CBS Sports releases College Football Playoff, bowl projections for 2023 season

CBS Sports unveiled some updated college football bowl projections for the 2023 season, right down the four-team College Football Playoff field. The four teams at the top — Georgia, Michigan, Alabama and Ohio State —  aren’t terribly surprising, though some of the games down the list are eye-catching.

These bowl projections, done by CBS Sports’ projection guru Jerry Palm, include every single bowl game on the schedule. And from the Bahamas Bowls to the College Football Playoff, there are some intriguing matchups.

It will all culminate with the national championship game on Jan. 8, 2024 — but not before a smorgasbord of college football.

Sugar Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal): Georgia vs. Ohio State

A rematch of the 2022 Peach Bowl semifinal is in the cards in Palm’s predictions. But it’ll be two very different looking teams squaring off were the Bulldogs and Buckeyes to match up again.

Both teams will feature new quarterbacks as Stetson Bennett and C.J. Stroud are both in the NFL. But with oodles of talent up and down both rosters, it’s not a stretch by any means to think these two squads will be back in the College Football Playoff.

Rose Bowl (College Football Playoff semifinal): Michigan vs. Alabama

A Michigan-Alabama Rose Bowl in the 2023 College Football Playoff would have no shortage of juicy storylines. Michigan trying to break through its semifinal glass ceiling, Alabama playing to regain some supremacy in the sport, the Wolverines first Rose Bowl since 2007 and the Crimson Tide’s first in California since 1946 are just scratching the surface of what would be at stake. (Alabama played in the 2020 Rose Bowl semifinal that was moved to Arlington, Texas, due to Covid.)

The last time these two teams met — the 2020 Citrus Bowl — was a fairly competitive game for a half until Alabama reeled off 21 unanswered in the second half to win, 35-16. With a national title berth on the line, a rematch could be a doozy.

Fiesta Bowl: USC vs. Boise State

“Boise State” and “Fiesta Bowl” are two phrases that together should make an opposing coach shudder. But in this instance, Lincoln Riley and USC would be running out Caleb Williams, in an ideal world.

In a year where USC is gunning for a playoff berth, this could be a prime game for Andy Avalos and the Broncos to pickoff a big-time bowl win. And another iconic Fiesta Bowl for the Boise State football record books could be in the cards, according to the CBS Sports bowl projections.

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. LSU

A rematch of a rematch, the Seminoles and Tigers meeting up in the Orange Bowl would carry immense intrigue. And it could be a rubber match, depending on how the season-opening bout for both squads plays out in Orlando in early September.

After Florida State won on a blocked PAT in the 2022 season opener, the Tigers are surely out for blood. And no matter what happens in Week 1, an Orange Bowl trophy always looks good in the trophy cabinet.

Peach Bowl: Clemson vs. Texas

While Clemson fans might be bummed about a third-straight College Football Playoff miss, a chance to beat a surging Texas team is a decent consolation. And for the Longhorns, a return to the New Years Six stage would be a big step in the Steve Sarkisian era.

This matchup would also feature a battle of former Texas HS quarterbacks in Cade Klubnik for Clemson and Quinn Ewers for Texas. All the makings of a great New Years Six game are in the offing with these two squads.

Cotton Bowl: Penn State vs. Kansas State

Kansas State would make it back-to-back New Years Six bowls with a Cotton Bowl appearance after being selected for the Sugar Bowl a season ago. Same goes for the Nittany Lions, last season’s Rose Bowl winners, though they might be stung by missing the College Football Playoff.

Drew Allar and Will Howard are two potentially bright young stars at quarterback. And the combined running back talent between the squads — Treshaun Ward, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen — is impressive.

Non-New Years Six bowls in the CBS Sports bowl projection

Jan. 1
Citrus Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs. Texas A&M

Dec. 30
Arizona Bowl: UNLV vs. Northern Illinois
Music City Bowl: Maryland vs. Arkansas

Dec. 29
Liberty Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Kentucky
Sun Bowl: Louisville vs. UCLA
Gator Bowl: Miami vs. Ole Miss

Dec. 28
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Washington
Pop-Tarts Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma State
Pinstripe Bowl: N.C. State vs. Illinois
Fenway Bowl: Boston College vs. Navy

Dec. 27
Texas Bowl: TCU vs. South Carolina
Holiday Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Utah
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs. Auburn
Military Bowl: Syracuse vs. Memphis

Dec. 26
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Baylor vs. Minnesota
First Responder Bowl: UTSA vs. Western Kentucky
Quick Lane Bowl: Michigan State vs. Miami (OH)

Dec. 23
Hawai’i Bowl: Fresno State vs. FAU
Law Vegas Bowl: Purdue vs. Oregon
68 Ventures Bowl: Middle Tennessee State vs. Georgia Southern
Idaho Potato Bowl: Buffalo vs. Wyoming
Armed Forces Bowl: UCF vs. Appalachian State
Camellia Bowl: East Carolina vs. James Madison
Birmingham Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State

Dec. 22
Gasparilla Bowl: Duke vs. South Alabama

Dec. 21
Boca Raton Bowl: UConn vs. Coastal Carolina

Dec. 19
Frisco Bowl: SMU vs. Ohio

Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Troy vs. Toledo

Dec. 16
Independence Bowl: Missouri vs. Tulane
Los Angeles Bowl: Air Force vs. Oregon State
New Mexico Bowl: San Diego State vs. UTEP
Cure Bowl: North Texas vs. Marshall
New Orleans Bowl: Liberty vs. Louisiana
Bahamas Bowl: New Mexico State vs. Eastern Michigan

There’s no telling quite how these projections will turn out as the twists and turns of the season unfold and the College Football Playoff field gets decided. But with these CBS Sports bowl projections, one thing is sure: College football isn’t too far away.