College Football Playoff: ESPN predicts 2024 12-team bracket, full bowl slate after Week 13

With the College Football Playoff just over the horizon, teams are competing harder than ever to cement their spot in the 12-team playoff. On Sunday, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach updated their 2024 playoff predictions and bowl projections after Week 13.

In the new expanded playoff format, the five highest ranked conference champions will receive automatic bids with the highest four ranked of those teams getting first-round byes. The remaining eight teams will play each other for the right to move on with the No. 5 through No. 8 teams all getting to host home games.

After that, the four winners from those games will advance to face the top four seeds in the quarterfinals. The quarterfinal and semifinals games will make up the traditional New Year’s Six bowl games, culminating with the national championship on Jan. 20.

You can view the full 2024 College Football Playoff projections from ESPN below.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #1

Bonagura: No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 12 SMU at No. 5 Ohio State

Both ESPN writers have Ohio State making the playoff as the No. 5 seed, just missing out on the Big Ten title. They’ll host Arizona State or SMU.

These will be fascinating matchups either way, since both teams seem to be flying under the radar outside the Big Ten and SEC. But Ohio State should be a heavy favorite in either game.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

Bonagura: No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Notre Dame
Schlabach: No. 11 Indiana at No. 6 Notre Dame

Notre Dame just keeps climbing the playoff rankings and Bonagura and Schlabach have them at the No. 6 seed. Hosting a playoff game in South Bend is pure cinema.

In one case, they’ll host SMU, the eventual ACC champion per Bonagura. But the Mustangs don’t get a first round bye. Elsewhere, Indiana going to Notre Dame would be quite the matchup.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

Bonagura: No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Penn State
Schlabach: No. 10 Arizona State at No. 7 Penn State

Penn State is locked in at the seventh seed in the playoff per both of ESPN’s writers. The Nittany Lions, albeit close to losing Saturday, are cruising right now at 10-1. They’re in a great position.

Tennessee gets back in at No. 10 for Bonagura after the SEC chaos of Week 13. Meanwhile, Arizona State might be the hottest team in the land right now.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

Bonagura: No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Georgia
Schlabach: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Texas

For the final first round game, it’s a toss up between two SEC teams hosting. The non-SEC winner gets the No. 8 seed and a home game.

Bonagura has a brutal matchup on paper: Indiana at Georgia. Meanwhile, Schlabach has an all SEC affair in Tennessee going to Texas.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl

Bonagura: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Boise State
Schlabach: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Boise State

The Broncos get a first round bye for both writers in their playoff projections. Winning the Mountain West and finishing with just one loss gives them a great shot.

However, here comes Ohio State. If the Buckeyes limit Ashton Jeanty, it could be a long day for Boise State. Too bad this game isn’t on the blue turf but Boise State’s seen magic in this bowl before.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Peach Bowl

Bonagura: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Miami
Schlabach: No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 2 Miami

Both writers have Miami playing in the Peach Bowl, albeit in different seedings. Notre Dame can certainly match if not exceed Miami’s physicality, so that’ll be an interesting matchup.

Penn State and Miami seem to be opposites going into the playoff. Gotta wonder if Cam Ward can gash the Nittany Lions or PSU makes it ugly.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

Bonagura: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 1 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 8 Texas vs. No. 1 Oregon

Both have Oregon as the No. 1 seed and playing an SEC foe in the Rose Bowl. Oh boy, get your popcorn ready. Can you imagine these matchups?

The Ducks will be the favorite, even on a neutral site. But in either of these scenarios, the winner of this game could very well win it all.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

Bonagura: No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 2 Texas
Schlabach: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Georgia

Elsewhere, the Sugar Bowl will contain the SEC champion playing a non-SEC foe. For Bonagura, a quarterfinal playoff matchup between Penn State and Texas should be fun banter. Who gets over the hump?

Notre Dame playing Georgia in what could be a hostile environment in New Orleans should make for great theater. Although, don’t count out the Irish based on how they’re playing right now.

CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl

Bonagura: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Texas
Schlabach: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Miami

Now we’re into the good stuff. Both writers have their two seed advancing. In one case, it’s Texas playing Notre Dame down in South Florida.

