Bowl Projections: Week 12, 2023

Our bowl projections are live through Week 11’s games, and we’ve included them below, with our full ratings and probabilities through Week 11 also included below (for archival purposes). As always, these come from our college football model. Notes:

  • With Michigan’s win over Penn State, the Wolverines become more playoff-likely than Oregon again. They also become the projected top overall seed.
  • Liberty remains the top-ranked Group of Five champion in our average simulation. Troy is actually next on the list, with SMU—the American favorite—only projected to finish 10.0–2.8.
  • Even including James Madison and Jacksonville State, we’re four bowl-eligible teams short. The closest four teams to 50%, and therefore the four we’ve added, are Georgia Tech, Colorado State, Western Michigan, and Rice. We may start accounting for APR next week, but for now, we’re just putting the likeliest teams to get to six wins.
  • Howard is the new MEAC favorite, so they slot into the Celebration Bowl against Florida A&M.
  • Teams entering the bowl mix: UCF, Marshall, Northwestern, Colorado State.
  • Teams exiting the bowl mix: Florida, Eastern Michigan, BYU, Washington State.
  • At 28th in Movelor’s rankings, TCU is the best team more likely than not to miss a bowl. It remains possible we’ll see a top-25 team (in rating) miss a bowl game.
  • At 111th in Movelor’s rankings, Arkansas State is the worst team more likely than not to make a bowl. The Red Wolves aren’t locked in yet, but they have two chances to get that sixth win.
  • Between tonight’s updated rankings and MACtion, there’ll be changes to the bowl picture, so we’ll run these again tomorrow and post them in the CFP Rankings recap. We’re watching the top four, of course, but also Liberty, Troy, and SMU, plus the WMU/NIU & Akron/EMU games.
DateBowlTeam 1Team 2T1 ConferenceT2 Conference
1/1/24Rose Bowl (CFP Semifinal)MichiganFlorida StateBig TenACC
1/1/24Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal)GeorgiaOhio StateSECBig Ten
1/1/24Fiesta BowlWashingtonPenn StatePac-12Big Ten
1/1/24ReliaQuest BowlLSUNotre DameSECFBS Independents
1/1/24Citrus BowlMissouriIowaSECBig Ten
12/30/23Orange BowlLouisvilleAlabamaACCSEC
12/30/23Peach BowlMississippiLibertySECConference USA
12/30/23Music City BowlMarylandGeorgia TechBig TenACC
12/30/23Arizona BowlOhioUNLVMACMountain West
12/29/23Cotton BowlOregonTexasPac-12Big 12
12/29/23Gator BowlClemsonAuburnACCSEC
12/29/23Sun BowlDukeArizonaACCPac-12
12/29/23Liberty BowlKansasTexas A&MBig 12SEC
12/28/23Pinstripe BowlSyracuseWisconsinACCBig Ten
12/28/23Pop-Tarts BowlNorth CarolinaKansas StateACCBig 12
12/28/23Fenway BowlBoston CollegeSMUACCAAC
12/28/23Alamo BowlOklahomaOregon StateBig 12Pac-12
