After one of the most controversial selections in the College Football Playoff era, the college football bowl game schedule is officially complete.
The Alabama Crimson Tide edged the Big Ten champion Ohio State Buckeyes for the final spot in the College Football Playoff and will play top-ranked Clemson Jan. 1 in the national semifinal at the Sugar Bowl.
College Football Playoff committee chairman Kirby Hocutt said the committee took into account Alabama’s full résumé in deciding the Crimson Tide were more deserving than the Buckeyes.
“We went with a one-loss Alabama team, losing in the final game to the No. 7 team in Auburn,” Hocutt said. “More damaging was the 31-point loss to Iowa. The selection committee just favored the full body of work from Alabama.”
The SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs and Big 12 champion Oklahoma Sooners will face off in the other national semifinal at the Rose Bowl.
Despite Ohio State’s playoff snub, the Buckeyes get a chance to prove they are worthy of national recognition when they face Pac 12 champion USC in the Cotton Bowl.
The full bowl game schedule is listed below.
2017-18 Bowl Game Schedule
Saturday, Dec. 16
Celebration Bowl (Noon, ABC): Grambling vs. North Carolina A&T
New Orleans Bowl (1 p.m., ESPN): Troy vs. North Texas
Cure Bowl (2:30 p.m., CBSSN): Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
Las Vegas Bowl (3:30 p.m., ABC): Boise State vs. Oregon
New Mexico Bowl (4:30 p.m., ESPN): Marshall vs. Colorado State
Camellia Bowl (8 p.m., ESPN): Middle Tennessee vs. Arkansas State
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Boca Raton Bowl (7 p.m., ESPN): Akron vs. Florida Atlantic
Wednesday, Dec. 20
Frisco Bowl (8 p.m., ESPN): Louisiana Tech vs. SMU
Thursday, Dec. 21
Gasparilla Bowl (8 p.m., ESPN): Temple vs. Florida International
Friday, Dec. 22
Bahamas Bowl (12:30 p.m., ESPN): UAB vs. Ohio
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (4 p.m., ESPN): Central Michigan vs. Wyoming
Saturday, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl (Noon, ESPN): Texas Tech vs. South Florida
Armed Forces Bowl (3:30 p.m., ESPN): San Diego State vs. Army
Dollar General Bowl (7 p.m., ESPN): Appalachian State vs. Toledo
Sunday, Dec. 24
Hawai’i Bowl (8:30 p.m., ESPN): Fresno State vs. Houston
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Heart of Dallas Bowl (1:30 p.m., ESPN): Utah vs. West Virginia
Quick Lane Bowl (5:15 p.m., ESPN): Duke vs. Northern Illinois
Cactus Bowl (9 p.m., ESPN): Kansas State vs. UCLA
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Independence Bowl (1:30 p.m., ESPN): Southern Mississippi vs. Florida State
New Era Pinstripe Bowl (5:15 p.m., ESPN): Iowa vs. Boston College
Foster Farms Bowl (8:30 p.m., FOX): Arizona vs. Purdue
Texas Bowl (9 p.m., ESPN): Texas vs. Missouri
Thursday, Dec. 28
Military Bowl (1:30 p.m., ESPN): Virginia vs. Navy
Camping World Bowl (5:15 p.m., ESPN): Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State
Alamo Bowl (9 p.m., ESPN): Stanford vs. TCU
Holiday Bowl (9 p.m., FOX): Washington State vs. Michigan State
Friday, Dec. 29
Belk Bowl (1 p.m., ESPN): Wake Forest vs. Texas A&M
Sun Bowl (3 p.m., CBS): North Carolina State vs. Arizona State
Music City Bowl (4:30 p.m., ESPN): Kentucky vs. Northwestern
Arizona Bowl (5:30 p.m., CBSSN): Utah State vs. New Mexico State
Cotton Bowl Classic (8:30 p.m., ESPN): No. 8 USC vs. No. 5 Ohio State
Saturday, Dec. 30
TaxSlayer Bowl (Noon, ESPN): Louisville vs. Mississippi State
Liberty Bowl (12:30 p.m., ABC): Iowa State vs. Memphis
Fiesta Bowl (4 p.m., ESPN): No. 11 Washington vs. No. 9 Penn State
Orange Bowl (8 p.m., ESPN): No. 10 Miami vs. No. 6 Wisconsin
Monday, Jan. 1
Outback Bowl (Noon, ESPN2): Michigan vs. South Carolina
Peach Bowl (12:30 p.m., ESPN): No. 12 UCF vs. No. 7 Auburn
Citrus Bowl (1 p.m., ABC): Notre Dame vs. LSU
College Football Playoff – Jan. 1
Rose Bowl (5 p.m., ESPN): No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Sugar Bowl (8:45 p.m., ESPN): No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Clemson
Monday, Jan. 8
College Football Playoff National Championship Game (8 p.m., ESPN)
