Exactly 35 Group of Five teams competed in bowl games in 2023. And we project there will be about as many G5 representatives involved in bowl season this year as well.
And that’s not to mention we’ll see at least one G5 program compete in the College Football Playoff with the field expanding to 12 teams this year.
Here’s a look at HERO Sports’ 2024 preseason bowl projections.
College Football Playoff First-Round Prediction
For my G5 College Football Playoff prediction, I project Boise State will play Ole Miss with Ole Miss winning.
The Broncos are stacked on offense and defense this year. Though they lost to Oregon, they have a good chance of going 11-1 during the regular season and winning the Mountain West. If they do, they’ll probably be the G5 team that makes it to the CFP.
I don’t discount Boise State, which is No. 1 in the HERO Sports G5 Top 25 Media Poll, from pulling off an upset in the first round of the CFP. But beating a team like Ole Miss or one of that caliber would be daunting, though.
Group of Five teams likely to play in the College Football Playoff:
- Boise State
- Memphis
- Northern Illinois
- App State
- Tulane
Camellia Bowl Prediction
For my Camellia Bowl prediction, I project South Alabama will play East Carolina with ECU winning.
Even with South Alabama going through a coaching change, I think Major Applewhite can lead the Jaguars to a bowl game. But I’m anticipating East Carolina will continue to improve after the starting the season 2-0.
Teams likely to play in the Camellia Bowl:
- East Carolina
- UAB
- South Alabama
- Coastal Carolina
- Marshall
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Boca Raton Bowl Prediction
For my Boca Raton Bowl prediction, I project App State will play Colorado State with App State winning.
App State has a very good chance of making the College Football Playoff. But if the Mountaineers fall short of that, I think they’ll finish the season strong with another bowl victory. Still, Colorado State will be formidable with wide receiver Tory Horton and quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi on offense.
Teams likely to play in the Boca Raton Bowl:
- App State
- JMU
- Louisiana
- Colorado State
- San Diego State
Frisco Bowl Prediction
For my Frisco Bowl prediction, I project Texas State will play UNLV with Texas State winning.
This would be a fantastic matchup. Texas State is sure to have a high-powered offense this year, which is why I think the Bobcats would win here. But UNLV is balanced and has stars on both sides of the ball, like wide receiver Ricky White III and linebacker Jackson Woodard.
Teams likely to play in the Frisco Bowl:
- Texas State
- App State
- UNLV
- Fresno State
- Colorado State
LA Bowl Prediction
For my LA Bowl prediction, I project Fresno State will play Oregon State with Fresno State winning.
With playmakers like Malik Sherrod, Fresno State is strong enough to compete for a Mountain West Championship. But even if the Bulldogs don’t win the league title, I think they’ll be in a position for a good bowl game. Don’t discount Oregon State just because of the state of the Pac-12, though. The Beavers should be capable of winning seven or more games in 2024.
Teams likely to play in the LA Bowl:
- Fresno State
- UNLV
- San Jose State
- Washington State
- Oregon State
New Orleans Bowl Prediction
For my New Orleans Bowl prediction, I project Arkansas State will play Middle Tennessee with Arkansas State winning.
With Derek Mason taking over as head coach and Nicholas Vattiato back at quarterback, Middle Tennessee should be competitive in Conference USA by the end of the year. However, Arkansas State has a standout QB of their own in 2023 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Jaylen Raynor. I think the Red Wolves continue their momentum after the starting the year 2-0.
Teams likely to play in the New Orleans Bowl:
- Middle Tennessee
- New Mexico State
- Arkansas State
- JMU
- Coastal Carolina
Cure Bowl Prediction
For my Cure Bowl prediction, I project Louisiana will play Rice with Louisiana winning.
Louisiana is expected to have a shot of winning the Sun Belt this year, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Ragin’ Cajuns making a bowl game. I expect Rice to be exciting to watch for the rest of the year, but I think Louisiana would win this tilt.
Teams likely to play in the Cure Bowl:
- Louisiana
- Arkansas State
- JMU
- Rice
- USF
Gasparilla Bowl Prediction
For my Gasparilla Bowl prediction, I project Army will play Virginia Tech with Virginia Tech winning.
Army is one of the better teams in the AAC this year with quarterback Bryson Daily leading the way on offense and a defense that returned a few key players. But I think Virginia Tech would prove to be the better team if this matchup happened.
Teams likely to play in the Gasparilla Bowl:
- Army
- USF
- Rice
- Virginia Tech
- Louisville
Myrtle Beach Bowl Prediction
For my Myrtle Beach Bowl prediction, I project JMU will play Miami (Ohio) with JMU winning.
Miami (Ohio) was a sleeper pick by many to be the Group of Five team in the CFP. The RedHawks have standout players on offense, like quarterback Brett Gabbert, and defense, like linebacker Matt Salopek and defensive lineman Brian Ugwu. But I think the Dukes are one of the best G5 teams in the country as well, even after they barely beat Gardner-Webb in Week 2.
Teams likely to play in the Myrtle Beach Bowl:
- Miami (Ohio)
- Toledo
- JMU
- Troy
- Arkansas State
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Prediction
For my Famous Idaho Potato Bowl prediction, I project Hawaii will play Northern Illinois with NIU winning.
Hawaii has shown promise after beating Delaware State in Week 0 and losing to UCLA by just three points. But the Huskies are skilled in every facet of the game and displayed how great they can be during their victory over Notre Dame.