12/27/23Duke’s Mayo BowlMiami (FL)KentuckyACCSEC
12/27/23Military BowlVirginia TechTulaneACCAAC
12/27/23Holiday BowlUtahNC StatePac-12ACC
12/27/23Texas BowlOklahoma StateTennesseeBig 12SEC
12/26/23Guaranteed Rate BowlWest VirginiaNorthwesternBig 12Big Ten
12/26/23Quick Lane BowlMiami (OH)IllinoisMACBig Ten
12/26/23First Responder BowlTexas TechUTSABig 12AAC
12/23/23Hawaii BowlWyomingJacksonville StateMountain WestConference USA
12/23/23Armed Forces BowlUCFTexas StateBig 12Sun Belt
12/23/2368 Ventures BowlUtah StateGeorgia SouthernMountain WestSun Belt
12/23/23Birmingham BowlTroyMemphisSun BeltAAC
12/23/23Las Vegas BowlRutgersUSCBig TenPac-12
12/23/23Famous Idaho Potato BowlToledoFresno StateMACMountain West
12/23/23Camellia BowlColorado StateLouisianaMountain WestSun Belt
12/22/23Gasparilla BowlMinnesotaCoastal CarolinaBig TenSun Belt
12/21/23Boca Raton BowlUSFSouth AlabamaAACSun Belt
12/19/23Frisco BowlRiceArkansas StateAACSun Belt
12/18/23Famous Toastery BowlWestern KentuckyBowling Green StateConference USAMAC
12/16/23Myrtle Beach BowlBoise StateGeorgia StateMountain WestSun Belt
12/16/23Independence BowlIowa StateNebraskaBig 12Big Ten
12/16/23New Orleans BowlNew Mexico StateJames MadisonConference USASun Belt
12/16/23Celebration BowlHowardFlorida A&MMEACSWAC
12/16/23LA BowlAir ForceUCLAMountain WestPac-12
12/16/23New Mexico BowlAppalachian StateSan Jose StateSun BeltMountain West
12/16/23Cure BowlWestern MichiganMarshallMACSun Belt
RankTeamMovelorConferenceAverage Final CFP RankingMake PlayoffNational ChampionshipExpected WinsBowl EligibilityMake Conference ChampionshipWin Conference
1Michigan45.7Big Ten370.8%30.6%12.1100.0%60.8%56.1%
4Georgia41.0SEC372.9%21.3%12.0100.0%100.0%44.0%
2Ohio State43.8Big Ten370.2%26.0%11.7100.0%39.3%35.9%
8Florida State34.5ACC458.6%3.7%12.5100.0%100.0%69.1%
6Oregon37.3Pac-12642.5%4.4%11.2100.0%88.3%53.7%
3Alabama43.2SEC637.6%7.8%11.4100.0%100.0%56.0%
11Washington33.1Pac-12630.7%3.2%11.8100.0%98.8%40.3%
10Texas33.2Big 12913.2%2.4%10.8100.0%78.0%42.1%
5Penn State39.6Big Ten90.1%0.0%9.9100.0%0.0%0.0%
20Mississippi26.6SEC100.0%0.0%9.8100.0%0.0%0.0%
19Louisville26.7ACC132.9%0.4%10.7100.0%99.9%30.9%
18Missouri28.8SEC140.0%0.0%9.4100.0%0.0%0.0%
16Oregon State30.2Pac-12150.5%0.2%8.8100.0%7.5%4.3%
9LSU33.3SEC150.0%0.0%8.6100.0%0.0%0.0%
12Notre Dame32.9FBS Independents160.0%0.0%8.9100.0%0.0%0.0%
14Oklahoma32.6Big 12170.0%0.0%9.9100.0%41.2%20.8%
13Tennessee32.8SEC190.0%0.0%8.4100.0%0.0%0.0%
7Kansas State36.5Big 12200.0%0.0%8.9100.0%40.0%25.2%
48Liberty17.8Conference USA210.0%0.0%12.7100.0%100.0%82.2%
17Utah28.8Pac-12220.0%0.0%8.5100.0%0.2%0.0%
22Iowa25.6Big Ten240.0%0.0%9.6100.0%95.4%7.8%
15Texas A&M31.0SEC260.0%0.0%7.4100.0%0.0%0.0%
