Bowls/Playoff Projections
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GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Given I'm an alum of both schools, that would be my dream. I'd be rooting for my Illini (hard) in that one, though.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- Batavia
How another round of top-10 losses shakes up playoff, bowl matchups
We project who will play where through the national title game as we move into the season's second half.
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Vanderbilt
Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Schlabach: Illinois vs. LSU
College football bowl projections feature new look for playoff with Oklahoma, BYU
Things change quickly in college football. And the results in Week 8 have brought adjustments to the playoff picture in this week's bowl projections.
www.usatoday.com
| Dec. 31 | ReliaQuest | Big Ten v. SEC | Illinois vs. Vanderbilt |
College Football Bowl Projections 2025-26
CBS Sports experts select the college football teams they believe will make the NCAA National Semifinals at the end of the 2025 season and give projections for each game.
www.cbssports.com
| Dec. 31 | Las Vegas |  Illinois | vs. Iowa State | Big Ten vs. Pac-12 | 3:30pm | Las Vegas, Nev. |
College Football Bowl Projections: Chaotic Week 8 Completely Rewrites the Postseason Predictions
Week 8 provided a seismic shift in the latest college football bowl projections as shock results impact the postseason potential for multiple programs.
www.profootballnetwork.com
Utah vs. Illinois
College Football Playoff Projections
Playoff First Round
Friday, December 19, 2025Time TBD
Home site of higher seed
Last Season: Notre Dame 27, Indiana 17
Projection: (12) Illinois Fighting Illini at (5) Texas Tech Red Raiders
Capital One Orange Bowl
Thursday, January 1, 202512:00, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Bowl Affiliations: ACC
Last Season: Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24 (CFP Semifinal)
Projection: (12) Illinois Fighting Illini vs (4) Miami Hurricanes
College Football Bowl Projections After Week 8: Florida, Clemson Miss Postseason
Parity across the sport has created matchups like Auburn and Florida State in the Mayo Bowl as big-name brands fail to meet expectations.
www.si.com
| Vegas Bowl | Dec. 31 | Arizona State vs. Illinois |
Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 31)
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.Tie-In: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Illinois vs. Arizona State
mhuml32
Gesture of Northern Aggression
Miami would scare the crap out of me because their offensive and defensive lines are elite, but there is no larger coaching advantage than Bielema v. Mario
College Football News has us in CFP AS 12 Seed against Texas Tech.
Going to be looking closer at bowl projections now that our playoff hopes are gone. I've got 2 questions...
1) Is it still a thing where bowls don't like the same team twice? So we would be unlikely to get the Citrus bowl?
2) What are the most prestigious bowls outside the playoff? I know the Citrus is one. I think Music City is up there. Maybe the one in Vegas too?
1) Is it still a thing where bowls don't like the same team twice? So we would be unlikely to get the Citrus bowl?
2) What are the most prestigious bowls outside the playoff? I know the Citrus is one. I think Music City is up there. Maybe the one in Vegas too?
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
We'll likely NOT get the Citrus Bowl in back-to-back years.
Reliaquest or Music City is what I’m hoping for.
I don't care which bowl we're in. I want to play against Missouri, though. That'd be fun.
ESPN.com's projections:
-Bonagura: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mizzou
-Schlabach: Music City Bowl vs. Auburn
-Bonagura: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Mizzou
-Schlabach: Music City Bowl vs. Auburn
Mizzou vs illinois in Nashville would be cinema. Although, it sounded like there were a ton of Mizzou fans at the Vandy game this past weekend. I would say that game would be 70/30 in their favor.
Dan
Admin
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt vs. Illinois
www.on3.com
Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt vs. Illinois
College Football Bowl Projections Week 10: Full list of matchups, playoff predictions
The latest bowl projections after Week 10 of the college football season. Is Texas Tech now in the playoffs?
Oh boy, let’s play another bowl game where the opponent is playing in their back yard.Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt vs. Illinois
College Football Bowl Projections Week 10: Full list of matchups, playoff predictions
The latest bowl projections after Week 10 of the college football season. Is Texas Tech now in the playoffs?
They are projecting Vandy to miss that shot at the playoff. They still have games at TX, against Auburn, and at TN; not a gauntlet, necessarily, but chances for additional loss(es).
I don't know if this has already been asked, but will Luke play in the bowl game if we don't make the playoffs? Is a 9-3 record and a New Years' bowl a "probably" and a 7-5 finish a "hard no" to the Pinstripe Bowl?
Music City or Vegas would be cool
Illini in Italy
- Illini HQ, Florida Panhandle
I'd love to have Nashville, just not as a home game for Vandy.
My thinking has been that we need 9 wins in the regular season because we may get a bunch of opt out in a bowl, making an extra win tough to get.
We have more guys with NFL aspirations than last year.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- Batavia
Music City Bowl (Dec. 30)
Nashville, Tenn.
Vanderbilt vs. Illinois
College Football Bowl Projections Week 10: Full list of matchups, playoff predictions
The latest bowl projections after Week 10 of the college football season. Is Texas Tech now in the playoffs?
How the matchups line up for all 46 postseason games
Even with fewer major upsets this weekend, the bowl picture continues to evolve.
Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Schlabach: Illinois vs. Auburn
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Missouri
College Football Bowl Projections 2025-26
CBS Sports experts select the college football teams they believe will make the NCAA National Semifinals at the end of the 2025 season and give projections for each game.
www.cbssports.com
| Dec. 31 | Las Vegas | Illinois | vs. Cincinnati |
College Football Playoff and Bowl Projections After Week 9: Oregon’s Résumé Discussion
The Ducks have only one win against a team over .500, which could prevent them from hosting a first-round CFP game. Plus, how the bowl schedule is shaping up.
www.si.com
| Vegas Bowl | Dec. 31 | Arizona State vs. Illinois |
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Tuesday, December 30, 20255:30, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Bowl Affiliations: Big Ten, SEC
Last Season: Missouri 27, Iowa 24
Projection: Illinois vs Auburn
Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 27)
Location: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.Tie-In: ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: NC State vs. Illinois
Bowl projections: College Football Playoff gets one lock team after Week 9
It's the eve of November and the College Football Playoff picture is getting clearer in this week's bowl projections.
www.usatoday.com
Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
Schlabach: Illinois vs. Oklahoma
A Border War bowl game would be insane.
Other than that, I would be okay with basically any of these bowls except for the Pinstripe Bowl.
Other than that, I would be okay with basically any of these bowls except for the Pinstripe Bowl.
Shief
- Champaign Area
Agree with wanting to play Mizzou, if possible.
I would be ok with Pinstripe Bowl, I might be able to get tickets for free.
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