2023–24 NCAA football bowl games#College Football Playoff bowl games

The schedule for the 2023–24 bowl games, announced in May 2023, is below. All times listed using EST (UTC−5).

{{main|2023–24 College Football Playoff}}

{{Location map+ | USA | width=400 | caption=Locations of 2023–24 CFP bowls
10px – National Championship, 10px – Semifinal Bowl, 10px – Non-semifinal bowl | places=

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{{Location map~ | USA| label=Peach | position=left | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 33| lat_min=45 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=84|lon_min=24 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA| label=Orange | position=left | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 25| lat_min=57 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=80|lon_min=14 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA| label=Fiesta| position=Right | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 33| lat_min=31 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=112|lon_min=15 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA| label=Rose | position=left | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 34| lat_min=9 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=118|lon_min=10 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA| label=Sugar | position=Right | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 29| lat_min=57 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=90|lon_min=4 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA| label=National Championship| position=left | mark=Blue pog.svg | lat_deg= 29| lat_min=41 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=95|lon_min=24 | lon_dir = W}}

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The College Football Playoff system is used to determine a national championship of Division I FBS college football. A committee of experts ranked the top 25 teams in the nation after each of the last seven weeks of the regular season. The top four teams{{efn|The playoff expanded to 12 teams for the 2024–25 bowl season.{{cite web | url=https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2022/12/1/cfp12-2425.aspx | title=College Football Playoff Expands to 12 Teams Beginning in 2024 | date=17 May 2023 |website=collegefootballplayoff.com}}}} in the final ranking are then seeded in a single-elimination semifinal round, with the winners advanced to the National Championship game. This playoff was the last to use a four-team bracket, with the College Football Playoff set to expand to 12 teams in 2024.{{Cite web |title=College Football Playoff to expand to 12 teams starting with the 2024 season {{!}} NCAA.com |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2022-12-01/college-football-playoff-expand-12-teams-starting-2024-season |access-date=2024-01-05 |website=NCAA.com |language=en}}

The semifinal games for the 2023 season were the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. Both were played on January 1, 2024, as part of a yearly rotation of three pairs of two bowls, commonly referred to as the New Year's Six bowl games. The winners advanced to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship that was contested on January 8, 2024, at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

On December 3, 2023, the College Football Playoff committee announced that it had selected Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Alabama to participate in the 2023–24 College Football Playoff. The committee's decision to select the Southeastern Conference's (SEC) Alabama (12–1) instead of the Atlantic Coast Conference's (ACC) Florida State (13–0), who became the first undefeated Power Five conference team to not qualify for the playoff, received intense criticism from fans, writers, and commentators. Specifically, several of these viewers accused the committee of corruption, bias, and favoritism towards the SEC.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-03 |title='Unfathomable': Undefeated FSU left out of CFP |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39034100 |access-date=2023-12-03 |website=ESPN |language=en}}{{cite web |url=https://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/college_football_fans_claim_playoffs_rigged_for_money_and_ratings_by_putting_alabama_over_florida_state/s1_17068_39619176 | title=College Football Fans Claim Playoffs 'Rigged' For Money And Ratings By Putting Alabama Over Florida State |first=Jordan |last=Sigler | date=3 December 2023 |website=Yardbarker}}{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/nancy-armour/2023/12/03/florida-state-snub-college-football-playoff-joke/71794014007/ | title=Committee snubbing unbeaten Florida State makes a mockery of College Football Playoff |first=Nancy |last=Armour | date=3 December 2023 |work=USA Today}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/college-football-fans-calling-sec-bias-over-florida-states-college-football-playoff-snubbing | title=College Football Fans Calling SEC Bias Over Florida State's College Football Playoff Snubbing |first=Kevin |last=Borba | date=3 December 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}{{cite news | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/12/04/tallahassee-florida-state-robbed-playoff-berth/71804630007/| title=Tallahassee is not OK. 'Robbed' of a college playoff berth, FSU family crushed |first=James |last=Call | date=4 December 2023 |work=USA Today}}{{cite magazine | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/12/04/recency-bias-weather-and-the-snubbing-of-florida-state-football/?sh=429768783dc2| title=Recency Bias, Weather, And The Snubbing Of Florida State Football |first=Marshall |last=Shepherd | date=4 December 2023 |magazine=Forbes}}{{cite web | url=https://theathletic.com/5108154/2023/12/03/cfp-playoff-rankings-right-wrong/| title=What the College Football Playoff got wrong: Leaving out Florida State |first=Bruce |last=Feldman | date=3 December 2023 |website=The Athletic}} The CFP committee chair and others defended the selection of Alabama, which defeated five ranked teams (compared to Florida State's three) during the season, including No. 1 ranked Georgia in the last game of the SEC season, saying that Alabama was currently the better team overall.{{cite magazine |first=Katie |last=Windham |date=December 3, 2023 |url=https://www.si.com/college/alabama/football/cfp-committee-chairman-explains-why-alabama-was-selected-over-florida-state |title=CFP Committee Chairman Explains Why Alabama Was Selected Over Florida State |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=December 8, 2023}}{{cite news |first=Craig |last=Meyer |date=December 7, 2023 |url=https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/story/sports/college/football/2023/12/07/brian-kelly-alabama-college-football-playoff-florida-state-not-same-team-lsu/71838461007/ |title=Brian Kelly Defends Alabama to CFP, Says Florida State 'Not the Same Team' that Beat LSU |work=The Tuscaloosa News |access-date=December 8, 2023}}{{cite magazine |first=Wilton |last=Jackson |date=December 3, 2023 |url=https://www.si.com/college/2023/12/03/paul-finebaum-defends-cfp-committee-selecting-alabama-over-florida-state |title=Paul Finebaum Defends the CFP Committee Selecting Alabama Over Florida State |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=December 8, 2023}}{{cite magazine |first=Michael |last=Rosenberg |date=December 3, 2023 |url=https://www.si.com/college/2023/12/03/alabama-florida-state-football-playoff-decision-sec |title=College Football Playoff Committee Was Right to Choose Alabama Over Florida State |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=December 8, 2023 |quote=And so I come in defense of Alabama, which feels a bit like arguing that the bully needed the other kids' lunch money more than they did.}}

