Bleacher Report's 2024-25 Bowl Projections Entering Week 8 | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors | Bleacher Report

The halfway mark of the 2024 college football season provides a juxtaposition of both clarity and unknowns.

At this point, we generally agree on the best teams in the country. Sure, our opinions may vary slightly, but programs such as Georgia, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas aren't exactly divisive.

The following tiers, on the other hand, are loaded with questions. How concerning are Alabama and Tennessee? How about Ole Miss? Do we flip Clemson into the ACC's automatic bid over Miami? Should we pencil a second Big 12 team into the College Football Playoff?

The beautiful part is future games will resolve many of those conversations. In fact, Alabama plays at Tennessee in Week 8.

We'll be watching to see if reality aligns with these projections.

The picks are subjective but based on official tie-ins while observing all selection processes and contingencies.

Camellia Bowl (Dec. 14): Ohio vs. James MadisonBoca Raton Bowl (Dec. 18): South Florida vs. Georgia StateNew Orleans Bowl (Dec. 19): Western Kentucky vs. Texas StateCure Bowl (Dec. 20): Connecticut vs. Georgia SouthernMyrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 23): Charlotte vs. Coastal CarolinaFamous Idaho Potato Bowl (Dec. 23): Buffalo vs. Colorado StateHawai'i Bowl (Dec. 24): Liberty vs. Fresno State68Ventures (Dec. 26): Central Michigan vs. LouisianaNew Mexico Bowl (Dec. 28): Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana-MonroeArizona Bowl (Dec. 28): Toledo vs. San Jose StateBahamas Bowl (Jan. 4): Sam Houston vs. Northern Illinois

Trending Up: Connecticut Huskies

Prior to Jim Mora's arrival in 2022, the program had made a single bowl appearance in the previous decade, but the third-year coach has UConn on the verge of a second postseason trip in three seasons. Connecticut has a tough matchup with Wake Forest up next but is 4-2 and may be favored in at least three of its remaining games.

Trending Down: South Florida Bulls

With or without quarterback Byrum Brown—who missed the recent game against Memphis—South Florida might have been 2-4 anyway. It's not even a surprising record for the Bulls, considering their nonconference slate included Alabama and Miami with early AAC tilts opposite front-runners Tulane and Memphis. Still, that's now four losses, shrinking USF's margin for error.

Frisco Bowl (Dec. 17): North Texas vs. CincinnatiLA Bowl (Dec. 18): UNLV vs. ColoradoDetroit Bowl (Dec. 26): Eastern Michigan vs. WisconsinArmed Forces Bowl (Dec. 27): Tulane vs. TCUFenway Bowl (Dec. 28): Memphis vs. Virginia TechMilitary Bowl (Dec. 28): Navy vs. Boston CollegeIndependence Bowl (Dec. 28): Army vs. Washington State

Trending Up: Cincinnati Bearcats

Scott Satterfield's first season was a mess, ending with a 3-9 record after the program had a great run with Luke Fickell. However, the Bearcats are back trending in a positive direction after clipping UCF on the road. That result moved Cincinnati to 4-2. I wouldn't use a pen on the Bearcats in these projections, but they're certainly in a favorable spot.

Game to Watch: North Texas at Memphis

Boise State remains my prediction to represent the Group of Five in the College Football Playoff. But if that changes, it'll probably shift to the AAC champion. Memphis lost to Navy earlier this season, so this is a particularly critical outing. North Texas, meanwhile, is entering a decisive three-game stretch that continues with Tulane and Army. Saturday's winner will take a valuable step toward the AAC title game.

Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 20): Cal vs. KentuckyGuaranteed Rate Bowl (Dec. 26): Rutgers vs. Oklahoma StateBirmingham Bowl (Dec. 27): Virginia vs. Michigan StateLiberty Bowl (Dec. 27): West Virginia vs. VanderbiltHoliday Bowl (Dec. 27): SMU vs. Arizona StateLas Vegas Bowl (Dec. 27): Washington vs. MissouriPinstripe Bowl (Dec. 28): Georgia Tech vs. IllinoisPop-Tarts Bowl (Dec. 28): Syracuse vs. BYUAlamo Bowl (Dec. 28): Kansas State vs. USC

Trending Up: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

The good news is Georgia Tech sits a single win outside of attaining bowl eligibility. That's also why the 5-2 Jackets are listed here, because it might get a lot rougher soon. Down the stretch, they play Notre Dame (ranked 12th), Miami (sixth) and Georgia (fifth).

Trending Down: Kentucky Wildcats

I have formally decided Kentucky is the most confusing team in the country. Got destroyed by South Carolina, almost beat Georgia. Took down Ole Miss on the road, lost at home to Vanderbilt. Kentucky, 3-3, doesn't desperately need victories over Florida and Auburn during the next two weekends. But if the Wildcats lose one of those SEC contests, their bowl outlook will be very concerning.

Music City Bowl (Dec. 30): Nebraska vs. OklahomaReliaQuest Bowl (Dec. 31): Michigan vs. TennesseeSun Bowl (Dec. 31): Duke vs. UtahCitrus Bowl (Dec. 31): Indiana vs. Ole MissTexas Bowl (Dec. 31): Texas Tech vs. ArkansasGator Bowl (Jan. 2): Louisville vs. Texas A&MFirst Responder (Jan. 3): Arizona vs. Oregon StateMayo Bowl (Jan. 3): Pitt vs. Iowa

Trending Up: Iowa Hawkeyes

Because of the recent loss to Ohio State, I can't quite suggest Iowa is a true player in the Big Ten championship race. That'll require the Buckeyes—even after falling at Oregon—to get upset once. If that happens, though, the Hawkeyes may crash the party. They're set to play Michigan State (away), Northwestern (home), Wisconsin (h), UCLA (a), Maryland (a) and Nebraska (h), so there's a real chance that 4-2 Iowa is favored in every remaining game.

Trending Down: Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma, on the other hand, is running thin on those chances. If the Sooners beat South Carolina on Saturday, a bowl appearance will happen. They'd be 5-2 with lower-division Maine to play in November. But if South Carolina—coached by former OU assistant Shane Beamer—pulls out a win, the Sooners would have to upset Ole Miss, Missouri, Alabama or LSU to reach six victories.

First-Round Byes

The five highest-ranked conference champions (*) will automatically earn a CFP berth, and the four highest-ranked of that group will be placed in the quarterfinals. While this quartet is assumed to be from the Power 4 (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC), that's not guaranteed.

No. 1: Texas*, SEC champion in Sugar BowlNo. 2: Oregon*, Big Ten champion in Rose BowlNo. 3: Miami*, ACC champion in Peach BowlNo. 4: Iowa State*, Big 12 champion in Fiesta Bowl

First-Round Games

No. 12 LSU at No. 5 Ohio State (winner to Fiesta Bowl)No. 11 Boise State* (MWC champion) at No. 6 Georgia (winner to Peach Bowl)No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 Clemson (winner to Rose Bowl)No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Penn State (winner to Sugar Bowl)

Game to Watch, Part 1: Georgia at Texas

The nation's fifth-ranked team is headed to play No. 1. Yeah, I think we'll all be tracking this one. Georgia already has a loss in SEC action, so the Dawgs need a win to stay alive in the conference race. However, they'll be battling a Longhorns defense that has yielded just 38 points in six games. Texas can cement itself as the SEC favorite with a victory.

Game to Watch, Part 2: Alabama at Tennessee

While that matchup lands the prime-time treatment, Alabama's trip to Tennessee is the featured mid-afternoon game. These programs can really use a win—literally and metaphorically. Last weekend, they followed an upset loss with an unimpressive and uncomfortable victory. The loser of this rivalry will endure a second SEC setback and drift toward the fringe of the CFP picture, too.