The 2021 college football season is just about ready to kick off, and while there are sure to be innumerable twists, turns, thrills and chills along the way, we’re going to skip the main course and head right to the dessert table by predicting all 44 bowl matchups, including the College Football Playoff semifinals and CFP National Championship game.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach have dusted off their crystal balls and made their preseason picks, and will continue to hone their bowl forecasts as the season progresses. But for now, here’s how they see bowl season shaping up.
All times Eastern
College Football Playoff
CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis) Jan. 10, 8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Alabama vs. Oklahoma Schlabach: Alabama vs. Georgia
CFP Semifinal at Capital One Orange Bowl Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida) Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Alabama vs. Ohio State Schlabach: Alabama vs. Clemson
CFP Semifinal at Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas) Dec. 31, 3:30 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Clemson vs. Oklahoma Schlabach: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
Bowl Season
Dec. 17
Bahamas Bowl Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas) Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Toledo vs. FAU Schlabach: Ball State vs. FAU
Cure Bowl Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida) 6 p.m. on ESPN2 and the ESPN App Bonagura: Charlotte vs. Houston Schlabach: Tulane vs. Western Kentucky
Dec. 18
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida) 11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: East Carolina vs. Miami (Ohio) Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Memphis
Cricket Celebration Bowl Mercedes Benz Stadium (Atlanta) Noon on ABC and the ESPN App Bonagura: Alcorn State vs. South Carolina State Schlabach: Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T
New Mexico Bowl University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Wyoming vs. Eastern Michigan Schlabach: San Jose State vs. Kent State
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana) 3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App Bonagura: Marshall vs. BYU Schlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. BYU
LendingTree Bowl Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Alabama) 5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Arkansas State vs. Western Michigan Schlabach: Georgia State vs. Western Michigan
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California) 7:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App Bonagura: Colorado vs. San Jose State Schlabach: UCLA vs. Boise State
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans) 9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina Schlabach: Louisiana vs. Marshall
Dec. 20
Myrtle Beach Bowl Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina) 2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Louisiana Tech vs. Kent State Schlabach: Tulsa vs. Coastal Carolina
Dec. 21
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho) 3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Buffalo vs. San Diego State Schlabach: Toledo vs. San Diego State
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas) 7:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: SMU vs. North Texas Schlabach: SMU vs. Wyoming
Dec. 22
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas) 8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Army vs. Middle Tennessee Schlabach: Army vs. UTEP
Dec. 23
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida) 7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: South Carolina vs. Louisville Schlabach: Virginia vs. Troy
Dec. 24
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu) 8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Nevada vs. Stanford Schlabach: Fresno State vs. California
Dec. 25
Camellia Bowl Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama) 2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Southern Miss. vs. Fresno State Schlabach: Southern Miss. vs. Liberty
Dec. 27
Quick Lane Bowl Ford Field (Detroit) 11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Purdue vs. Ball State Schlabach: Maryland vs. Ohio
Military Bowl presented by Peraton Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland) 2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: NC State vs. UCF Schlabach: Navy vs. Louisville
Dec. 28
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl Legion Field (Birmingham, Alabama) Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Tulsa Schlabach: Mississippi State vs. UAB
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas) 3:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: West Virginia vs. Tulane Schlabach: Houston vs. Air Force
AutoZone Liberty Bowl Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee) 6:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Arkansas vs. Texas Tech Schlabach: Arkansas vs. West Virginia
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl Petco Park (San Diego) 8 p.m. on Fox Bonagura: Arizona State vs. Pitt Schlabach: Stanford vs. NC State
Guaranteed Rate Bowl Chase Field (Phoenix) 10:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Baylor vs. Michigan State Schlabach: Kansas State vs. Minnesota
Dec. 29
Fenway Bowl Fenway Park (Boston) 11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Virginia vs. Memphis Schlabach: Florida State vs. UCF
New Era Pinstripe Bowl Yankee Stadium (New York) 2:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Michigan vs. Boston College Schlabach: Northwestern vs. Virginia Tech
