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 (13% of all participants) with non-winning records (6–6) 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 (6–7 or 5–7) 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 (or its predecessors) 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 (UTC−5).
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. DateTime (EST)GameSiteTeamsAffiliationsResultsDec. 2912:00 p.m.Peach BowlMercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, GeorgiaNo. 10 Florida Gators (9–3)No. 7 Michigan Wolverines (10–2)SECBig TenFlorida 41Michigan 154:00 p.m.Cotton Bowl Classic (Playoff Semifinal Game)AT&T StadiumArlington, TexasNo. 2 Clemson Tigers (13–0)No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12–0)ACCIndependentClemson 30Notre Dame 38:00 p.m.Orange Bowl (Playoff Semifinal Game)Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FloridaNo. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (13–0)No. 4 Oklahoma Sooners (12–1)SECBig 12Alabama 45Oklahoma 34Jan. 11:00 p.m.Fiesta BowlState Farm StadiumGlendale, ArizonaNo. 11 LSU Tigers (9–3)No. 8 UCF Knights (12–0)SECAmericanLSU 40UCF 325:00 p.m.Rose BowlRose BowlPasadena, CaliforniaNo. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes (12–1)No. 9 Washington Huskies (10–3)Big TenPac-12Ohio State 28Washington 238:45 p.m.Sugar BowlMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LouisianaNo. 15 Texas Longhorns (9–4)No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (11–2)Big 12SECTexas 28Georgia 21Jan. 78:00 p.m.College Football Playoff National Championship (Cotton Bowl Winner vs. Orange Bowl Winner)Levi's StadiumSanta Clara, CaliforniaNo. 2 Clemson Tigers (14–0)No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide (14–0)ACCSECClemson 44Alabama 16
Non-CFP bowl games For the 2018–19 bowl season, the Gasparilla Bowl was re-located from Tropicana Field to Raymond James Stadium (which already hosts the Outback Bowl). 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.
DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionTeamsAffiliationsResultsDec. 151:30 p.m.Cure BowlCamping World StadiumOrlando, FloridaCBSSNTulane Green Wave (6–6)Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (7–6)AmericanSun BeltTulane 41Louisiana 242:00 p.m.New Mexico BowlDreamstyle StadiumAlbuquerque, New MexicoESPNUtah State Aggies (10–2)North Texas Mean Green (9–3)MWCC-USAUtah State 52North Texas 133:30 p.m.Las Vegas BowlSam Boyd StadiumLas Vegas, NevadaABCNo. 21 Fresno State Bulldogs (11–2)Arizona State Sun Devils (7–5)MWCPac-12Fresno State 31Arizona State 205:30 p.m.Camellia BowlCramton BowlMontgomery, AlabamaESPNGeorgia Southern Eagles (9–3)Eastern Michigan Eagles (7–5)Sun BeltMACGeorgia Southern 23Eastern Michigan 219:00 p.m.New Orleans BowlMercedes-Benz SuperdomeNew Orleans, LouisianaAppalachian State Mountaineers (10–2)Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (8–5)Sun BeltC-USAAppalachian State 45Middle Tennessee 13Dec. 187:00 p.m.Boca Raton BowlFAU StadiumBoca Raton, FloridaUAB Blazers (10–3)Northern Illinois Huskies (8–5)C-USAMAC UAB 37Northern Illinois 13Dec. 198:00 p.m.Frisco BowlToyota StadiumFrisco, TexasOhio Bobcats (8–4)San Diego State Aztecs (7–5)MACMWCOhio 27San Diego State 0Dec. 208:00 p.m.Gasparilla BowlRaymond James StadiumTampa, FloridaMarshall Thundering Herd (8–4)South Florida Bulls (7–5)C-USAAmericanMarshall 38South Florida 20Dec. 2112:30 p.m.Bahamas BowlThomas Robinson StadiumNassau, BahamasFIU Panthers (8–4)Toledo Rockets (7–5)C-USAMACFIU 35Toledo 324:00 p.m.Famous Idaho Potato BowlAlbertsons StadiumBoise, IdahoBYU Cougars (6–6)Western Michigan Broncos (7–5)IndependentMACBYU 49Western Michigan 18Dec. 2212:00 p.m.Birmingham BowlLegion FieldBirmingham, AlabamaWake Forest Demon Deacons (6–6)Memphis Tigers (8–5)ACCAmericanWake Forest 37Memphis 343:30 p.m.Armed Forces BowlAmon G. Carter StadiumFort Worth, TexasArmy Black Knights (10–2)Houston Cougars (8–4)IndependentAmericanArmy 70Houston 147:00 p.m.Dollar General BowlLadd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AlabamaTroy