File:Reliantstadium.jpg, site of the championship game]]

{{#section-h:2023–24 College Football Playoff|bracket}}

{{clear}}

Each of the games in the following table was televised by ESPN.

:{{dagger}} Semifinal teams were chosen by the selection committee.

:{{double dagger}} Semifinal winners advanced to the championship game.

:{{asterisk}} Viewership figures for simulcast

Several bowl name changes were made, as compared to the prior season's bowl games:

• Due to construction at its normal stadium, the Bahamas Bowl was temporarily relocated to North Carolina and branded as the Famous Toastery Bowl per its title sponsor.{{cite press release|last=Hofheimer|first=Bill|title=Famous Toastery Named Title Sponsor of ESPN Events' Charlotte Bowl Game |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/11/famous-toastery-named-title-sponsor-of-espn-events-charlotte-bowl-game/ |website=ESPN Pressroom |publisher=ESPN|access-date=14 November 2023 |language=en |date=14 November 2023}}
• Due to a change in title sponsor, the LendingTree Bowl was renamed as the 68 Ventures Bowl.{{cite news |url=https://68venturesbowl.com/2023/05/68-ventures-is-new-title-sponsor-for-mobile-alabama-bowl/ |title=68 Ventures is New Title Sponsor for Mobile Alabama Bowl |website=68venturesbowl.com |date=May 15, 2023 |accessdate=May 15, 2023}}
• Sponsor Kellogg's (renamed Kellanova in October 2023, after the company's North American cereal business was spun off as the WK Kellogg Co{{cite web|url=https://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/story/news/local/2023/10/02/kellogg-co-completes-split-into-two-independent-companies/71031756007/|title=Kellogg Co completes split into two, independent companies – Kellanova and WK Kellogg Co|work=Battle Creek Enquirer|date= October 2, 2023|author=Steele, Greyson}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/kelloggs-cereal-business-wk-kellogg-begins-trading.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003022510/https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/02/kelloggs-cereal-business-wk-kellogg-begins-trading.html|title= Kellogg's cereal business begins trading as stand-alone company WK Kellogg|work=CNBC|date=October 2, 2023|archive-date=October 3, 2023|author=Lucas, Amelia}}) renamed the Cheez-It Bowl as the Pop-Tarts Bowl.{{cite press release |url=https://newsroom.kelloggcompany.com/2023-05-31-POP-TARTS-R-INTERCEPTS-COLLEGE-FOOTBALL-FANDOM-WITH-FIRST-EVER-POP-TARTS-BOWL |title=Pop-Tarts® Intercepts College Football Fandom With First-Ever Pop-Tarts Bowl |agency=PR Newswire |website=kelloggcompany.com |date=May 31, 2023}}

Rankings are per the final CFP rankings that were released on December 3.