26Arizona24.3Pac-12260.0%0.0%8.2100.0%5.2%1.7%
29Oklahoma State23.6Big 12260.0%0.0%8.6100.0%34.0%9.0%
27Troy24.2Sun Belt270.0%0.0%10.7100.0%100.0%82.6%
21Clemson26.4ACCNR0.0%0.0%7.3100.0%0.0%0.0%
23Auburn25.5SECNR0.0%0.0%7.1100.0%0.0%0.0%
25Iowa State24.5Big 12NR0.0%0.0%6.5100.0%5.5%2.4%
31USC23.2Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%7.6100.0%0.0%0.0%
32SMU22.7AmericanNR0.0%0.0%10.0100.0%76.9%46.1%
33North Carolina21.8ACCNR0.0%0.0%8.8100.0%0.1%0.0%
34Kentucky21.8SECNR0.0%0.0%6.7100.0%0.0%0.0%
35West Virginia21.7Big 12NR0.0%0.0%7.5100.0%0.5%0.1%
36Kansas21.3Big 12NR0.0%0.0%7.9100.0%0.4%0.2%
37Duke20.6ACCNR0.0%0.0%7.5100.0%0.0%0.0%
39NC State20.4ACCNR0.0%0.0%8.0100.0%0.0%0.0%
40UCLA20.4Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%7.1100.0%0.0%0.0%
42UTSA19.4AmericanNR0.0%0.0%8.7100.0%62.5%29.8%
44Maryland19.3Big TenNR0.0%0.0%6.5100.0%0.0%0.0%
50Miami (FL)17.0ACCNR0.0%0.0%7.0100.0%0.0%0.0%
51Air Force16.9Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%9.4100.0%60.8%33.2%
52Rutgers16.8Big TenNR0.0%0.0%6.6100.0%0.0%0.0%
54Fresno State16.6Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%9.9100.0%42.8%18.3%
56UNLV16.0Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%9.3100.0%54.9%28.2%
58Tulane15.4AmericanNR0.0%0.0%10.4100.0%48.2%19.7%
59Toledo15.4MACNR0.0%0.0%11.1100.0%100.0%61.0%
69Memphis12.9AmericanNR0.0%0.0%9.2100.0%12.5%4.4%
72Coastal Carolina12.4Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%8.0100.0%75.5%13.4%
78Appalachian State11.3Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%6.9100.0%9.2%2.0%
79Miami (OH)11.2MACNR0.0%0.0%9.8100.0%93.4%36.3%
84Ohio10.3MACNR0.0%0.0%8.6100.0%5.2%2.3%
88Wyoming8.3Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%7.6100.0%0.2%0.1%
91Boston College7.5ACCNR0.0%0.0%6.6100.0%0.0%0.0%
92Texas State6.8Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%7.0100.0%0.0%0.0%
93Georgia State6.8Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%6.5100.0%0.0%0.0%
94Georgia Southern6.7Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%7.0100.0%15.3%1.9%
95New Mexico State6.6Conference USANR0.0%0.0%8.7100.0%100.0%17.8%
106Bowling Green State4.2MACNR0.0%0.0%6.6100.0%0.6%0.3%
30James Madison23.3Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%11.698.9%0.0%0.0%
99Western Kentucky5.6Conference USANR0.0%0.0%6.798.0%0.0%0.0%
83Jacksonville State10.5Conference USANR0.0%0.0%8.496.3%0.0%0.0%
87Utah State9.6Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%6.391.3%0.4%0.1%
57San Jose State15.9Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%6.490.9%22.8%11.5%
97Louisiana6.0Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%5.987.0%0.0%0.0%
76South Alabama11.4Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%6.386.8%0.0%0.0%
