Updated
Updated · Sports Illustrated · Aug 25
Sports Illustrated Projects 35 Bowl Games for 70 FBS Teams Ahead of Week Zero
Updated
Updated · Sports Illustrated · Aug 25

Sports Illustrated Projects 35 Bowl Games for 70 FBS Teams Ahead of Week Zero

3 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Aug 25

Summary

  • Sports Illustrated mapped out all 35 non-College Football Playoff bowl matchups for 2026-27, projecting 70 FBS teams into the postseason before Week Zero kicks off.
  • The forecast spans the full bowl calendar from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2, with projected pairings including Alabama vs. Penn State in the Citrus Bowl and Texas A&M vs. Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl.
  • Other notable picks include Washington vs. Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl, Florida vs. SMU in the Gator Bowl and TCU vs. Tennessee in the Texas Bowl.
  • The outlet said its projected College Football Playoff bracket will come later this week, leaving these 35 games as its initial snapshot of the broader postseason picture.

Insights

With realignment shaking up college football, which powerhouse program is poised to completely shatter these early bowl projections this season?
Before a single snap, early bowl projections are set, but which dark horse team will crash the party and ruin these preseason predictions?
How will the debut of the Puerto Rico Bowl and shifting conference tie-ins rewrite the traditional postseason landscape by January?