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College Football Bowl Ties, Affiliations For Each Conference 2022-2023

SEC ACC Big Ten American Athletic Group of Five Sun Belt (Organization) College Football Playoff Mac Big 12 Mountain West

College football bowl tie-ins and bowl affiliations for every conference going into the 2022 season.

College Football Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations 2023-2023

– The College Football Playoff hasn’t expanded yet, so just as before, the top four teams according to the final College Football Playoff rankings will make the mini-tournament. This year, the two CFP semifinal bowls are the Fiesta and Peach on Saturday, December 31st.

– The two CFP semifinal winners will play in the College Football Playoff National Championship in Los Angeles on Monday, January 9th, 2023.

– The highest-ranked conference champion from the American Athletic, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt will automatically get one spot in Cotton Bowl if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

– The Rose Bowl will be the Big Ten and Pac-12, the Orange Bowl will be ACC vs a team from the Big Ten or SEC – Notre Dame could go to the Orange, but not as an ACC team – and the Sugar Bowl will be Big 12 vs SEC.

Again, the Fiesta and Peach are College Football Playoff games, leaving one spot open in the Cotton for a team to likely play a Group of Five team.

ACC Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Notre Dame is eligible for any ACC bowl tie-in as long as it’s within one game of the team eligible for the slot. However, it’s not eligible to go to the Orange Bowl as an ACC team.

The ACC Champion will automatically go to the Orange Bowl if it’s not selected for the College Football Playoff. If the top ACC team is in the CFP, the highest-ranked available team is in the Orange.

Like last year, the ACC bowl slots will mostly be based on the matchups that make the most sense and will potentially generate the most interest.

1. College Football Playoff Semifinal: If Selected

Capital One Orange Bowl
Highest-ranked available ACC team, if it’s not the ACC Champion.

First Tier

– Cheez-It Bowl vs Big 12
– Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs Big Ten
– Fenway Bowl vs American Athletic
– Military Bowl Presented by Peraton vs American Athletic
– New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs Big Ten
– Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl vs Army
– San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs Pac-12
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs SEC
– Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs Pac-12

Second Tier

– Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs AAC, Pac-12 or SEC
– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs SEC or AAC
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs SEC or AAC or Pac-12

NEXT: American Athletic Conference Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

American Athletic Conference Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The top-ranked American Athletic Conference champion will be in the mix for the Cotton Bowl if it’s the highest-ranked Group of Five champ – and if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

The American Athletic Conference bowl tie-ins and affiliations will mostly be based on geographic location while avoiding repeat appearances.

Also, like last season, the American Athletic Conference bowl tie-ins are a bit loose. The ESPN owned and operated bowls might make a push to move teams around to create the best possible matchups.

The conference gets a spot in the Military Bowl in 2021, 2023, and 2025, and it’s in the Lockheed Martin Armed Force Bowl in 2020, 2022, and 2024.

The American Athletic will get teams in these bowl slots …

– Fenway Bowl vs ACC
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs Conference USA
– SoFi Hawaii Bowl vs Mountain West

The American Athletic Conference will get a chance at putting four teams in these bowls …

– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs MAC or Sun Belt
– PUBG MOBILE New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA or Sun Belt
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs Group of Five or Army
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs ACC, Big 12, or Pac-12
– Tailgreeter Cure Bowl vs Group of Five or Army
– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs SEC
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs Group of Five or Army
– Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs ACC, Pac-12, or SEC

NEXT: Big Ten Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Big Ten Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The Big Ten Champion will automatically go to the Rose Bowl if it’s not selected for the College Football Playoff. If the top Big Ten team is in the CFP, the highest-ranked available team is in the Rose.

The Big Ten alternates with the SEC between the Las Vegas Bowl (2021, 2023, 2025) and Duke’s Mayo Bowl (2020, 2022, 2024). This year, the Big Ten is expected to go to the Duke’s Mayo after Wisconsin played in the Las Vegas last season.

On other note, the San Francisco Bowl against the Pac-12 that was canceled over the last two years due to COVID issues isn’t a sure-thing to come back in 2022.

1. Rose Bowl vs Pac-12
Highest-ranked available Big Ten team, if it’s not the Big Ten Champion.

2. Vrbo Citrus Bowl vs SEC

3. Outback Bowl vs SEC

4. Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs Pac-12

5. TransPerfect Music City Bowl vs SEC

6. New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs ACC

7. Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big 12

8. San Francisco Bowl vs Pac-12

9. Quick Lane Bowl vs MAC

NEXT: Big 12 Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Big 12 Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The Big 12 Champion will automatically go to the Sugar Bowl if it’s not selected for the College Football Playoff. If the top Big 12 team is in the CFP, the highest-ranked available team is in the Sugar.

1. Sugar Bowl vs SEC
Highest-ranked available Big 12 team, if it’s not the Big 12 Champion.

2. Valero Alamo Bowl vs Pac-12
3. Cheez-It Bowl vs ACC
4. Mercari Texas Bowl vs SEC
5. AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs SEC
6. Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten

Other Bowl Tie-Ins
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs American Athletic, C-USA, Pac-12
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs ACC, American Athletic, or Pac-12

NEXT: Conference USA Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Conference USA Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The top-ranked Conference USA champion will be in the mix for the Cotton Bowl if it’s the highest-ranked Group of Five champ – and if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

The Conference USA bowl tie-ins and affiliations will mostly be based on geographic location while avoiding repeat appearances. There’s a slot in the Hawaii Bowl this season – along with 2024 – but the spot in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl is off until 2025.

Conference USA doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible matchups.

