The fun continued in a wild college football season this past weekend, with five top-12 teams losing, which meant more shake-ups in our bowl matchups, from the College Football Playoff on down.
In addition to predicting the matchups for every single bowl game, Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura provide analysis on their playoff picks, most intriguing bowl matchup, fast-rising teams that could make a New Year's Six push and teams that helped or hurt their cause the most.
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. Georgia
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. Cincinnati
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
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: Georgia vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Iowa
Playoff breakdown
Bonagura: The only thing that remains clear is that Alabama and Georgia are the top two teams. Both of them turned in dominant wins against top-12 opponents (Alabama beat Ole Miss 42-21; Georgia beat Arkansas 37-0) and appear to have a healthy gap over the next tier of teams. There is a solid argument for Georgia at No. 1, but let's stick with Alabama until the Crimson Tide give us a reason for a recalibration.
At this point, any unbeaten Power 5 team deserves to be in the conversation for the other two spots, and that list includes Wake Forest, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Iowa and Kentucky. They're all 5-0, and then there's 4-0 Cincinnati, which is trying to become the first Group of 5 team to crash the party. At this point, pulling names from a hat can be just as effective as trying to use logic to decipher which two are the best. It'll get a bit easier next week after Iowa and Penn State play each other, but for now, we'll stick with the Nittany Lions from the Big Ten. And after its impressive win at No. 9 Notre Dame, Cincinnati gets the No. 4 slot.
Schlabach: Alabama and Georgia continued to pull away from the pack as the top two contenders for the CFP, although Iowa is holding its ground as well, whether others want to admit it or not. Georgia's defense was once again stifling in a 37-0 shutout of Arkansas at home. The Bulldogs shut out SEC opponents in back-to-back games for the first time since 1980 -- the last time they won a national title. According to data from ESPN Stats & Information, Georgia is the first team in at least 25 years to allow just one offensive touchdown in its first five games. Alabama was equally as impressive in its rout of Ole Miss, at least until the fourth quarter. Nick Saban improved to 24-0 against his former assistants, so Georgia's Kirby Smart might have to be the first one to beat his mentor if the Bulldogs are going to win the SEC.
Iowa manhandled previously unbeaten Maryland 51-14 on the road Friday night and continues to play stellar defense. I went with Oklahoma as my fourth team, even though Penn State is more deserving right now. I'm simply betting that OU coach Lincoln Riley gets his offense turned around by season's end, and the Sooners have an easier path to the CFP than a second Big Ten team or Cincinnati. Of course, Penn State can change my mind this coming week when they travel to Iowa in a Big Ten showdown.
New Year's Six
Dec. 30
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Oklahoma State vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Wake Forest vs. Ohio State
Jan. 1
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
1 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Coastal Carolina vs. Wake Forest
Schlabach: Arizona State vs. Cincinnati
Bonagura's take: Coastal Carolina vs. Wake Forest feels like it should be played on a Thursday night in late August. That's what's so fascinating about the idea of these teams playing in a New Year's Six bowl game. It's the type of scenario that would have popped up in a simulated dynasty in "NCAA Football 21," not real life. Here's to hoping life imitates art.
Rose Bowl Game
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
5 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Arizona State
Schlabach: Penn State vs. Oregon
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
8:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kentucky vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Ole Miss vs. Texas
Team knocking on the door of the NY6
Bonagura: BYU is in an interesting position. As an independent, the Cougars don't qualify for the Group of 5 spot for the New Year's Six, leaving them to compete for one of the three at-large spots (assuming they're not in the playoff). It's hard to imagine a scenario in which an undefeated record doesn't merit an NY6 spot, but a single loss likely closes the door. Either way, BYU is 5-0 and the Cougars will expect to win every game left on their schedule.
Schlabach: Texas was all but left for dead after its 40-21 loss at Arkansas. But the Longhorns rebounded quickly under first-year coach Steve Sarkisian and they've scored 160 points in three straight victories, including 32-27 at TCU on Saturday. It was the Longhorns' first victory in Fort Worth since 2013. Sarkisian is doing what his predecessor, Tom Herman, didn't by riding tailback Bijan Robinson's shoulders. He ran 35 times for 216 yards with two touchdowns against the Horned Frogs. If Texas can knock off Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry game in Dallas on Saturday, it will be right back in the Big 12 title and CFP hunts.
Bowl season
Dec. 17
Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Toledo vs. UAB
Schlabach: Kent State vs. Florida Atlantic
Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
6 p.m. on ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Appalachian State vs. Liberty
Schlabach: Army vs. UAB
Team that helped its cause the most
Bonagura: South Bend provided the perfect stage for Cincinnati to legitimize itself as a playoff contender. The Bearcats' 24-13 win against Notre Dame left no doubt who the better team was, while quarterback Desmond Ridder elevated his game for the occasion. It was the Bearcats' last chance to make a statement before American Athletic Conference play begins this week ... and they did.
