The 2021 college football season is just about ready to kick off, and while there are sure to be innumerable twists, turns, thrills and chills along the way, we’re going to skip the main course and head right to the dessert table by predicting all 44 bowl matchups, including the College Football Playoff semifinals and CFP National Championship game.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach have dusted off their crystal balls and made their preseason picks, and will continue to hone their bowl forecasts as the season progresses. But for now, here’s how they see bowl season shaping up.
All times Eastern
College Football Playoff
CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Jan. 10, 8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Georgia
CFP Semifinal at Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Clemson
CFP Semifinal at Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
Dec. 31, 3:30 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
Bowl Season
Dec. 17
Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Toledo vs. FAU
Schlabach: Ball State vs. FAU
Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
6 p.m. on ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Charlotte vs. Houston
Schlabach: Tulane vs. Western Kentucky
Dec. 18
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: East Carolina vs. Miami (Ohio)
Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Memphis
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alcorn State vs. South Carolina State
Schlabach: Alcorn State vs. South Carolina State
New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wyoming vs. Eastern Michigan
Schlabach: San Jose State vs. Kent State
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Marshall vs. BYU
Schlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. BYU
LendingTree Bowl
Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Arkansas State vs. Western Michigan
Schlabach: Georgia State vs. Western Michigan
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Colorado vs. San Jose State
Schlabach: UCLA vs. Boise State
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina
Schlabach: Louisiana vs. Marshall
Dec. 20
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Kent State
Schlabach: Tulsa vs. Coastal Carolina
Dec. 21
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Buffalo vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: Toledo vs. San Diego State
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
7:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: SMU vs. North Texas
Schlabach: SMU vs. Wyoming
Dec. 22
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Army vs. Middle Tennessee
Schlabach: Army vs. UTEP
Dec. 23
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: South Carolina vs. Louisville
Schlabach: Virginia vs. Troy
Dec. 24
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Nevada vs. Stanford
Schlabach: Fresno State vs. California
Dec. 25
Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Southern Miss. vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Southern Miss. vs. Liberty
Dec. 27
Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Purdue vs. Ball State
Schlabach: Maryland vs. Ohio
Military Bowl presented by Peraton
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: NC State vs. UCF
Schlabach: Navy vs. Louisville
Dec. 28
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Legion Field (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Tulsa
Schlabach: Mississippi State vs. UAB
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
3:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: West Virginia vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Houston vs. Air Force
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
6:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Arkansas vs. Texas Tech
Schlabach: Arkansas vs. West Virginia
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m. on Fox
Bonagura: Arizona State vs. Pitt
Schlabach: Stanford vs. NC State
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
10:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Baylor vs. Michigan State
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. Minnesota
Dec. 29
Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Virginia vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Florida State vs. UCF
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Boston College
Schlabach: Northwestern vs. Virginia Tech
Cheez-It Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Oklahoma State vs. Miami
Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. North Carolina
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas vs. Washington
Schlabach: Texas vs. Washington
Dec. 30
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
11:30 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: Kentucky vs. Pittsburgh
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
3 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Auburn vs. Northwestern
Schlabach: Auburn vs. Indiana
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati
Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
10:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Utah vs. Indiana
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Arizona State
Dec. 31
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Ole Miss vs. North Carolina
Schlabach: Ole Miss vs. Miami
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
12:30 p.m. on CBS
Bonagura: UCLA vs. Wake Forest
Schlabach: Utah vs. Boston College
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
5:30 p.m.
Bonagura: Central Michigan vs. Boise State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. Nevada
Jan. 1
Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon on ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: LSU vs. Iowa
Schlabach: LSU vs. Penn State
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Florida vs. Iowa
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
1 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: USC vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Oregon vs. Cincinnati
Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
5 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Schlabach: Ohio State vs. USC
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
8:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Georgia
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Texas A&M
Jan. 4
Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
Time TBD on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: TCU vs. Missouri
Schlabach: TCU vs. Missouri
Date TBD
Redbox Bowl
Site TBD
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. California
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Colorado
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