Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach Sep 14, 2026, 07:00 AM ET Week 2 gave us a finish that will be remembered for years, plus shocking upsets that impacted this week's bowl game and playoff projections. In the only top-25 matchup of the week, then-No. 4 Texas made a jaw-dropping 20-point comeback against then-No. 1 Ohio State in an ending that wowed viewers, as the Longhorns jumped seeds in this week's playoff projections. Oklahoma State and Michigan delivered big blows in Week 2 as Oregon fell out of our playoff projections, and the Wolverines' impressive win over then-No. 11 Oklahoma shifted the bowl picture.

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 Saturday, Dec. 12, and wrap up with the CFP National Championship game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Monday, Jan. 25.

ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach will project all the postseason matchups every week of the season until the actual matchups are set Sunday, Dec. 6. All times Eastern Jump to: First-round games | Quarterfinals Semis, title game | Bowl season College Football Playoff First-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 Ohio State Schlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Miami Bonagura: No. 11 BYU at No. 6 LSUSchlabach: No. 11 Texas A&M at No. 6 LSUBonagura: No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 7 Miami Schlabach: No. 10 Texas Tech at No. 7 Ohio State Bonagura: No. 9 Texas A&M at No. 8 Alabama Schlabach: No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 BYUCFP quarterfinals Wednesday, Dec. 30 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)7:30 p.m., TNTBonagura: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Georgia Schlabach: No. 5 Miami vs. No. 4 Indiana Friday, 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. 8 Alabama vs. No. 1 Notre Dame Schlabach: No. 9 Ole Miss vs. No. 1 Texas Quarterfinals Game 34 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 6 LSU vs. No. 3 Texas Schlabach: No. 6 LSU vs. No. 3 Notre Dame Quarterfinals Game 48 p.m., ESPNBonagura: No. 7 Miami vs. No. 2 Indiana Schlabach: No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Georgia CFP semifinals, national championship game Thursday, Jan. 14 Capital One Orange Bowl Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)7:30 p.m., TNTBonagura: No. 3 Texas vs. No. 2 Indiana Schlabach: No. 3 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia Friday, Jan. 15Allstate Sugar Bowl Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 1 Notre Dame Schlabach: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Texas Monday, Jan. 25CFP National Championship Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)7:30 p.m., ABC/ESPNBonagura: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Notre Dame Schlabach: No.4 Indiana vs. No. 2 Georgia Bowl season schedule Saturday, Dec. 12Cricket Celebration Bowl presented by Toyota Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)Noon, ABCBonagura: South Carolina State vs. Prairie View A&MSchlabach: South Carolina State vs. Alabama State Tuesday, Dec. 15 IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)5:30 p.m., ESPNBonagura: FIU vs. Louisiana Tech Schlabach: UMass vs. Louisiana Frisco Football Classic The Star (Frisco, Texas)9 p.m., ESPNBonagura: Michigan State vs. Louisiana Schlabach: Memphis vs. North Dakota State Friday, Dec. 18 Boca Raton Bow...