2018–19 NCAA football bowl games
The 2018–19 NCAA football bowl games were a series of college football bowl games completing the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The games began on December 15, 2018, and, aside from the all-star games that follow, ended with the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship, which was played on January 7, 2019.
The total of 40 team-competitive bowls in FBS, including the national championship game, was unchanged from the previous year. To fill the 78 available bowl slots, a total of 10 teams with non-winning records were invited to bowl games. This was the second consecutive year, and only the third time in eight years, that no teams with losing seasons were invited to fill available bowl berths.
Only 39 of the 40 bowls were played, with the First Responder Bowl becoming the first ever postseason game at the FBS-level to be cancelled, as a severe lightning storm lingered for over two hours near the Cotton Bowl Stadium. The game was scored as a no-contest for the teams involved.
The three all-star games were the East–West Shrine Game and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, played on January 19, and the Senior Bowl, played on January 26.
Schedule
The schedule for the 2018–19 bowl games is below. All times are EST.College Football Playoff and Championship Game
The College Football Playoff system is used to determine a national championship of Division I FBS college football. A 13-member committee of experts ranked the top 25 teams in the nation after each of the last seven weeks. The top four teams in the final ranking play in a single-elimination semifinal round, with the winners advancing to the National Championship game.The semifinal games for the 2018–19 season were the Cotton Bowl and the Orange Bowl. Both were played on December 29 as part of a yearly rotation of three pairs of six bowls, commonly referred to as the New Year's Six bowl games. The winners advanced to the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on January 7.
Each of the games in the following table was televised by ESPN.
| Date | Time | Game | Site | Teams | Affiliations | Results |
| Dec. 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Peach Bowl | Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia | No. 10 [2018 2018 Florida Gators football team|Florida Gators football team|Florida Gators] No. 7 [2018 2018 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan Wolverines] | SEC [2018 2018 Big Ten Conference football season|Big Ten Conference football season|Big Ten] | Florida 41 Michigan 15 |
| Dec. 29 | 4:00 p.m. | Cotton Bowl Classic | AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas | No. 2 [2018 2018 Clemson Tigers football team|Clemson Tigers football team|Clemson Tigers] No. 3 [2018 2018 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team|Notre Dame Fighting Irish] | ACC Independent | Clemson 30 Notre Dame 3 |
| Dec. 29 | 8:00 p.m. | Orange Bowl | Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida | No. 1 [2018 2018 Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama Crimson Tide football team|Alabama Crimson Tide] No. 4 [2018 2018 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma Sooners] | SEC [2018 2018 Big 12 Conference football season|Big 12 Conference football season|Big 12] | Alabama 45 Oklahoma 34 |
| Jan. 1 | 1:00 p.m. | Fiesta Bowl | State Farm Stadium Glendale, Arizona | No. 11 [2018 2018 LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers football team|LSU Tigers] No. 8 [2018 2018 UCF Knights football team|UCF Knights football team|UCF Knights] | SEC American | LSU 40 UCF 32 |
| Jan. 1 | 5:00 p.m. | Rose Bowl | Rose Bowl Pasadena, California | No. 6 [2018 2018 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State Buckeyes] No. 9 [2018 2018 Washington Huskies football team|Washington Huskies football team|Washington Huskies] | Big Ten [2018 2018 Pac-12 Conference football season|Pac-12 Conference football season|Pac-12] | Ohio State 28 Washington 23 |
| Jan. 1 | 8:45 p.m. | Sugar Bowl | Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana | No. 15 [2018 2018 Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns football team|Texas Longhorns] No. 5 [2018 2018 Georgia Bulldogs football team|Georgia Bulldogs football team|Georgia Bulldogs] | Big 12 SEC | Texas 28 Georgia 21 |
| Jan. 7 | 8:00 p.m. | College Football Playoff National Championship | Levi's Stadium Santa Clara, California | No. 2 Clemson Tigers No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide | ACC SEC | Clemson 44 Alabama 16 |
Non-CFP bowl games
