Post-Week 2 Bowl Projections: Impact of Wins and Losses on Playoff Picture

Week 2 gave us a finish that will be remembered for years, plus shocking upsets that impacted this week's bowl game and playoff projections.

In the only top-25 matchup of the week, then-No. 4 Texas made a jaw-dropping 20-point comeback against then-No. 1 Ohio State in an ending that wowed viewers, as the Longhorns jumped seeds in this week's playoff projections. Oklahoma State and Michigan delivered big blows in Week 2 as Oregon fell out of our playoff projections, and the Wolverines' impressive win over then-No. 11 Oklahoma shifted the bowl picture.

New to the 2026 season, the Power 4 conference champions will get automatic bids to the CFP, along with the highest-ranked Group of 6 team regardless of whether it is a league champ. The remaining slots in the 12-team field will go to the next seven highest-ranked teams. Notre Dame is guaranteed a spot in the field if it is among the top-12 teams.

The four highest-ranked teams (not necessarily conference champions) will be awarded first-round byes. The other eight teams will meet in first-round games at the campus sites of seeds 5 through 8.

The festivities of bowl season kick off with the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Saturday, Dec. 12, and wrap up with the CFP National Championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, Jan. 25.

ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach will project all the postseason matchups every week of the season until the actual matchups are set Sunday, Dec. 6.

All times Eastern

Jump to:

First-round games | Quarterfinals

Semis, title game | Bowl season

College Football Playoff

First-round games (at campus sites)

Friday, Dec. 18

8 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, Dec. 19

Noon, ABC/ESPN

3:30 p.m., TNT

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State

Schlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Miami

Bonagura: No. 11 BYU at No. 6 LSU

Schlabach: No. 11 Texas A&M at No. 6 LSU

Bonagura: No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 7 Miami

Schlabach: No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 7 Ohio State

Bonagura: No. 9 Texas A&M at No. 8 Alabama

Schlabach: No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 BYU

Wednesday, Dec. 30

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Georgia

Schlabach: No. 5 Miami vs. No. 4 Indiana

Friday, Jan. 1

Time slots for quarterfinals at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl to be determined on Selection Day (Dec. 6)

Quarterfinals Game 2

Noon, TNT

Bonagura: No. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Notre Dame

Schlabach: No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 1 Texas

Quarterfinals Game 3

4 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura: No. 6 LSU vs. No. 3 Texas

Schlabach: No. 6 LSU vs. No. 3 Notre Dame

Quarterfinals Game 4

8 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 2 Indiana

Schlabach: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Georgia

Thursday, Jan. 14

Capital One Orange Bowl

Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

7:30 p.m., TNT

Bonagura: No. 3 Texas vs. No. 2 Indiana

Schlabach: No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia

Friday, Jan. 15

Allstate Sugar Bowl

Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura: No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 1 Notre Dame

Schlabach: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Texas

Monday, Jan. 25

CFP National Championship

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)

7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPN

Bonagura: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Notre Dame

Schlabach: No.4 Indiana vs. No. 2 Georgia

Saturday, Dec. 12

Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura: South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&M

Schlabach: South Carolina State vs. Alabama State

Tuesday, Dec. 15

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl

Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: FIU vs. Louisiana Tech

Schlabach: UMass vs. Louisiana

Frisco Football Classic

The Star (Frisco, Texas)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Michigan State vs. Louisiana

Schlabach: Memphis vs. North Dakota State

Friday, Dec. 18

Boca Raton Bowl

Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)

11 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Liberty vs. Tulsa

Schlabach: East Carolina vs. Western Michigan

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Vanderbilt vs. South Florida

Schlabach: Georgia Tech vs. Tulane

Monday, Dec. 21

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)

11 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Delaware vs. Georgia State

Schlabach: Jacksonville State vs. Georgia State

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Western Michigan vs. UNLV

Schlabach: Toledo vs. Air Force

Tuesday, Dec. 22

Puerto Rico Bowl

Juan Ramón Loubriel Stadium (Bayamón, Puerto Rico)

1:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: UMass vs. Old Dominion

Schlabach: Tulsa vs. Liberty

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

Acrisure Bounce House (Orlando , Florida)

5 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Ohio vs. James Madison

Schlabach: Troy vs. Florida International

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl

Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)

8:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: UCLA vs. West Virginia

Schlabach: UCLA vs. West Virginia

Wednesday, Dec. 23

New Orleans Bowl

Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Jacksonville State vs. Appalachian State

Schlabach: Kennesaw State vs. James Madison

Pick college football winners every week; compete for $86K in prizes. FREE to play! Make Your Picks

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: TCU vs. Army

Schlabach: Cal vs. Army

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, California)

7:30 p.m., The CW

Bonagura: San Diego State vs. Washington

Schlabach: San Diego State vs. Arizona

Frisco Bowl

The Star (Frisco, Texas)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Clemson vs. Memphis

Schlabach: UTSA vs. Western Kentucky

Thursday, Dec. 24

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: New Mexico vs. UTSA

Schlabach: UNLV vs. Fresno State

Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl

Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)

7 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Fresno State vs. North Dakota State

Schlabach: Hawai'i vs. Colorado State

Saturday, Dec. 26

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Yankee Stadium (New York)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura: Louisville vs. Iowa

Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Nebraska

Wasabi Fenway Bowl

Fenway Park (Boston)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Wake Forest vs. East Carolina

Schlabach: NC State vs. Navy

Duke's Mayo Bowl

Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)

3:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura: Duke vs. Maryland

Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Wisconsin

68 Ventures Bowl

Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Troy vs. Air Force

Schlabach: Georgia Southern vs. Miami (Ohio)

Cactus Bowl

Mountain America Stadium (Tempe, Arizona)

7:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. UCF

Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Illinois

Monday, Dec. 28

Freedom Mortgage Military Bowl

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Navy

Schlabach: Duke vs. South Florida

Trust & Will Holiday Bowl

Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)

5 p.m., The CW

Bonagura: Virginia vs. Utah

Schlabach: Virginia vs. USC

Tuesday, Dec. 29

JLab Birmingham Bowl

Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)

2 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Tulane

Schlabach: Mississippi State vs. North Carolina

Watch your favorite events in the newly enhanced ESPN App. Learn more about what plan is right for you. Sign Up Now

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Camping World Stadium (Orlando , Florida)

5:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: SMU vs. Houston

Schlabach: Louisville vs. Kansas State

Valero Alamo Bowl

Alamodome (San Antonio)

9 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Oregon

Schlabach: Houston vs. Oregon

Wednesday, Dec. 30

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)

11:30 a.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Pittsburgh vs. Florida

Schlabach: SMU vs. Florida

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Nissan Stadium (Nashville)

3 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Nebraska vs. South Carolina

Schlabach: Iowa vs. South Carolina

Thursday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl

Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)

Noon, ESPN

Bonagura: Michigan vs. Ole Miss

Schlabach: Michigan vs. Tennessee

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)

2 p.m., CBS

Bonagura: Virginia Tech vs. Arizona

Schlabach: Clemson vs. Utah

Las Vegas Bowl

Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)

3:45 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: USC vs. Oklahoma

Schlabach: Washington vs. Oklahoma

Kinder's Texas Bowl

Reliant Stadium (Houston)

7:30 p.m., ESPN

Bonagura: Cincinnati vs. Auburn

Schlabach: Baylor vs. Missouri

Saturday, Jan. 2

Citrus Bowl

Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)

Noon, ABC

Bonagura: Penn State vs. Tennessee

Schlabach: Penn State vs. Alabama

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)

3:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura: Oklahoma State vs. North Texas

Schlabach: Arizona State vs. Minnesota

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)

7:30 p.m., ABC

Bonagura: Baylor vs. Missouri

Schlabach: TCU vs. Auburn

Date TBD

The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl

Casino Del Sol Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)

Time TBD, The CW

Bonagura: Toledo vs. Nevada

Schlabach: New Mexico vs. Ohio

_Originally reported by [ESPN](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/49931126/2026-27-week-2-college-football-playoff-cfp-bowl-projections)._