EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWeek 5 of the college football season featured three ranked matchups, with Ohio State earning a big road conference win over Iowa, Missouri shocking the college football world with its 28-point victory against top-10 Florida, and Alabama silencing the cowbells with its dominant 33-point win over Mississippi State.This week we saw big wins, performances that raised some questions and games that came down to the very last play as we take a look at how the postseason picture shifted following Week 5.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 Dec. 12 and wrap up with the CFP National Championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach will make their predictions for all the postseason matchups every week of the season until the actual matchups are set Dec. 6.All times EasternJump to:First-round games | QuarterfinalsSemis, title game | Bowl seasonCollege Football PlayoffFirst-round games (at campus sites)Friday, Dec. 188 p.m., ESPNSaturday, Dec. 19Noon, ABC/ESPN3:30 p.m., TNT7:30 p.m., TNTBonagura: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 TexasSchlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 AlabamaBonagura: No. 11 UCLA at No. 6 Ohio StateSchlabach: No. 11 LSU at No. 6 Ohio StateBonagura: No. 10 LSU at No. 7 AlabamaSchlabach: No. 10 Ole Miss at No. 7 IndianaBonagura: No. 9 Utah at No. 8 BYUSchlabach: No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 BYUCFP quarterfinalsWednesday, Dec. 30 Vrbo Fiesta BowlState Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)7:30 p.m., TNT Bonagura: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 4 MiamiSchlabach: No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre DameFriday, Jan. 1Time 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 2Noon, TNTBonagura: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 IndianaSchlabach: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 3 MiamiQuarterfinals Game 34 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 2 Notre DameSchlabach: No. 7 Indiana vs. No. 2 GeorgiaQuarterfinals Game 48 p.m., ESPN Bonagura: No. 8 BYU vs. No. 1 GeorgiaSchlabach: No. 9 Oregon vs. No. 1 TexasCFP semifinals, national championship gameThursday, Jan. 14 Capital One Orange BowlHard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)7:30 p.m., TNTBonagura: No. 3 Indiana vs. No. 2 Notre DameSchlabach: No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 2 GeorgiaFriday, Jan. 15Allstate Sugar BowlCaesars Superdome (New Orleans)7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 4 Miami vs. No. 1 GeorgiaSchlabach: No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 1 TexasMonday, Jan. 25CFP National ChampionshipAllegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 GeorgiaSchlabach: No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 2 GeorgiaBowl season scheduleSaturday, Dec. 12Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by ToyotaMercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)Noon, ABCBonagura: South Carolina State vs. Jackson StateSchlabach: South Carolina State vs. Jackson StateTuesday, Dec. 15 IS4S Salute to Veterans BowlCramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)5:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: UMass vs. Florida InternationalSchlabach: UMass vs. LouisianaFrisco Football ClassicThe Star (Frisco, Texas)9 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Minnesota vs. LouisianaSchlabach: Memphis vs. San Diego StateFriday, Dec. 18 Boca Raton BowlFlagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)11 a.m., ESPNBonagura: Liberty vs. TulsaSchlabach: Appalachian State vs. Western MichiganUnion Home Mortgage Gasparilla BowlRaymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)2:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Auburn vs. South FloridaSchlabach: Florida State vs. TulaneMonday, Dec. 21 Myrtle Beach BowlBrooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)11 a.m., ESPNBonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. Georgia StateSchlabach: Liberty vs. South AlabamaFamous Idaho Potato BowlAlbertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)2:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Western Michigan vs. UNLVSchlabach: Toledo vs. Air ForceTuesday, Dec. 22 Puerto Rico BowlJuan Ramn Loubriel Stadium (Bayamn, Puerto Rico)1:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Central Michigan vs. Florida AtlanticSchlabach: Tulsa vs. DelawareStaffDNA Cure BowlAcrisure Bounce House (Orlando, Florida)5 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Ohio vs. James MadisonSchlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. Florida