For the 2018–19 bowl season, the Gasparilla Bowl was re-located from Tropicana Field to Raymond James Stadium. Under new sponsorship deals in comparison to the prior season's bowl games, the Cactus Bowl was renamed the Cheez-It Bowl, the Heart of Dallas Bowl was renamed the First Responder Bowl, and the Foster Farms Bowl was renamed the Redbox Bowl. The Gator Bowl name was reinstated for the first time since the 2013 season, as it had been known as the TaxSlayer Bowl for the four prior editions.| Date | Time | Game | Site | Television | Teams | Affiliations | Results |
| Dec. 15 | 1:30 p.m. | Cure Bowl | Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida | CBSSN | [2018 2018 Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane Green Wave football team|Tulane Green Wave] [2018 2018 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team|Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team|Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns] | American Sun Belt | Tulane 41 Louisiana 24 |
| Dec. 15 | 2:00 p.m. | New Mexico Bowl | Dreamstyle Stadium Albuquerque, New Mexico | ESPN | [2018 2018 Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State Aggies football team|Utah State Aggies] [2018 2018 North Texas Mean Green football team|North Texas Mean Green football team|North Texas Mean Green] | [2018 2018 Mountain West Conference football season|Mountain West Conference football season|MWC] C-USA | Utah State 52 North Texas 13 |
| Dec. 15 | 3:30 p.m. | Las Vegas Bowl | Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas, Nevada | ABC | No. 21 [2018 2018 Fresno State Bulldogs football team|Fresno State Bulldogs football team|Fresno State Bulldogs] [2018 2018 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State Sun Devils] | MWC Pac-12 | Fresno State 31 Arizona State 20 |
| Dec. 15 | 5:30 p.m. | Camellia Bowl | Cramton Bowl Montgomery, Alabama | ESPN | [2018 2018 Georgia Southern Eagles football team|Georgia Southern Eagles football team|Georgia Southern Eagles] [2018 2018 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team|Eastern Michigan Eagles football team|Eastern Michigan Eagles] | Sun Belt MAC | Georgia Southern 23 Eastern Michigan 21 |
| Dec. 15 | 9:00 p.m. | New Orleans Bowl | Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, Louisiana | ESPN | [2018 2018 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State Mountaineers football team|Appalachian State Mountaineers] [2018 2018 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team|Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team|Middle 2018 Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee Blue Raiders] | Sun Belt C-USA | Appalachian State 45 Middle Tennessee 13 |
| Dec. 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Boca Raton Bowl | FAU Stadium Boca Raton, Florida | ESPN | [2018 2018 UAB Blazers football team|UAB Blazers football team|UAB Blazers] [2018 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team|Northern Illinois Huskies football team|Northern 2018 Illinois Fighting Illini football team|Illinois Huskies] | C-USA MAC | UAB 37 Northern Illinois 13 |
| Dec. 19 | 8:00 p.m. | Frisco Bowl | Toyota Stadium Frisco, Texas | ESPN | Ohio Bobcats [2018 2018 San Diego State Aztecs football team|San Diego State Aztecs football team|San Diego State Aztecs] | MAC MWC | Ohio 27 San Diego State 0 |
| Dec. 20 | 8:00 p.m. | Gasparilla Bowl | Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | ESPN | [2018 2018 Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall Thundering Herd football team|Marshall Thundering Herd] [2018 2018 South Florida Bulls football team|South Florida Bulls football team|South Florida Bulls] | C-USA American | Marshall 38 South Florida 20 |
| Dec. 21 | 12:30 p.m. | Bahamas Bowl | Thomas Robinson Stadium Nassau, Bahamas | ESPN | [2018 2018 FIU Panthers football team|FIU Panthers football team|FIU Panthers] [2018 2018 Toledo Rockets football team|Toledo Rockets football team|Toledo Rockets] | C-USA MAC | FIU 35 Toledo 32 |
| Dec. 21 | 4:00 p.m. | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Albertsons Stadium Boise, Idaho | ESPN | [2018 2018 BYU Cougars football team|BYU Cougars football team|BYU Cougars] [2018 2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan Broncos football team|Western Michigan Broncos] | Independent MAC | BYU 49 Western Michigan 18 |
| Dec. 22 | 12:00 p.m. | Birmingham Bowl | Legion Field Birmingham, Alabama | ESPN | [2018 2018 Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest Demon Deacons football team|Wake Forest Demon Deacons] [2018 2018 Memphis Tigers football team|Memphis Tigers football team|Memphis Tigers] | ACC American | Wake Forest 37 Memphis 34 |
| Dec. 22 | 3:30 p.m. | Armed Forces Bowl | Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, Texas | ESPN | [2018 2018 Army Black Knights football team|Army Black Knights football team|Army Black Knights] [2018 2018 Houston Cougars football team|Houston Cougars football team|Houston Cougars] | Independent American | Army 70 Houston 14 |
