December 28
Camping World Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Texas
12 p.m. ET, ABC – Orlando, Fla.
December 30
First Responder Bowl: TCU vs. Western Kentucky
12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN – Dallas, Texas
Music City Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee
4 p.m. ET, ESPN – Nashville, Tenn.
Redbox Bowl: Iowa vs. Arizona State
Time TBA – Santa Clara, Calif.
December 31
Belk Bowl: North Carolina vs. Kentucky
12 p.m. ET, ESPN – Charlotte, N.C.
Sun Bowl: Washington State vs. Louisville
2 p.m. ET, CBS – El Paso, Texas
Liberty Bowl: Iowa State vs. Memphis*
3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN – Memphis, Tenn.
Alamo Bowl: Baylor vs. Washington
7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN – San Antonio, Texas
Arizona Bowl: Wyoming vs. Arkansas State
Time TBA – Tuscon, Ariz.
The Skinny
After getting blown out by Michigan, Notre Dame falls outside the projected New Year’s Six field this week, though the Irish still have a pretty good shot of getting in if they can win out from here, which their schedule certainly sets up for. If not the New Year’s Six, Notre Dame is eligible to take a bid from the ACC as long as they are one win or less away from the team that would otherwise fill that slot.
Getting Notre Dame and Texas in the Camping World Bowl would be a dream matchup for the bowl sponsor, particularly after many of the projections I’ve had this season.
Welcome Tennessee! It’s wild to think that the Vols now have a legitimate shot at getting a bowl bid after looking dead in the water a few weeks ago. Tennessee’s won two of its last three games, and really started playing better at the beginning of October, despite a 29-point loss to Georgia. Along with beating Mississippi State and South Carolina, the Vols were more competitive than most thought against Alabama.
At 3-5, Tennessee still faces an uphill battle for bowl eligibility, but with UAB, Kentucky, Missouri, and Vanderbilt left on the schedule, I think the Vols could be in for a big finish to the season.