– Bahamas Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawaii Bowl vs American Athletic Conference or Mountain West
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs American Athletic Conference
– New Mexico Bowl vs Mountain West
– R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs Sun Belt

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences …

– Cure Bowl vs Group of Five or Army
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs Group of Five
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs Group of Five
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs Group of Five

Conference USA has an affiliation to fill-in if needed …

– Camellia Bowl vs MAC or Sun Belt
– Fenway Bowl vs ACC or American
– LendingTree Bowl vs MAC or Sun Belt
– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs American or SEC
– Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs ACC, American, SEC
– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs American, MAC or Sun Belt

NEXT: Independent Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Independent Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

– Liberty, New Mexico State, UConn and UMass don’t have direct bowl ties or affiliations.

– Army can be moved where needed, but the main tie-in this year is the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl vs the American Athletic Conference.

– BYU will be in an ESPN owned and operated bowl in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and in the Independence Bowl in 2021, 2023 and 2025. It has the potential to go to the Cheez-It if the Big Ten and Big 12 can’t fill their slots.

– Notre Dame – if it’s not in the College Football Playoff – can take one of the ACC’s bowl spots other than the Orange. It must be within one overall win over another available ACC team.

NEXT: MAC Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

MAC Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The top-ranked MAC champion will be in the mix for the Cotton Bowl if it’s the highest-ranked Group of Five champ – and if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

The MAC doesn’t have a true pecking order. The bowls matchups are based on best possible games and geography.

– Bahamas Bowl vs Conference USA
– Camellia Bowl vs American Athletic or Sun Belt
– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs Mountain West
– LendingTree Bowl vs Sun Belt
– Offerpad Arizona Bowl vs Mountain West
– Quick Lane Bowl vs Big Ten

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences. MAC will get spots in two of these bowls …

– Cure Bowl vs Group of Five or Army
– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs American Athletic or Sun Belt
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs Group of Five
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs Group of Five

NEXT: Mountain West Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Mountain West Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The top-ranked Mountain West USA champion will be in the mix for the Cotton Bowl if it’s the highest-ranked Group of Five champ – and if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

The Mountain West doesn’t have a set order of bowl slots. The matchups are based on best possible games and geography, mostly based on what the ESPN owned and operated bowls can set up. The conference is guaranteed to have six bowl slots during each bowl season until 2025-2026.

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Offerpad Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– SoFi Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic or Conference USA

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …

– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences …

– Cure Bowl vs Group of Five
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs Group of Five
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs Group of Five
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs Group of Five

NEXT: Pac-12 Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Pac-12 Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The Pac-12 Champion will automatically go to the Rose Bowl if it’s not selected for the College Football Playoff. If the top Pac-12 team is in the CFP, the highest-ranked available team is in the Rose.

On other note, the San Francisco Bowl against the Big Ten that was canceled over the last two years due to COVID issues isn’t a sure-thing to come back in 2022.

1. Rose Bowl vs Big Ten
Pac-12 Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff, or highest-ranked Pac-12 team

The Pac-12 doesn’t have a set order. The bowl matchups are based on best possible games and geography.

– Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl vs Mountain West
– San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl vs ACC
– San Francisco Bowl vs Big Ten
– SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs SEC
– Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl vs ACC
– Valero Alamo Bowl vs Big 12

From the ESPN owned and operated bowl games, the Pac-12 will be able to fill one of these three slots …

– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs Big 12 or C-USA
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs ACC, American Athletic, or Big 12
– Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs Big 12, ACC or SEC

NEXT: SEC Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

SEC Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The SEC Champion will automatically go to the Sugar Bowl if it’s not selected for the College Football Playoff. The highest-ranked available SEC team is in the Sugar.

The SEC alternates with the Big Ten between the Las Vegas Bowl (2020, 2022, 2024) and Duke’s Mayo Bowl (2021, 2023, 2025). This year, the SEC is expected to go to the Las Vegas after South Carolina played in the Duke’s Mayo last season.

1. Sugar Bowl vs Big 12
SEC Champion goes here if not in the College Football Playoff, or highest-ranked SEC team

2. Vrbo Citrus Bowl vs Big Ten
The Citrus Bowl gets its pick of the top SEC team available after the CFP and Sugar Bowl are in place

The SEC will assign teams to the respective bowls in this pool.

– AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs Big 12
– Mercari Texas Bowl vs Big 12
– Outback Bowl vs Big Ten or ACC
– SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Pac-12
– TaxSlayer Gator Bowl vs ACC
– TransPerfect Music City Bowl vs Big Ten

Second Tier

– TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl vs American Athletic
– Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl vs AAC, ACC, or Pac-12

NEXT: Sun Belt Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

Sun Belt Bowl Tie-Ins, Affiliations

The top-ranked Sun Belt champion will be in the mix for the Cotton Bowl if it’s the highest-ranked Group of Five champ – and if it’s not in the College Football Playoff.

The Sun Belt will get five bowl slots available to eligible teams.

ESPN owned and operated bowls get the first pick of Sun Belt teams, and it gets third and fourth picks. The New Orleans gets the second pick of the bunch, and the LendingTree has the fifth selection.

2. R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl vs Conference USA
5. LendingTree Bowl vs MAC

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences. The Sun Belt will get spots in at least three of these bowls …

– Camellia Bowl vs C-USA or MAC
– Cure Bowl vs Group of Five
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl vs Group of Five
– Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs Group of Five
– Myrtle Beach Bowl vs American Athletic or MAC

The Sun Belt has an affiliation to fill-in if needed …

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC or Mountain West
– New Mexico Bowl vs C-USA or Mountain West