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. Also, some conferences have more bowl games listed than bowl teams because advancement in the College Football Playoff and teams playing more than one game during bowl season.
| CONFERENCE (BOWL TEAMS) | RECORD | WINNING PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN (8 teams) | 6-2 | .750 |
| ACC (13) | 2-11 | .153 |
| BIG 12 (8) | 4-5 | .444 |
| BIG TEN (12) | 11-6 | .647 |
| CONFERENCE USA (5)* | 1-4 | .200 |
| INDEPENDENTS (2) | 4-1 | 0.800 |
| MAC (7) | 5-2 | .714 |
| MOUNTAIN WEST (5) | 1-4 | .200 |
| PAC-12 (1) | 0-1 | .000 |
| SEC (13) | 8-7 | .533 |
| SUN BELT (7)* | 4-3 | .571 |
*Louisiana Tech replaced Marshall in the Independence Bowl
American Athletic Conference (8 teams)
Record: 6-2
- 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)
- Texas State 30, North Texas 28 (First Responder Bowl)
ACC (13 teams)
Record: 2-11
- No. 24 UNLV 24, Cal 13 (LA Bowl)
- No. 4 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 35, Washington 34 (Sun Bowl)
- No. 14 Ole Miss 52, Duke 20 (Gator Bowl)
- Minnesota 24, Virginia Tech 10 (Duke's Mayo Bowl)
FOLLOW ALL GAMES: Scores and stats for every bowl game
Big 12 (8 teams)
Record: 4-5
- 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)
- LSU 44, Baylor 31 (Texas Bowl)
- No. 3 Texas 39, No. 12 Arizona State 31 (2OT) (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Peach Bowl)
Big Ten (12 teams)
Record: 11-6
- 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 19, No. 11 Alabama (ReliaQuest Bowl)
- Louisville 35, Washington 34 (Sun Bowl)
- No. 20 Illinois 21, No. 15 South Carolina 17 (Citrus Bowl)
- No. 4 Penn State 31, No. 9 Boise State 14 (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Fiesta Bowl)
- No. 6 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21 (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Rose Bowl)
- Minnesota 24, Virginia Tech 10 (Duke's Mayo Bowl)
- No. 5 Notre Dame 27, No. 4 Penn State 24 (College Football Playoff semifinals — Orange Bowl)
- No. 6 Ohio State 28, No. 3 Texas 14 (College Football Playoff semifinals — Cotton Bowl)
- No. 6 Ohio State 34, No. 5 Notre Dame 23 (College Football Playoff National Championship Game — in Atlanta)
CUSA (5 teams)
Record: 1-4
- 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)
- Buffalo 26, Liberty 7 (Bahamas Bowl)
Independents (2 teams)
Record: 4-0
- No. 5 Notre Dame 27, No. 8 Indiana 17 (College Football Playoff first round)
- UConn 27, North Carolina 14 (Fenway Bowl)
- No. 5 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10 (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Sugar Bowl)
- No. 5 Notre Dame 27, No. 4 Penn State 24 (College Football Playoff semifinals — Orange Bowl)
- No. 6 Ohio State 34, No. 5 Notre Dame 23 (College Football Playoff National Championship Game — in Atlanta)
MAC (7 teams)
Record: 5-2
- 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 26, Liberty 7 (Bahamas Bowl)
Mountain West (5 teams)
Record: 1-4
- 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. 4 Penn State 31, No. 9 Boise State 14 (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Fiesta Bowl)
Pac-12 (1 team)
Record: 0-1
SEC (13 teams)
Record: 8-7
- 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)
- Michigan 19, No. 11 Alabama 13 (ReliaQuest Bowl)
- No. 20 Illinois 21, No. 15 South Carolina 17 (Citrus Bowl)
- LSU 44, Baylor 31 (Texas Bowl)
- No. 3 Texas 39, No. 12 Arizona State 31 (2OT) (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Peach Bowl)
- No. 5 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10 (College Football Playoff quarterfinals — Sugar Bowl)
- No. 14 Ole Miss 52, Duke 20 (Gator Bowl)
- No. 6 Ohio State 28, No. 3 Texas 14 (College Football Playoff semifinals — Cotton Bowl)
Sun Belt (7 teams)
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 30, North Texas 28 (First Responder Bowl)
