 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Coastal Carolina vs. Eastern Michigan
Schlabach: Coastal Carolina vs. Toledo

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Oregon
Schlabach: Iowa vs. Oregon

EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UTSA vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: BYU vs. UNLV

Tuesday, Dec. 26
Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Purdue vs. Toledo
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Ohio

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. Air Force
Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Fresno State

Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Baylor
Schlabach: Illinois vs. UCF

Wednesday, Dec. 27
Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisville vs. SMU
Schlabach: Syracuse vs. Memphis

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Syracuse vs. Mississippi State
Schlabach: Miami vs. Kentucky

Holiday Bowl
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Bonagura: Miami vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Oregon State

TaxAct Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. Kentucky
Schlabach: Oklahoma vs. South Carolina

Thursday, Dec. 28
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Boston College vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Duke vs. SMU

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: NC State vs. Maryland
Schlabach: Wake Forest vs. Maryland

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Schlabach: Pitt vs. Kansas State

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: TCU vs. Washington
Schlabach: Texas Tech vs. Utah

Friday, Dec. 29
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Florida
Schlabach: NC State vs. Arkansas

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Pitt vs. Cal
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Washington State

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UCF vs. Arkansas
Schlabach: TCU vs. Mississippi State

Saturday, Dec. 30
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan State vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Ole Miss

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m.
Bonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. Wyoming
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. San Jose State

Monday, Jan. 1
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: North Carolina vs. Tennessee

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Wisconsin vs. Texas A&M