College Football Playoff: ESPN predicts 2024 12-team bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14

With the College Football Playoff a couple of weeks away, teams competed harder than ever to cement their spot in the 12-team playoff with rivalry week in the books. On Sunday, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach updated their 2024 playoff predictions and bowl projections after Week 14.

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 Notre Dame
Schlabach: No. 12 Alabama at No. 5 Notre Dame

Both ESPN experts have Notre Dame getting the fifth seed at this point. Now, that could change, but Notre Dame is 11-1 and doesn’t play a conference championship game. Seems locked in.

Schlabach has Alabama getting into the playoff with the very last seed, so it’s still possible. Meanwhile, Arizona State gets the Big 12 title but get in as the last seed due to a lower ranking.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

Bonagura: No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Texas

Two different matchups here as Bonagura goes with Miami still getting in despite two losses and no ACC Championship Game. They’ll head to Columbus to play Ohio State.

Schlabach is opting for Arizona State winning the Big 12 and getting into the playoff but won’t get the last seed. Still, they have to head to SEC runner up Texas.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

Bonagura: No. 10 Tennessee at No. 7 Penn State
Schlabach: No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Ohio State

Bonagura is going with Tennessee hitting the road to play Big Ten runner up Penn State in a first round playoff game. White out energy coming?

Schlabach opted for Indiana and Ohio State getting a rematch in the first round in Columbus. So Indiana heads back there for the second time. Can they pull off the upset this time?

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

Bonagura: No. 9 Indiana at No. 8 Georgia
Schlabach: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Penn State

For the final playoff quarterfinal, Georgia is Bonagura’s SEC runner up and will host Indiana in the first round. Good luck to the Hoosiers.

Tennessee will go to Penn State for Schlabach as well. However, he has them as the No. 9 and 8 seeds so the winner gets No. 1 Oregon.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl

Bonagura: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Boise State
Schlabach: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 4 Boise State

No difference in either writer’s playoff predictions going into the quarterfinals, at least at the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State and Notre Dame? Sign us up.

Boise State seems right at home in this bowl and will have earned a first round bye. Notre Dame got the win in the first round according to both writers and will have to deal with RB Ashton Jeanty.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Peach Bowl

Bonagura: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 SMU
Schlabach: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 3 SMU

Both writers opted for a six vs. three matchup with SMU winning the ACC over Clemson. In that case, SMU welcomes Ohio State or Texas (depending upon who you look at).

Either way, it’s tough to imagine SMU being a favorite in either contest. Still, if SMU rolls in at 12-1, it’ll be hard to underestimate Rhett Lashlee’s team in the playoff.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

Bonagura: No. 8 Georgia vs. No. 1 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 1 Oregon

Oregon is the projected Big Ten winner and gets the top seed in the playoff according to Bonagura and Schlabach. Schlabach has the Ducks taking on Georgia out in Pasadena. Scenes!

Bonagura opted for a Big Ten title game rematch in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl. It just feels right, although both teams are in the same conference rather than Big Ten vs. Pac-12.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

Bonagura: No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 2 Texas
Schlabach: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Georgia

In this playoff quarterfinal down in New Orleans, Penn State gets a first round win to set up a date with the Longhorns. In this scenario, Texas is the SEC Champion.

On the flip side, Georgia is the SEC champion and welcomes Ohio State for the quarterfinals. The last time these two met in the playoffs, it didn’t end well for the Buckeyes.

CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl

Bonagura: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Texas
Schlabach: No. 6 Texas vs. No. 2 Georgia

Bonagura goes with Ohio State over SMU to make the semifinals and get a matchup with Texas down in Miami. Texas beat Penn State in Bonagura’s projections.

Schlabach also has SMU losing in the quarterfinals of the playoffs, but it’s Texas getting the win. They’ll meet Georgia for an SEC Championship rematch as the Bulldogs beat Ohio State in the quarters.

CFP Semifinal at the Cotton Bowl

Bonagura: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 5 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Oregon

Both ESPN writers have the same matchup in the Cotton Bowl. Notre Dame gets by Boise State for both ESPN experts and will face the Ducks.

In these scenarios, Oregon gets by Georgia and Penn State (depending upon which writer you follow for playoff predictions). The Ducks would be two wins away from a perfect season and national title.

CFP National Championship

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

So Oregon’s making the College Football Playoff national championship in both scenarios. Notre Dame doesn’t get past the semifinals.

For Bonagura, Texas gets a win over Ohio State to meet the Ducks for the title. As for Schlabach, Texas loses for a third time to Georgia this season and can’t make the national championship game.

ESPN 2024 Bowl Season predictions after Week 14

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: Western Michigan 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: Arkansas State vs. South Florida
Schlabach: Coastal Carolina vs. East Carolina

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: Sam Houston vs. Georgia Southern
Schlabach: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia Southern

Friday, Dec. 20

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Coastal Carolina
Schlabach: South Florida vs. Marshall

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

Monday, Dec. 23

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

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Toledo 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: Western Kentucky vs. Western Michigan
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Ohio

Thursday, Dec. 26

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

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Nebraska vs. Texas Tech
Schlabach: Rutgers vs. Texas Tech

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Liberty 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: Memphis vs. Arkansas
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: Miami (Ohio) vs. Navy
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. Army

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

DirecTV Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m.
Bonagura: Syracuse vs. Washington State
Schlabach: Clemson 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. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: Memphis vs. Virginia Tech

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: Georgia Tech vs. Minnesota
Schlabach: Georgia Tech 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: Clemson vs. Iowa State
Schlabach: Miami vs. Iowa State

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Bonagura: Bowling Green vs. Fresno State
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. Colorado
Schlabach: BYU vs. Colorado

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

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. Missouri

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Pittsburgh vs. Washington
Schlabach: Louisville 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: Baylor vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Baylor vs. LSU

Thursday, Jan. 2

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

Friday, Jan. 3

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
4 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Marshall
Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Tulane

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

Saturday, Jan. 4

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