Schlabach: Jim Harbaugh's return to Michigan hasn't gone exactly as planned, but the former Wolverines quarterback seems to be pushing all the right buttons this season. The Wolverines rolled past Wisconsin 38-17 on Saturday for their first victory at Camp Randall Stadium since 2001. Bringing in new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, a former Ravens assistant, has been a home run hire so far. The Wolverines limited the Badgers to only 43 rushing yards on 32 carries. After relying heavily on its running game in the first four games, Michigan opened it up a bit against Wisconsin. Quarterback Cade McNamara completed 17 of 28 passes for 197 yards with two scores. The Wolverines still face four potentially difficult Big Ten road games (at Nebraska, Michigan State, Penn State and Maryland) before closing the season against Ohio State at home on Nov. 27.
Dec. 18
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida Atlantic vs. Houston
Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. San Jose State
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Jackson State vs. Norfolk State
Schlabach: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State
New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Nevada vs. Central Michigan
Schlabach: Wyoming vs. Utah
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: BYU vs. Texas-San Antonio
Schlabach: BYU vs. Texas-San Antonio
LendingTree Bowl
Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: South Alabama vs. Western Kentucky
Schlabach: South Alabama vs. Western Michigan
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Stanford vs. San Diego State
Schlabach: Washington vs. San Diego State
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisiana vs. Charlotte
Schlabach: Louisiana vs. Louisiana Tech
Dec. 20
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Temple vs. Louisiana Tech
Schlabach: Charlotte vs. Coastal Carolina
Dec. 21
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Western Michigan vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Toledo vs. Boise State
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
7:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Air Force vs. UTEP
Schlabach: Utah State vs. UTEP
Dec. 22
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. SMU
Schlabach: Texas Tech vs. Air Force
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: Central Florida vs. Miami
Dec. 24
EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Hawaii vs. Louisiana Monroe
Schlabach: Nevada vs. SMU
Dec. 25
Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Northern Illinois vs. San Jose State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. Troy
Dec. 27
Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. Kent State
Schlabach: Purdue vs. Northern Illinois
Military Bowl presented by Peraton
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Virginia vs. Central Florida
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Memphis
Dec. 28
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Protective Life Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Tennessee vs. USC
Schlabach: Tennessee vs. East Carolina
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
3:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: East Carolina vs. Army
Schlabach: Houston vs. Virginia
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
6:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas Tech vs. LSU
Schlabach: TCU vs. Mississippi State
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m. on Fox
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Utah
Schlabach: NC State vs. USC
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
10:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Purdue vs. TCU
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Kansas State
Dec. 29
Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Miami vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Temple
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Maryland vs. Pittsburgh
Schlabach: Rutgers vs. Boston College
Cheez-It Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Notre Dame
Schlabach: Baylor vs. Notre Dame
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas vs. Oregon
Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Stanford
Dec. 30
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
11:30 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Auburn vs. Boston College
Schlabach: Texas A&M vs. North Carolina
Schlabach's take: North Carolina and Texas A&M haven't lived up to their lofty preseason expectations so far, but it's always fun when Mack Brown gets to face the Aggies, even if the teams just played in the last postseason. The Aggies beat the short-handed Tar Heels 41-27 in the Discover Orange Bowl at the end of the 2020 season. Texas A&M has dropped two straight games and is struggling mightily on offense. It will probably be three losses in a row after Saturday's home game against No. 1 Alabama. At least the Aggies locked up Jimbo Fisher through the 2031 season.
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
3 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Minnesota
Schlabach: Auburn vs. Minnesota
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
10:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Maryland vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: Maryland vs. UCLA
Dec. 31
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida vs. NC State
Schlabach: Arkansas vs. Clemson
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
12:30 p.m. on CBS
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. UCLA
Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Oregon State
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
5:30 p.m.
Bonagura: Buffalo vs. Utah State
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Fresno State
Jan. 1
Outback Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon on ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan State vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: Michigan State vs. Florida
Team that hurt its cause the most
Bonagura: Oregon. Coming into the week, the Ducks were ranked No. 3 and had a clear path to the playoff, but a 31-24 overtime loss to Stanford completely removes them from the discussion. If they run the table, they'll ultimately be in the mix, but after watching this team struggle against Arizona and Stanford in back-to-back weeks, it's hard to imagine a world in which Oregon is being capable of that.
Schlabach: After nearly knocking off Alabama 31-29 at home, Florida's path to a New Year's Six bowl seemed pretty clear. As long as the Gators took care of business against the teams they were supposed to beat, they might have been able to still reach a New Year's Six game even if they lost to Georgia in Jacksonville, Florida. With losses to only Alabama and Georgia, Florida would have probably been very much in the mix at 10-2. After losing 20-13 at Kentucky on Saturday, however, the Gators have absolutely no margin for error and will probably have to defeat the Bulldogs for a second season in a row. It was Kentucky's first home victory against Florida since 1986. The Gators had 15 penalties for 115 yards, including eight false starts, and went just 4-for-13 on third down.
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Arkansas vs. Michigan
Schlabach: Kentucky vs. Michigan
Jan. 4
Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
Time TBD on ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Baylor vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. LSU