45Wisconsin19.2Big TenNR0.0%0.0%6.281.6%1.0%0.1%
46UCF19.1Big 12NR0.0%0.0%6.079.7%0.0%0.0%
63Syracuse14.4ACCNR0.0%0.0%6.179.5%0.0%0.0%
24Texas Tech24.9Big 12NR0.0%0.0%6.077.5%0.4%0.1%
49Virginia Tech17.3ACCNR0.0%0.0%6.177.2%0.1%0.0%
62Boise State14.7Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%6.275.6%18.3%8.6%
107USF3.7AmericanNR0.0%0.0%5.871.5%0.0%0.0%
104Marshall4.7Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%5.971.0%0.0%0.0%
55Illinois16.5Big TenNR0.0%0.0%5.868.5%2.0%0.1%
60Northwestern15.4Big TenNR0.0%0.0%5.967.1%0.6%0.0%
111Arkansas State2.7Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%5.863.7%0.0%0.0%
53Minnesota16.8Big TenNR0.0%0.0%5.552.2%0.0%0.0%
61Nebraska15.2Big TenNR0.0%0.0%5.651.2%0.9%0.0%
80Georgia Tech11.1ACCNR0.0%0.0%5.549.7%0.0%0.0%
110Colorado State3.1Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%5.345.5%0.0%0.0%
90Western Michigan7.8MACNR0.0%0.0%5.239.8%0.0%0.0%
101Rice5.5AmericanNR0.0%0.0%5.237.6%0.0%0.0%
116Central Michigan0.6MACNR0.0%0.0%5.436.5%0.0%0.0%
43Florida19.3SECNR0.0%0.0%5.434.9%0.0%0.0%
113Northern Illinois2.2MACNR0.0%0.0%5.234.4%0.0%0.0%
118Eastern Michigan-0.4MACNR0.0%0.0%5.131.6%0.0%0.0%
38South Carolina20.5SECNR0.0%0.0%5.025.9%0.0%0.0%
82BYU10.5Big 12NR0.0%0.0%5.323.6%0.0%0.0%
102Old Dominion4.8Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%4.921.6%0.0%0.0%
70Mississippi State12.7SECNR0.0%0.0%5.120.8%0.0%0.0%
28TCU24.0Big 12NR0.0%0.0%5.118.5%0.0%0.0%
66California13.4Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%4.918.1%0.0%0.0%
105Florida Atlantic4.6AmericanNR0.0%0.0%4.714.2%0.0%0.0%
71Houston12.5Big 12NR0.0%0.0%4.69.3%0.0%0.0%
121Hawaii-3.0Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%4.68.3%0.0%0.0%
89Navy8.0AmericanNR0.0%0.0%4.67.7%0.0%0.0%
64Washington State14.2Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%4.86.1%0.0%0.0%
85Colorado10.0Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%4.43.0%0.0%0.0%
68Wake Forest12.9ACCNR0.0%0.0%4.42.7%0.0%0.0%
117Buffalo0.5MACNR0.0%0.0%3.80.2%0.8%0.2%
133FIU-16.3Conference USANR0.0%0.0%4.10.0%0.0%0.0%
41Arkansas20.3SECNR0.0%0.0%4.40.0%0.0%0.0%
47Purdue18.4Big TenNR0.0%0.0%4.20.0%0.0%0.0%
65Michigan State13.8Big TenNR0.0%0.0%3.50.0%0.0%0.0%
67Cincinnati13.0Big 12NR0.0%0.0%3.60.0%0.0%0.0%
73Indiana12.0Big TenNR0.0%0.0%3.80.0%0.0%0.0%
74Baylor11.9Big 12NR0.0%0.0%3.50.0%0.0%0.0%
75Pitt11.6ACCNR0.0%0.0%2.90.0%0.0%0.0%
77Arizona State11.4Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%3.30.0%0.0%0.0%
81Virginia10.8ACCNR0.0%0.0%2.70.0%0.0%0.0%
86East Carolina9.8AmericanNR0.0%0.0%3.30.0%0.0%0.0%
96Army6.1FBS IndependentsNR0.0%0.0%4.40.0%0.0%0.0%
98North Texas5.9AmericanNR0.0%0.0%4.20.0%0.0%0.0%
100Stanford5.5Pac-12NR0.0%0.0%3.40.0%0.0%0.0%