Trojans (9–3)Buffalo Bulls (10–3)Sun BeltMACTroy 42Buffalo 3210:30 p.m.Hawaii BowlAloha StadiumHonolulu, HawaiiLouisiana Tech Bulldogs (7–5)Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (8–5)C-USAMWCLouisiana Tech 31Hawaii 14Dec. 261:30 p.m.First Responder BowlCotton Bowl StadiumDallas, TexasBoston College Eagles (7–5) No. 25 Boise State Broncos (10–3)ACCMWCNo contest due toweather cancellation.5:15 p.m.Quick Lane BowlFord FieldDetroit, MichiganMinnesota Golden Gophers (6–6)Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7–5)Big TenACCMinnesota 34Georgia Tech 109:00 p.m.Cheez-It BowlChase FieldPhoenix, ArizonaTCU Horned Frogs (6–6)California Golden Bears (7–5)Big 12Pac-12TCU 10California 7 (OT)Dec. 271:30 p.m.Independence BowlIndependence StadiumShreveport, LouisianaDuke Blue Devils (7–5)Temple Owls (8–4)ACCAmericanDuke 56Temple 275:15 p.m.Pinstripe BowlYankee StadiumBronx, New YorkWisconsin Badgers (7–5)Miami (FL) Hurricanes (7–5)Big TenACCWisconsin 35Miami (FL) 39:00 p.m.Texas BowlNRG StadiumHouston, TexasBaylor Bears (6–6)Vanderbilt Commodores (6–6)Big 12SECBaylor 45Vanderbilt 38Dec. 281:30 p.m.Music City BowlNissan StadiumNashville, TennesseeAuburn Tigers (7–5)Purdue Boilermakers (6–6)SECBig Ten Auburn 63Purdue 145:15 p.m.Camping World BowlCamping World StadiumOrlando, FloridaNo. 20 Syracuse Orange (9–3)No. 16 West Virginia Mountaineers (8–3)ACCBig 12Syracuse 34West Virginia 189:00 p.m.Alamo BowlAlamodomeSan Antonio, TexasNo. 24 Iowa State Cyclones (8–4)Pac-12Big 12Washington State 28Iowa State 26Dec. 2912:00 p.m.Belk BowlBank of America StadiumCharlotte, North CarolinaABCVirginia Cavaliers (7–5)South Carolina Gamecocks (7–5)ACCSECVirginia 28South Carolina 01:15 p.m.Arizona BowlArizona StadiumTucson, ArizonaCBSSNNevada Wolf Pack (7–5)Arkansas State Red Wolves (8–4)MWCSun BeltNevada 16Arkansas State 13 (OT)Dec. 3112:00 p.m.Military BowlNavy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MarylandESPNCincinnati Bearcats (10–2)Virginia Tech Hokies (6–6)AmericanACCCincinnati 35Virginia Tech 312:00 p.m.Sun BowlSun Bowl StadiumEl Paso, TexasCBS Stanford Cardinal (8–4)Pittsburgh Panthers (7–6)Pac-12ACCStanford 14Pittsburgh 133:00 p.m.Redbox BowlLevi's StadiumSanta Clara, CaliforniaFoxOregon Ducks (8–4)Michigan State Spartans (7–5)Pac-12Big TenOregon 7Michigan State 63:45 p.m.Liberty BowlLiberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TennesseeESPNOklahoma State Cowboys (6–6)No. 23 Missouri Tigers (8–4)Big 12SECOklahoma State 38Missouri 337:00 p.m.Holiday BowlSDCCU StadiumSan Diego, CaliforniaFS1No. 22 Northwestern Wildcats (8–5)No. 17 Utah Utes (9–4)Big TenPac-12Northwestern 31Utah 207:30 p.m.Gator BowlTIAA Bank FieldJacksonville, FloridaESPNNo. 19 Texas A&M Aggies (8–4)NC State Wolfpack (9–3)SECACCTexas A&M 52NC State 13Jan. 112:00 p.m.Outback BowlRaymond James StadiumTampa, FloridaESPN2Iowa Hawkeyes (8–4)No. 18 Mississippi State Bulldogs (8–4)Big TenSECIowa 27Mississippi State 221:00 p.m.Citrus BowlCamping World StadiumOrlando, FloridaABCNo. 14 Kentucky Wildcats (9–3)No. 12 Penn State Nittany Lions (9–3)SECBig TenKentucky 27Penn 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. DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionParticipantsAffiliationsResultsDec. 1512:00 p.m.Celebration BowlMercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, GeorgiaABCNorth Carolina A&T Aggies (9–2)Alcorn State Braves (9–3)MEACSWACNorth Carolina A&T 24Alcorn State 22
All-star games DateTime (EST)GameSiteTelevisionParticipantsResultsJan. 13Tropical BowlDaytona StadiumDaytona Beach, FloridaAmerican TeamNational TeamAmerican 24National 16Jan. 193:00 p.m.East–West Shrine GameTropicana FieldSt. Petersburg, FloridaNFL NetworkWest TeamEast TeamWest 21East 175:00 p.m.NFLPA Collegiate BowlRose BowlPasadena, CaliforniaFS1American TeamNational TeamAmerican 10National 7Jan. 262:30 p.m.Senior BowlLadd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AlabamaNFL NetworkNorth TeamSouth TeamNorth 34South 24
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.