| Dec. 22 | 7:00 p.m. | Dollar General Bowl | Ladd–Peebles Stadium Mobile, Alabama | ESPN | [2018 2018 Troy Trojans football team|Troy Trojans football team|Troy Trojans] [2018 2018 Buffalo Bulls football team|Buffalo Bulls football team|Buffalo Bulls] | Sun Belt MAC | Troy 42 Buffalo 32 |
| Dec. 22 | 10:30 p.m. | [2018 2018 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team|Hawaii Bowl|Hawaii Bowl] | Aloha Stadium Honolulu, Hawaii | ESPN | [2018 2018 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team|Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team|Louisiana Tech Bulldogs] Hawaii Rainbow Warriors | C-USA MWC | Louisiana Tech 31 Hawaii 14 |
| Dec. 26 | 1:30 p.m. | First Responder Bowl | Cotton Bowl Stadium Dallas, Texas | ESPN | Boston College Eagles No. 25 Boise State Broncos | ACC MWC | No contest due to weather cancellation. |
| Dec. 26 | 5:15 p.m. | Quick Lane Bowl | Ford Field Detroit, Michigan | ESPN | [2018 2018 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota Golden Gophers football team|Minnesota Golden Gophers] [2018 2018 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team|Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team|Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets] | Big Ten ACC | Minnesota 34 Georgia Tech 10 |
| Dec. 26 | 9:00 p.m. | Cheez-It Bowl | Chase Field Phoenix, Arizona | ESPN | [2018 2018 TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU Horned Frogs football team|TCU Horned Frogs] [2018 2018 California Golden Bears football team|California Golden Bears football team|California Golden Bears] | Big 12 Pac-12 | TCU 10 California 7 |
| Dec. 27 | 1:30 p.m. | Independence Bowl | Independence Stadium Shreveport, Louisiana | ESPN | [2018 2018 Duke Blue Devils football team|Duke Blue Devils football team|Duke Blue Devils] [2018 2018 Temple Owls football team|Temple Owls football team|Temple Owls] | ACC American | Duke 56 Temple 27 |
| Dec. 27 | 5:15 p.m. | Pinstripe Bowl | Yankee Stadium Bronx, New York | ESPN | [2018 2018 Wisconsin Badgers football team|Wisconsin Badgers football team|Wisconsin Badgers] Miami (FL) Hurricanes | Big Ten ACC | Wisconsin 35 Miami 3 |
| Dec. 27 | 9:00 p.m. | Texas Bowl | NRG Stadium Houston, Texas | ESPN | [2018 2018 Baylor Bears football team|Baylor Bears football team|Baylor Bears] [2018 2018 Vanderbilt Commodores football team|Vanderbilt Commodores football team|Vanderbilt Commodores] | Big 12 SEC | Baylor 45 Vanderbilt 38 |
| Dec. 28 | 1:30 p.m. | Music City Bowl | Nissan Stadium Nashville, Tennessee | ESPN | [2018 2018 Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn Tigers football team|Auburn Tigers] [2018 2018 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue Boilermakers] | SEC Big Ten | Auburn 63 Purdue 14 |
| Dec. 28 | 5:15 p.m. | Camping World Bowl | Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida | ESPN | No. 20 [2018 2018 Syracuse Orange football team|Syracuse Orange football team|Syracuse Orange] No. 16 [2018 2018 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West 2018 Virginia Cavaliers football team|Virginia Mountaineers] | ACC Big 12 | Syracuse 34 West Virginia 18 |
| Dec. 28 | 9:00 p.m. | Alamo Bowl | Alamodome San Antonio, Texas | ESPN | No. 24 [2018 2018 Iowa State Cyclones football team|Iowa State Cyclones football team|Iowa State Cyclones] | Pac-12 Big 12 | Washington State 28 Iowa State 26 |
| Dec. 29 | 12:00 p.m. | Belk Bowl | Bank of America Stadium Charlotte, North Carolina | ABC | Virginia Cavaliers [2018 2018 South Carolina Gamecocks football team|South Carolina Gamecocks football team|South Carolina Gamecocks] | ACC SEC | Virginia 28 South Carolina 0 |
| Dec. 29 | 1:15 p.m. | Arizona Bowl | Arizona Stadium Tucson, Arizona | CBSSN | [2018 2018 Nevada Wolf Pack football team|Nevada Wolf Pack football team|Nevada Wolf Pack] [2018 2018 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team|Arkansas State Red Wolves football team|Arkansas State Red Wolves] | MWC Sun Belt | Nevada 16 Arkansas State 13 |
| Dec. 31 | 12:00 p.m. | Military Bowl | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Annapolis, Maryland | ESPN | [2018 2018 Cincinnati Bearcats football team|Cincinnati Bearcats football team|Cincinnati Bearcats] [2018 2018 Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech Hokies football team|Virginia Tech Hokies] | American ACC | Cincinnati 35 Virginia Tech 31 |
| Dec. 31 | 2:00 p.m. | Sun Bowl | Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, Texas | CBS | [2018 2018 Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford Cardinal football team|Stanford Cardinal] [2018 2018 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pittsburgh Panthers] | Pac-12 ACC | Stanford 14 Pittsburgh 13 |
