Overview
- Seventy-two of 80 bowl slots are filled after Week 13 clinchers that included Clemson, Duke, UTSA and Northwestern, leaving eight openings.
- Three berths will be decided head-to-head with 5–6 vs. 5–6 matchups: Penn State vs. Rutgers, Arkansas State vs. Appalachian State, and Georgia Southern vs. Marshall.
- Other win-or-bust games feature teams on five wins such as Florida State at Florida, UCF at BYU, Alabama at Auburn, Kentucky at Louisville, and Kansas at Utah.
- If fewer than 80 teams reach six wins, Delaware and Missouri State are next in line based on transition exceptions, followed by selections using APR rankings.
- Akron is barred from the postseason due to a failing APR, and the calendar calls for the regular season to end Nov. 29, bowl pairings on Dec. 7, and games from Dec. 13 to Jan. 19.