{{Location map+ | USA | width=600 | caption=Locations of 2023 Non-DI FBS bowls.
10px – DI FCS, 10px – DII, 10px – DIII | places=

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{{Location map~ | USA | label=Crossroads | position=left | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 41| lat_min=36 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=87|lon_min=29 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label=Live United| position=left | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 33| lat_min=26 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=94|lon_min=1 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label=Heritage| position=bottom | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 32| lat_min=5 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=96|lon_min=30 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Florida Beach| position=left | mark=Red pog.svg | lat_deg= 26| lat_min=11 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=80|lon_min=9 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label=Isthmus | position=left | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 43| lat_min=44 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=89|lon_min=12 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label=Lakefront | position=Right | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 43| lat_min=02 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=88|lon_min=1 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= | position=right| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 42| lat_min=06 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=72|lon_min=35 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= New England| position=top| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 41| lat_min=29 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=71|lon_min=18 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Bushnell | position=bottom | mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 40| lat_min=26 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=79|lon_min=56 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Chapman | position=left| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 42| lat_min=51 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=76|lon_min=59 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Whitelaw | position=left| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 42| lat_min=43 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=73|lon_min=40 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Lynah | position=top| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 41| lat_min=10 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=80|lon_min=14 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= | position=top| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 41| lat_min=14 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=75|lon_min=52 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= | position=bottom| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 40| lat_min=35 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=75|lon_min=30 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= CC-MAC | position=bottom| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 40| lat_min=11 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=75|lon_min=27 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Cape Henry | position=right| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 41| lat_min=14 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=75|lon_min=53 | lon_dir = W}}

{{Location map~ | USA | label= Cape Charles | position=bottom| mark=Green pog.svg | lat_deg= 37| lat_min=47 | lat_dir=N|lon_deg=79|lon_min=26 | lon_dir = W}}

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The Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) has one bowl game, played between HBCUs, which acts as a de facto Black college football national championship. The FCS also has a postseason bracket tournament that culminates in the 2024 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game.

{{Excerpt|2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season|Bowl game|hat=no|bold=yes}}

{{see also|2023 NCAA Division II football season}}

{{Excerpt|2023 NCAA Division II football season|Bowl games|hat=no|bold=yes}}

{{see also|2023 NCAA Division III football season}}

{{Excerpt|2023 NCAA Division III football season|Bowl games|hat=no|bold=yes}}

Each of these games featured college seniors, or players whose college football eligibility was ending, who were individually invited by game organizers. These games were scheduled to follow the team-competitive bowls, to allow players selected from bowl teams to participate. Such all-star games may include some players from non-FBS programs.

The NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, which debuted in 2012 and was played 12 times through January 2023, was discontinued. The East–West Shrine Bowl relocated from Nevada (where its prior two editions had been played) to Texas.

{{main|Bowl eligibility|Bids to college bowl games}}

{{main|2023–24 College Football Playoff}}

{{see also|2023 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings}}

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee announced its final team rankings for the season on December 3, 2023. It was the 10th season of the CFP era, and the last one with a four-team playoff. This was the first time that an undefeated Power Five conference champion (Florida State) was left out of the semifinals.{{cite web |author= |date=December 3, 2023 |title=CFP: Michigan, Washington, Texas, Alabama to Vie for Title |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39033995 |access-date=December 3, 2023 |work=ESPN}}

Generally, a team must have at least six wins to be considered bowl eligible, with at least five of those wins being against FBS opponents. The College Football Playoff semifinal games are determined based on the top four seeds in the playoff committee's final rankings. The remainder of the bowl-eligible teams are selected by each respective bowl based on conference tie-ins, order of selection, matchup considerations, and other factors.

