College Football Playoff bracket: Breaking down the final rankings, matchups
The college football bowl season is here. And with the addition of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, it gives conferences ample opportunities to finish the season on a high note.
With dozens of bowl games along with the CFP, follow along to get all the results and see which conference ends up with the best bowl record.
This article will be updated throughout bowl season. Conference representatives are in bold.
| CONFERENCE (BOWL TEAMS) | RECORD | WINNING PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN (8) | 6-1 | .857 |
| ACC (13) | 1-9 | .100 |
| BIG 12 (9) | 4-2 | .667 |
| BIG TEN (12) | 4-3 | .571 |
| CONFERENCE USA (5)* | 1-3 | .250 |
| INDEPENDENTS (2) | 2-0 | 1.000 |
| MAC (7) | 4-2 | .667 |
| MOUNTAIN WEST (5) | 1-3 | .250 |
| PAC-12 (1) | 0-1 | .000 |
| SEC (13) | 5-3 | .625 |
| SUN BELT (7)* | 3-3 | .500 |
*Louisiana Tech replaced Marshall in the Independence Bowl
American Athletic Conference (8)
Record: 6-1
- No. 25 Memphis 42, West Virginia 37 (Frisco Bowl)
- Florida 33, Tulane 8 (Gasparilla Bowl)
- UTSA 44, Coastal Carolina 15
- South Florida 41, San Jose State 39 (5OT) (Hawai'i Bowl)
- Navy 21, Oklahoma 20 (Armed Forces Bowl)
- East Carolina 26, NC State 21 (Military Bowl)
- No. 22 Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6 (Independence Bowl)
- North Texas vs. Texas State (First Responder Bowl) | 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 | ESPN
ACC (13)
Record: 1-9
- No. 24 UNLV 24, Cal 13 (LA Bowl)
- No. 10 Penn State 38, No. 10 SMU 10 (College Football Playoff first round)
- No. 3 Texas 38, No. 16 Clemson 24 (College Football Playoff first round)
- Toledo 48, Pitt 46 (6OT) (GameAbove Sports Bowl)
- Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27 (Birmingham Bowl)
- No. 21 Syracuse 52, Washington State 35 (Holiday Bowl)
- UConn 27, North Carolina 14, (Fenway Bowl)
- Nebraska 20, Boston College 15 (Pinstripe Bowl)
- No. 18 Iowa State 42, No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 41 (Pop-Tarts Bowl)
- East Carolina 26, NC State 21 (Military Bowl)
- Louisville vs. Washington (Sun Bowl) | 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | CBS
- Duke vs. No. 14 Ole Miss (Gator Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2 | ESPN
- Virginia Tech vs. Minnesota (Duke's Mayo Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 | ESPN
FOLLOW ALL GAMES: Scores and stats for every bowl game
Big 12 (9)
Record: 4-2
- No. 25 Memphis 42, West Virginia 37 (Frisco Bowl)
- Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41 (Rate Bowl)
- Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26 (Liberty Bowl)
- TCU 34, Louisiana 3 (New Mexico Bowl)
- No. 18 Iowa State 42, No. 13 Miami (Fla.) 41 (Pop-Tarts Bowl)
- No. 17 BYU 36, No. 23 Colorado 14 (Alamo Bowl)
- Baylor vs. LSU (Texas Bowl) | 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
- No. 12 Arizona State vs. No. 3 Texas (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Peach Bowl) | 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
Big Ten (12)
Record: 4-3
- No. 5 Notre Dame 27, No. 8 Indiana 17 (College Football Playoff first round)
- No. 4 Penn State 38, No. 10 SMU 10 (College Football Playoff first round)
- No. 6 Ohio State 42, No. 7 Tennessee 17 (College Football Playoff first round)
- Kansas State 44, Rutgers 41 (Rate Bowl)
- USC 35, Texas A&M 31 (Las Vegas Bowl)
- Nebraska 20, Boston College 15 (Pinstripe Bowl)
- No. 19 Missouri 27, Iowa 24 (Music City Bowl)
- Michigan vs. No. 11 Michigan (ReliaQuest Bowl) | 12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
- Washington vs. Louisville (Sun Bowl) | 2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | CBS