103UAB4.8AmericanNR0.0%0.0%4.20.0%0.0%0.0%
108Ball State3.3MACNR0.0%0.0%4.20.0%0.0%0.0%
109Middle Tennessee3.2Conference USANR0.0%0.0%4.40.0%0.0%0.0%
112San Diego State2.5Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%3.40.0%0.0%0.0%
114Vanderbilt1.4SECNR0.0%0.0%2.00.0%0.0%0.0%
115Southern Miss0.9Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%3.30.0%0.0%0.0%
119Tulsa-0.7AmericanNR0.0%0.0%3.60.0%0.0%0.0%
120Charlotte-1.1AmericanNR0.0%0.0%3.70.0%0.0%0.0%
122UTEP-3.3Conference USANR0.0%0.0%3.40.0%0.0%0.0%
123Nevada-4.3Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%2.50.0%0.0%0.0%
124UConn-4.7FBS IndependentsNR0.0%0.0%2.60.0%0.0%0.0%
125Louisiana Tech-6.2Conference USANR0.0%0.0%3.10.0%0.0%0.0%
126Akron-6.5MACNR0.0%0.0%2.40.0%0.0%0.0%
127Sam Houston-6.5Conference USANR0.0%0.0%2.50.0%0.0%0.0%
128Temple-7.1AmericanNR0.0%0.0%3.30.0%0.0%0.0%
129Louisiana Monroe-7.7Sun BeltNR0.0%0.0%2.10.0%0.0%0.0%
130New Mexico-10.2Mountain WestNR0.0%0.0%3.20.0%0.0%0.0%
131Kent State-11.0MACNR0.0%0.0%1.40.0%0.0%0.0%
132UMass-11.9FBS IndependentsNR0.0%0.0%3.40.0%0.0%0.0%
RankTeamMovelorConferenceProjected WinsConference Championship
1South Dakota State26.8MVFC11.0100.0%
2Montana State18.2Big Sky8.657.6%
3North Dakota State13.4MVFC7.70.0%
4Montana12.4Big Sky9.442.4%
5Furman7.2Southern9.9100.0%
6Idaho5.2Big Sky7.90.0%
7Delaware3.7CAA8.629.6%
8Southern Illinois3.1MVFC6.90.0%
9Northern Iowa3.0MVFC6.30.0%
10Incarnate Word2.8Southland7.90.0%
11South Dakota2.8MVFC9.00.0%
12Richmond2.5CAA7.624.2%
13Villanova2.3CAA8.418.5%
14Illinois State1.7MVFC6.40.0%
15Youngstown State1.6MVFC6.90.0%
16North Dakota1.4MVFC6.60.0%
17Weber State1.2Big Sky5.90.0%
18Austin Peay1.2UAC8.766.4%
19UC Davis1.1Big Sky6.60.0%
20Sacramento State0.9Big Sky7.40.0%
21Southern Utah-0.7UAC5.80.0%
22Chattanooga-0.7Southern7.00.0%
23Yale-0.9Ivy6.727.3%
24Albany-1.7CAA8.727.6%
25Mercer-1.7Southern8.00.0%
26Holy Cross-1.8Patriot6.921.3%
27Tarleton-1.8UAC8.00.0%
28Missouri State-2.0MVFC4.00.0%
29Central Arkansas-2.1UAC7.333.6%
30Western Carolina-2.7Southern7.80.0%
31New Hampshire-2.9CAA5.90.0%
32Samford-3.8Southern5.60.0%
33Northern Arizona-3.9Big Sky4.50.0%
34UT Martin-4.2Big South-OVC8.413.1%
35Harvard-4.8Ivy8.360.3%
36Elon-4.9CAA5.90.0%
37Eastern Washington-5.2Big Sky4.50.0%
38William & Mary-5.4CAA6.40.0%
39Eastern Kentucky-5.7UAC4.70.0%
40Gardner-Webb-5.7Big South-OVC6.986.9%
41Nicholls-5.8Southland5.5100.0%
42Abilene Christian-6.0UAC5.00.0%
43Southeast Missouri State-6.9Big South-OVC4.50.0%
44Rhode Island-7.0CAA6.60.0%
45Portland State-7.1Big Sky4.80.0%
46Monmouth-7.1CAA4.30.0%
47Southeastern Louisiana-8.0Southland3.50.0%
48Penn-8.3Ivy6.60.0%
49Dartmouth-8.9Ivy5.612.4%
50Florida A&M-9.6SWAC10.779.2%
51Stephen F. Austin-10.0UAC3.30.0%