InternationalRadiance Technologies Independence BowlIndependence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)8:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Washington vs. Iowa StateSchlabach: Washington vs. UCFWednesday, Dec. 23 New Orleans BowlCaesars Superdome (New Orleans)2 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Jacksonville State vs. Appalachian StateSchlabach: Jacksonville State vs. James MadisonLockheed Martin Armed Forces BowlAmon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)5:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: UCF vs. ArmySchlabach: Cincinnati vs. New MexicoSan Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia BowlSnapdragon Stadium (San Diego)7:30 p.m., The CWBonagura: Arizona State vs. Fresno StateSchlabach: Arizona State vs. Oregon StateFrisco BowlThe Star (Frisco, Texas)9 p.m., ESPNBonagura: NC State vs. MemphisSchlabach: North Texas vs. New Mexico StateThursday, Dec. 24 Isleta New Mexico BowlUniversity Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)2:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: San Jos State vs. UTSASchlabach: UNLV vs. Texas StateSheraton Hawai'i BowlClarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)7 p.m., ESPNBonagura: North Dakota State vs. Texas StateSchlabach: North Dakota State vs. Fresno StateSaturday, Dec. 26 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe BowlYankee Stadium (New York)Noon, ABCBonagura: SMU vs. NorthwesternSchlabach: Wake Forest vs. WisconsinWasabi Fenway BowlFenway Park (Boston)2 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Florida State vs. East CarolinaSchlabach: Louisville vs. UTSADuke's Mayo BowlBank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)3:30 p.m., ABCBonagura: Clemson vs. IowaSchlabach: Duke vs. Northwestern68 Ventures BowlHancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)5:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Air ForceSchlabach: Florida Atlantic vs. Miami (Ohio)Cactus BowlMountain America Stadium (Tempe, Arizona)7:30 p.m., ABCBonagura: Michigan vs. Oklahoma StateSchlabach: Kansas State vs. Penn StateMonday, Dec. 28 Freedom Mortgage Military BowlNavy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)2 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Virginia vs. TempleSchlabach: NC State vs. South FloridaTrust & Will Holiday BowlSnapdragon Stadium (San Diego)5 p.m., The CWBonagura: Duke vs. Oregon StateSchlabach: Pittsburgh vs. UtahTuesday, Dec. 29 JLab Birmingham BowlProtective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)2 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Kentucky vs. TulaneSchlabach: North Carolina vs. AuburnPop-Tarts BowlCamping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)5:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Pittsburgh vs. HoustonSchlabach: Virginia Tech vs. HoustonValero Alamo BowlAlamodome (San Antonio)9 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Texas Tech vs. OregonSchlabach: Texas Tech vs. UCLAWednesday, Dec. 30 TaxSlayer Gator BowlEverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)11:30 a.m., ESPNBonagura: Wake Forest vs. Ole MissSchlabach: SMU vs. FloridaLiberty Mutual Music City BowlNissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)3 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Penn State vs. Mississippi StateSchlabach: Minnesota vs. KentuckyThursday, Dec. 31 ReliaQuest BowlRaymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)Noon, ESPNBonagura: Wisconsin vs. FloridaSchlabach: Nebraska vs. Mississippi StateOld El Paso Sun BowlSun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)2 p.m., CBSBonagura: Virginia Tech vs. ArizonaSchlabach: Clemson vs. ArizonaLas Vegas BowlAllegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)3:45 p.m., ESPNBonagura: USC vs. OklahomaSchlabach: USC vs. MissouriKinder's Texas BowlReliant Stadium (Houston)7:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Kansas State vs. Texas A&MSchlabach: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&MSaturday, Jan. 2 Citrus BowlCamping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)Noon, ABCBonagura: Nebraska vs. TennesseeSchlabach: Iowa vs. TennesseeSERVPRO First Responder BowlGerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)3:30 p.m., ABCBonagura: Cincinnati vs. North TexasSchlabach: Virginia vs. MichiganSnoop Dogg Arizona BowlCasino Del Sol Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)4:30 p.m., The CWBonagura: Toledo vs. New MexicoSchlabach: Ohio vs. San Jos StateAutoZone Liberty BowlSimmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)7:30 p.m., ABCBonagura: Baylor vs. MissouriSchlabach: Baylor vs. Oklahoma