• ACC (11): Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami (FL), NC State, North Carolina, Syracuse, Virginia Tech
• American (6): Memphis, Rice, SMU, South Florida, Tulane, UTSA
• Big Ten (9): Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota,{{efn|name=APRranking|Despite having a 5–7 record, Minnesota became bowl eligible due to having the highest Academic Progress Rate among five-win teams.}} Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin
• Big 12 (9): Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas Tech, UCF, West Virginia
• C–USA (4): Jacksonville State,{{efn|name=Conditional}} Liberty, New Mexico State, Western Kentucky
• MAC (6): Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo
• Mountain West (7): Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State, Wyoming
• Pac-12 (8): Arizona, California, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington
• SEC (9): Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M
• Sun Belt (12): Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James Madison,{{efn|name=Conditional}} Louisiana, Marshall, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy
• Independent (1): Notre Dame

Number of bowl berths available: 82

Number of bowl-eligible teams: 79

Number of conditionally bowl-eligible teams: 2: (Jacksonville State and James Madison){{efn|name=Conditional|As there were not enough otherwise bowl-eligible teams to fill available spots, Jacksonville State and James Madison became conditionally bowl eligible due to their winning records, despite their transitions from FCS.}}

Number of teams qualified by APR: 1 (Minnesota){{cite magazine |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/why-minnesota-is-bowl-eligible-with-only-five-wins/ar-AA1kyaaS |title=Why Minnesota Is Bowl Eligible With Only Five Wins |first=Joseph |last=Salvador |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=November 26, 2023 |accessdate=November 26, 2023}}

• ACC (3): Pittsburgh, Virginia, Wake Forest
• American (8): Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Navy, North Texas, Temple, Tulsa, UAB
• Big Ten (5): Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue
• Big 12 (5): Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, TCU
• C–USA (5): FIU, Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee, Sam Houston,{{efn|Sam Houston was bowl ineligible due to their transition from FCS to FBS, and the Bearkats would have been bowl ineligible regardless, as they finished with a 3–9 record.}} UTEP
• MAC (6): Akron, Ball State, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kent State, Western Michigan
• Mountain West (5): Colorado State, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State
• Pac-12 (4): Arizona State,{{efn|Arizona State self-imposed a bowl ban due to recruiting violations that occurred in 2020.{{cite web|date=August 27, 2023|title= Arizona State Football Self-Imposes Bowl Ban This Season for Alleged Recruiting Violations|url= https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2023/08/27/arizona-state-football-self-imposes-bowl-ban-this-season-for-alleged-recruiting-violations/70695008007/#|access-date=August 30, 2023|last=Gardner|first=Michelle|website=AZ Central}} The Sun Devils would have been bowl ineligible regardless, as they finished with a 3–9 record.}} Colorado, Stanford, Washington State
• SEC (5): Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Vanderbilt
• Sun Belt (2): Louisiana–Monroe, Southern Miss
• Independent (3): Army,{{efn|Despite finishing at 6–6, Army only had five wins at the time bowl matchups were determined; additionally, two of their wins were against FCS teams.}} UConn, UMass

Number of bowl-ineligible teams: 51

{{dagger}} Boise State, UNLV, and San José State all finished with a 6–2 conference record, creating a three-way tie. Since all three teams did not face each other during the season, and none of the teams were in the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings before the conference championship game, the three-way tie was broken by a composite average of computer rankings from Anderson & Hester, Colley Matrix, Massey and Wolfe. UNLV finished with the best average rankings at 44.5, while Boise State came in second at 55.75 and San José State third at 58.5. Therefore, the Broncos and Rebels secured their spots in the MW Championship. UNLV and Boise State did not play each other during the regular season. The Rebels' superior average computer ranking earned them the right to host the title game.{{cite press release |url=https://themw.com/news/2023/11/26/unlv-to-host-boise-state-in-mw-football-championship/ |title=UNLV to host Boise State in MW Football Championship |publisher=Mountain West Conference |date=November 26, 2023 |access-date=November 26, 2023}}

Ranks are per the final CFP rankings, released on December 3, 2023, with win–loss records at that time.

^CFP College Football Playoff participant

{{see also|Bowl Challenge Cup}}

Source:{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2024-01-02/track-which-conferences-are-winning-2023-24-college-football-bowl-season |title=Track which conferences are winning the 2023-24 college football bowl season |website=NCAA.org |date=January 2, 2024 |accessdate=January 2, 2024}}

Note: The only independent team that played in an FBS bowl game was Notre Dame.

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{{reflist|30em}}

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