Cheez-It Bowl Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida) 5:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Oklahoma State vs. Miami Schlabach: Oklahoma State vs. North Carolina
Valero Alamo Bowl Alamodome (San Antonio) 9:15 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Texas vs. Washington Schlabach: Texas vs. Washington
Dec. 30
Duke’s Mayo Bowl Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina) 11:30 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech Schlabach: Kentucky vs. Pittsburgh
TransPerfect Music City Bowl Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee) 3 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Auburn vs. Northwestern Schlabach: Auburn vs. Indiana
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) 7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Cincinnati Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas) 10:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Utah vs. Indiana Schlabach: Michigan vs. Arizona State
Dec. 31
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida) 11 a.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Ole Miss vs. North Carolina Schlabach: Ole Miss vs. Miami
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas) 12:30 p.m. on CBS Bonagura: UCLA vs. Wake Forest Schlabach: Utah vs. Boston College
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona) 5:30 p.m. Bonagura: Central Michigan vs. Boise State Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. Nevada
Jan. 1
Outback Bowl Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida) Noon on ESPN2 and the ESPN App Bonagura: LSU vs. Iowa Schlabach: LSU vs. Penn State
Vrbo Citrus Bowl Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida) 1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App Bonagura: Florida vs. Penn State Schlabach: Florida vs. Iowa
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona) 1 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: USC vs. Texas A&M Schlabach: Oregon vs. Cincinnati
Rose Bowl Game Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California) 5 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. Oregon Schlabach: Ohio State vs. USC
Allstate Sugar Bowl Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans) 8:45 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Georgia Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Texas A&M
Jan. 4
Texas Bowl NRG Stadium (Houston) Time TBD on ESPN and the ESPN App Bonagura: TCU vs. Missouri Schlabach: TCU vs. Missouri
Date TBD
Redbox Bowl Site TBD Bonagura: Minnesota vs. California Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Colorado
Verlander told reporters prior to Saturday’s game that his neck issue first popped up a couple weeks ago between starts and that he wasn’t sure if it would keep him out for more than one game.
“When I was out there, I felt like it wasn’t really bothering me,” Verlander said. “But when I go home and sit down and really think about it, I think it’s too much of a coincidence and my mechanics were really thrown off.”
Rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (3-5, 5.33 ERA), who was scheduled to pitch the series finale Sunday, will start in place of Verlander (3-2, 3.95).
Verlander, 41, allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings in each of his past two starts. The former American League MVP, nine-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner missed the first three weeks of the season while recovering from an offseason shoulder injury.
Arrighetti, 24, has yet to face the Tigers in his career. He allowed one run on four hits in 5⅔ innings in a no-decision against the San Francisco Giants on Monday.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.
Chicago Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday, one day after a right oblique strain forced him out his start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Wicks left the 3-0 loss in the second inning, walking off the field accompanied by a trainer after giving up a two-out single to Dylan Carlson.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before Saturday’s game against the Cardinals that the team was still awaiting some test results on Wicks.
Wicks gave up two hits and struck out two in his first start and second appearance since returning from a strained left forearm. He was sidelined for six weeks.
The Cubs recalled right-hander Keegan Thompson from Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. Thompson is 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA in nine relief appearances with the Cubs this year.
The 24-year-old Wicks is 1-2 with a 4.18 ERA in seven games (six starts) with Chicago this season. He was a first-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft out of Kansas State.
With Wicks and Ben Brown sidelined by injuries, Kyle Hendricks likely will return to the rotation. The 34-year-old Hendricks has pitched 8⅔ scoreless innings across three relief appearances this month, but he is 0-4 with a 10.57 ERA in seven starts this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
The Baltimore Orioles have placed right-hander Kyle Bradish on the15-day injured list with a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament.
Bradish left Friday night’s start against the Philadelphia Phillies after five innings and 74 pitches, complaining about his elbow. He missed the first month of the season with a sprained UCL and rehabbed the injury instead of undergoing surgery.
Since returning, Bradish has gone 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA in eight starts. Bradish broke out last season, going 12-7 while posting the third-best ERA in the American League (2.83).
The Orioles (45-24) have already lost starting pitchers John Means and Tyler Wells to season-ending UCL injuries.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.