- No. 20 Illinois vs. No. 15 South Carolina (Citrus Bowl) | 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ABC
- No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 9 Boise State (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Fiesta Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
- No. 1 Oregon vs. TBD (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Rose Bowl) | 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
- Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech (Duke's Mayo Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 | ESPN
CUSA (5)
Record: 1-3
- James Madison 27, Western Kentucky 17 (Boca Raton Bowl)
- Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26 (New Orleans Bowl)
- Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 27 (Cure Bowl)
- No. 22 Army 27, Louisiana Tech 6 (Independence Bowl)
- Liberty vs. Buffalo (Bahamas Bowl) | 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 | ESPN2
Independents (2)
Record: 2-0
- No. 5 Notre Dame 27, No. 8 Indiana 17 (College Football Playoff first round)
- UConn 27, North Carolina 14 (Fenway Bowl)
- No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Sugar Bowl) | 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
MAC (7)
Record: 4-2
- South Alabama 30, Western Michigan 23 (Salute to Veterans Bowl)
- Ohio 30, Jacksonville State 27 (Cure Bowl)
- Northern Illinois 28, Fresno State 20 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
- Toledo 48, Pitt 46 (6OT) (GameAbove Sports Bowl)
- Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31 (68 Ventures Bowl)
- Miami (Ohio) 43, Colorado State 17 (Arizona Bowl)
- Buffalo vs. Liberty (Bahamas Bowl) | 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 | ESPN2
Mountain West (5)
Record: 1-3
- No. 24 UNLV 24, Cal 13 (LA Bowl)
- Northern Illinois 28, Fresno State 20 (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)
- South Florida 41, San Jose State 39 (5OT) (Hawai'i Bowl)
- Miami (Ohio) 43, Colorado State 17 (Arizona Bowl)
- No. 9 Boise State vs. No. 4 Penn State (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Fiesta Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
Pac-12 (1)
Record: 0-1
SEC (13)
Record: 5-3
- Florida 33, Tulane 8 (Gasparilla Bowl)
- No. 3 Texas 38, No. 16 Clemson 24 (College Football Playoff first round)
- No. 6 Ohio State 42, No. 7 Tennessee 17 (College Football Playoff first round)
- Navy 21, Oklahoma 20 (Armed Forces Bowl)
- Vanderbilt 35, Georgia Tech 27 (Birmingham Bowl)
- Arkansas 39, Texas Tech 26 (Liberty Bowl)
- USC 35, Texas A&M 31 (Las Vegas Bowl)
- No. 19 Missouri 27, Iowa 24 (Music City Bowl)
- No. 11 Alabama vs. Michigan (ReliaQuest Bowl) | 12 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
- No. 15 South Carolina vs. No. 20 Illinois (Citrus Bowl) | 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ABC
- LSU vs. Baylor (Texas Bowl) | 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN
- No. 3 Texas vs. No. 12 Arizona State (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Peach Bowl) | 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
- No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Sugar Bowl) | 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN
- No. 14 Ole Miss vs. Duke (Gator Bowl) | 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 2 | ESPN
Sun Belt (7)
Record: 3-3
- South Alabama 30, Western Michigan 23 (Salute to Veterans Bowl)
- James Madison 27, Western Kentucky 17 (Boca Raton Bowl)
- Sam Houston 31, Georgia Southern 26 (New Orleans Bowl)
- UTSA 44, Coastal Carolina 15
- Arkansas State 38, Bowling Green 31 (68 Ventures Bowl)
- TCU 34, Louisiana 3 (New Mexico Bowl)
- Texas State vs. North Texas (First Responder Bowl) | 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 | ESPN