| Dec. 31 | 3:00 p.m. | Redbox Bowl | Levi's Stadium Santa Clara, California | Fox | [2018 2018 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon Ducks] [2018 2018 Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State Spartans] | Pac-12 Big Ten | Oregon 7 Michigan State 6 |
| Dec. 31 | 3:45 p.m. | Liberty Bowl | Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium Memphis, Tennessee | ESPN | [2018 2018 Oklahoma State Cowboys football team|Oklahoma State Cowboys football team|Oklahoma State Cowboys] No. 23 [2018 2018 Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri Tigers football team|Missouri Tigers] | Big 12 SEC | Oklahoma State 38 Missouri 33 |
| Dec. 31 | 7:00 p.m. | Holiday Bowl | SDCCU Stadium San Diego, California | FS1 | No. 22 [2018 2018 Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern Wildcats football team|Northwestern Wildcats] No. 17 Utah Utes | Big Ten Pac-12 | Northwestern 31 Utah 20 |
| Dec. 31 | 7:30 p.m. | Gator Bowl | TIAA Bank Field Jacksonville, Florida | ESPN | No. 19 Texas A&M Aggies [2018 2018 NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State Wolfpack football team|NC State Wolfpack] | SEC ACC | Texas A&M 52 NC State 13 |
| Jan. 1 | 12:00 p.m. | Outback Bowl | Raymond James Stadium Tampa, Florida | ESPN2 | Iowa Hawkeyes No. 18 [2018 2018 Mississippi State Bulldogs football team|Mississippi State Bulldogs football team|Mississippi State Bulldogs] | Big Ten SEC | Iowa 27 Mississippi State 22 |
| Jan. 1 | 1:00 p.m. | Citrus Bowl | Camping World Stadium Orlando, Florida | ABC | No. 14 [2018 2018 Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky Wildcats football team|Kentucky Wildcats] No. 12 [2018 2018 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State Nittany Lions] | SEC Big Ten | Kentucky 27 Penn State 24 |
FCS bowl game
The FCS has one bowl game; they also have a championship bracket that began on November 24 and ended on January 5.| Date | Time | Game | Site | Television | Participants | Affiliations | Results |
| Dec. 15 | 12:00 p.m. | Celebration Bowl | Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, Georgia | ABC | North Carolina A&T Aggies Alcorn State Braves | MEAC SWAC | North Carolina A&T 24 Alcorn State 22 |
Team selections
Generally, a team must have at least six wins to be considered bowl eligible. The College Football Playoff semi-final 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, match-up considerations, and other factors.CFP top 25 standings and bowl games
On December 2, 2018, the College Football Playoff selection committee announced their final team rankings for the season.Three of the four semifinalists – Alabama, Clemson, and Oklahoma – had also been semifinalists the previous season.
Conference champions' bowl games
Three bowls will feature two conference champions playing against each other—the Boca Raton Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Rose Bowl. Rankings are per the above CFP standings.Bowl–eligible teams
- ACC : Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), NC State, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
- American : Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, UCF
- Big Ten : Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin
- Big 12 : Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas, West Virginia
- C-USA : FIU, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Southern Miss, UAB
- MAC : Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Miami (OH), Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, Western Michigan
- Mountain West : Boise State, Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, Utah State, Wyoming
- Pac-12 : Arizona State, California, Oregon, Stanford, Utah, Washington, Washington State
- SEC : Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt
- Sun Belt : Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Louisiana–Monroe, Troy
- Independent : Army, BYU, Notre Dame
'''Number of bowl-eligible teams: 82'''
Bowl-eligible teams that did not receive a berth
As there were more bowl-eligible teams than berths available, four teams that were bowl-eligible did not receive an invitation.Bowl–ineligible teams
- ACC : Florida State, Louisville, North Carolina
- American : East Carolina, Navy, SMU, Tulsa, UConn
- Big Ten : Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Rutgers
- Big 12 : Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech
- C-USA : Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, Old Dominion, Rice, UTEP, UTSA, Western Kentucky
- MAC : Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Kent State
- Mountain West : Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV
- Pac-12 : Arizona, Colorado, Oregon State, UCLA, USC
- SEC : Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tennessee
- Sun Belt : Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State
- Independent : Liberty, New Mexico State, UMass
Television ratings
Non-CFP bowl games
- CFP Rankings.