On the flip side, Schlabach has a wild playoff matchup between Georgia and Miami. Despite playing dangerously, can the Hurricanes win one more to play for the ultimate prize?

CFP Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl

Bonagura: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon

In the Cotton Bowl, it’s Oregon and Ohio State in both cases. Both writers have them as the No. 1 and 5 seeds in this bracket.

This’ll be the third matchup between the two schools based on projections. Oregon won the previous two in this scenario and will have to go for No. 3 to get to national championship.

CFP National Championship

Bonagura: No. 2 Texas vs. No. 1 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 1 Oregon

In the end, Oregon stays undefeated and wins a second playoff game to get to the national championship. Who will they face? Well, it’s an SEC team.

Bonagura has Texas making it a 1 vs. 2 matchup while Schlabach is opting with Georgia. The Bulldogs would go for their third title in four years.

ESPN 2024 Bowl Season predictions after Week 13

Saturday, Dec. 14

Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State
Schlabach: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State

Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: East Carolina vs. James Madison
Schlabach: Ohio vs. Arkansas State

Tuesday, Dec. 17

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Texas State vs. North Texas
Schlabach: Northern Illinois vs. North Texas

Wednesday, Dec. 18

Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Georgia Southern vs. South Florida
Schlabach: Louisiana vs. South Florida

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: California vs. UNLV
Schlabach: California vs. UNLV

Thursday, Dec. 19

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
7 p.m., ESPN2
Bonagura: Jacksonville State vs. Marshall
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Georgia Southern

Friday, Dec. 20

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Western Kentucky vs. Arkansas State
Schlabach: East Carolina vs. Marshall

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Oklahoma vs. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: Vanderbilt vs. NC State

Monday, Dec. 23

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
11 a.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Bowling Green vs. UConn
Schlabach: UTSA vs. South Alabama

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Buffalo vs. San José State
Schlabach: Toledo vs. Fresno State

Tuesday, Dec. 24

Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Sam Houston vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Western Kentucky vs. New Mexico

Thursday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Michigan State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. UConn

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Rutgers vs. TCU
Schlabach: Rutgers vs. Kansas State

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Northern Illinois vs. South Alabama
Schlabach: Jacksonville State vs. James Madison

Friday, Dec. 27

Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon or 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: NC State vs. Florida
Schlabach: North Carolina vs. Arkansas

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
Noon or 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: West Virginia vs. Navy
Schlabach: Baylor vs. Army

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
7 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Baylor vs. Arkansas
Schlabach: TCU vs. Florida

DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m.
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Colorado
Schlabach: Duke vs. Washington State

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
10:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Missouri vs. USC
Schlabach: Texas A&M vs. USC

Saturday, Dec. 28

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Tulane vs. North Carolina
Schlabach: Tulane vs. Pittsburgh

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: Georgia Tech vs. Nebraska
Schlabach: Syracuse vs. Minnesota

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Colorado State vs. UTSA
Schlabach: Colorado State vs. Texas State

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Duke vs. Iowa State
Schlabach: Clemson vs. Iowa State

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Bonagura: Toledo vs. New Mexico
Schlabach: Buffalo vs. San José State

Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Boston College vs. Army
Schlabach: Boston College vs. Navy

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
7:30 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: BYU vs. Washington State
Schlabach: BYU vs. Colorado

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Kansas vs. Louisiana
Schlabach: West Virginia vs. Oklahoma

Monday, Dec. 30

TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. South Carolina
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Ole Miss

Tuesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: Iowa vs. Alabama

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Pittsburgh vs. Washington
Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Washington

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Alabama
Schlabach: Illinois vs. South Carolina

Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Texas Tech vs. LSU

Thursday, Jan. 2

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Louisville vs. LSU
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Missouri

Friday, Jan. 3

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
4 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Texas Tech vs. Vanderbilt
Schlabach: Kansas vs. Memphis

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Syracuse vs. Michigan
Schlabach: Georgia Tech vs. Nebraska

Saturday, Jan. 4

Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN2
Bonagura: Liberty vs. Miami (Ohio)
Schlabach: Sam Houston vs. Bowling Green