52Bryant-10.2Big South-OVC5.50.0%
53North Carolina Central-10.2MEAC9.027.8%
54Princeton-10.3Ivy4.40.0%
55Lafayette-10.8Patriot8.878.2%
56Fordham-11.7Patriot6.60.0%
57Towson-13.0CAA4.40.0%
58Eastern Illinois-13.1Big South-OVC7.70.0%
59Jackson State-13.2SWAC7.70.0%
60Kennesaw State-13.3FCS Independents3.00.0%
61Idaho State-14.2Big Sky3.10.0%
62Brown-14.6Ivy5.40.0%
63Indiana State-14.8MVFC1.10.0%
64Howard-14.8MEAC5.771.0%
65Utah Tech-15.4UAC2.20.0%
66St. Thomas-15.5Pioneer7.90.0%
67Tennessee State-15.8Big South-OVC6.70.0%
68Lamar-16.0Southland5.80.0%
69Campbell-16.3CAA4.50.0%
70North Alabama-16.5UAC3.00.0%
71Alcorn State-16.6SWAC6.35.2%
72Butler-17.7Pioneer7.80.0%
73Maine-17.7CAA2.10.0%
74Wofford-17.7Southern1.10.0%
75Alabama State-17.9SWAC7.60.0%
76Saint Francis (PA)-18.0NEC3.70.0%
77VMI-18.3Southern4.20.0%
78Duquesne-18.9NEC6.444.6%
79Colgate-19.0Patriot5.40.5%
80East Tennessee State-19.2Southern2.80.0%
81Charleston Southern-19.4Big South-OVC4.10.0%
82Cal Poly-19.6Big Sky3.10.0%
83LIU-19.6NEC4.60.0%
84Murray State-19.7MVFC2.10.0%
85Merrimack-19.8NEC5.655.4%
86Morgan State-19.9MEAC4.31.3%
87Davidson-20.5Pioneer7.863.9%
88Columbia-20.8Ivy2.50.0%
89North Carolina A&T-21.3CAA1.50.0%
90Northern Colorado-21.3Big Sky0.20.0%
91Norfolk State-21.5MEAC3.60.0%
92Tennessee Tech-21.5Big South-OVC3.30.0%
93Hampton-22.0CAA5.10.0%
94Cornell-22.0Ivy3.50.0%
95Texas Southern-22.3SWAC4.00.0%
96Grambling State-22.6SWAC5.65.2%
97Georgetown-23.3Patriot5.10.0%
98Southern-23.4SWAC5.50.0%
99South Carolina State-23.5MEAC4.40.0%
100Houston Christian-24.1Southland5.10.0%
101Lehigh-24.8Patriot2.20.0%
102Robert Morris-24.8Big South-OVC4.30.0%
103Drake-24.9Pioneer7.236.1%
104Prairie View A&M-25.1SWAC5.510.5%
105Bucknell-25.7Patriot3.70.0%
106Bethune-Cookman-25.8SWAC3.10.0%
107McNeese-25.9Southland0.20.0%
108San Diego-26.1Pioneer3.70.0%
109Alabama A&M-26.4SWAC4.80.0%
110Lindenwood-26.5Big South-OVC3.00.0%
111Texas A&M-Commerce-26.6Southland1.00.0%
112Stonehill-28.0NEC4.40.0%
113Stony Brook-28.2CAA0.00.0%
114Central Connecticut State-28.7NEC3.30.0%
115Dayton-28.9Pioneer3.20.0%
116The Citadel-29.0Southern0.20.0%
117Sacred Heart-29.3NEC2.00.0%
118Northwestern State-29.4Southland0.00.0%
119Morehead State-31.3Pioneer4.60.0%
120Delaware State-32.6MEAC1.00.0%
121Valparaiso-32.7Pioneer3.10.0%
122Western Illinois-32.7MVFC0.00.0%
123Wagner-34.8NEC3.60.0%
124Marist-34.8Pioneer4.30.0%
125Presbyterian-36.7Pioneer3.40.0%
126Stetson-36.9Pioneer3.30.0%
127Mississippi Valley State-38.1SWAC1.20.0%
128Arkansas-Pine Bluff-42.9SWAC1.00.0%
The Barking Crow's resident numbers man. Was asked to do NIT Bracketology in 2018 and never looked back. Fields inquiries on Twitter: @joestunardi.
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