Teams likely to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl:
- Hawaii
- Colorado State
- San Jose State
- Northern Illinois
- Bowling Green
Hawai’i Bowl Prediction
For my Hawai’i Bowl prediction, I project San Diego State will play Western Kentucky with WKU winning.
I think SDSU will bounce back in 2024 with Sean Lewis as the Aztecs’ head coach. But Western Kentucky, led by quarterback TJ Finley, has a potent offense this year and might be tough to stop in a bowl game.
Teams likely to play in the Hawai’i Bowl:
- San Diego State
- Colorado State
- Western Kentucky
- Jacksonville State
- Liberty
Detroit Bowl Prediction
For my Detroit Bowl prediction, I project Western Michigan will play Iowa with Iowa winning.
Western Michigan is strong up front this season, and the Broncos’ play in the trenches should lead to them being in position for a bowl game. But I think Iowa would be even stronger in this clash.
Teams likely to play in the Detroit Bowl:
- Western Michigan
- Ohio
- Toledo
- Iowa
- Wisconsin
Guaranteed Rate Bowl Prediction
For my Guaranteed Rate Bowl prediction, I project San Jose State will play Nebraska with San Jose State winning.
With Ken Niumatalolo taking over as head coach, I think the Spartans will continue to be one of the better teams in the Mountain West after starting 2-0. But taking on Nebraska, which is expected to be one of the top Big Ten teams this year, would be a tall order.
Teams likely to play in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl:
- San Jose State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- Nebraska
- Wisconsin
68 Ventures Bowl Prediction
For my 68 Ventures Bowl prediction, I project Marshall will play Ohio with Ohio winning.
With head coach Tim Albin and quarterback Parker Navarro leading the way, Ohio should manage to find itself in a bowl game by the end of the season and would win this bout in my opinion. But I also believe Marshall will put together a winning campaign in 2024, as the Thundering Herd started the season with a blowout victory over Stony Brook and competed well against Virginia Tech.
Teams likely to play in the 68 Ventures Bowl:
- Ohio
- Bowling Green
- Western Michigan
- Marshall
- Coastal Carolina
Armed Forces Bowl Prediction
For my Armed Forces Bowl prediction, I project Jacksonville State will play FAU with Jacksonville State winning.
This would be a game between two teams that needed to bounce back after starting the 2024 season 0-2. Jacksonville State made a bowl game last year in its first FBS season, and I don’t see the Gamecocks struggling much more this year. FAU, which is in its second season during head coach Tom Herman’s tenure, would give Jax State some issues in this contest, however.
Teams likely to play in the Armed Forces Bowl:
- Jacksonville State
- Western Kentucky
- Sam Houston
- FAU
- Navy
Birmingham Bowl Prediction
For my Birmingham Bowl prediction, I project UTSA will play North Carolina with UNC winning.
As long as Jeff Traylor is UTSA’s head coach, the Roadrunners should be competitive enough to make a good bowl game. Beating a team like North Carolina, which was believed by some to be one of the top programs in the ACC going into this year, would be challenging. But I would expect this to be a close battle.
Teams likely to play in the Birmingham Bowl:
- UTSA
- USF
- Memphis
- North Carolina
- NC State
Fenway Bowl Prediction
For my Fenway Bowl prediction, I project USF will play NC State with NC State winning.
South Florida might be in contention to make the College Football Playoff when all is said and done. But NC State is also loaded with talent, so this would be an entertaining matchup.
Teams likely to play in the Fenway Bowl:
- USF
- Memphis
- NC State
- SMU
- Virginia Tech
New Mexico Bowl Prediction
For my New Mexico Bowl prediction, I project Liberty will play Georgia Southern with Liberty winning.
Liberty has a high-powered offense with quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley leading the way. Georgia Southern should be in the mix for a bowl bid, but I think the Flames would be better in this game.
Teams likely to play in the New Mexico Bowl:
- Liberty
- Jacksonville State
- Georgia Southern
- Marshall
- Arkansas State
Arizona Bowl Prediction
For my Arizona Bowl prediction, I project Air Force will play Toledo with Toledo winning.
I’m not sure the Falcons will replicate their success from a year ago, but I do think they can get back on track after losing to San Jose State in Week 2. Toledo is also without some of its star players from 2023, but I think the Rockets would find a way to triumph here.
Teams likely to play in the Arizona Bowl:
- Toledo
- Bowling Green
- Air Force
- Colorado State
- Utah State
Military Bowl Prediction
For my Military Bowl prediction, I project Memphis will play Georgia Tech with Memphis winning.
Memphis will have a great opportunity to make the College Football Playoff if the Tigers win the AAC, which they’re capable of doing. But if Boise State earns the CFP G5 spot over them, I think they would be capable of beating a Power Four team in a bowl game, just like they beat Iowa State in the Liberty Bowl last season.
Teams likely to play in the Military Bowl:
- Memphis
- USF
- UTSA
- Georgia Tech
- Duke
First Responder Bowl Prediction
For my First Responder Bowl prediction, I project Tulane will play Kansas with Tulane winning.
Tulane did go through a coaching change, but new head coach Jon Sumrall proved at Troy he can lead a team to plenty of victories in a short amount of time. The Green Wave also have a good number of players who could be all-conference picks this season, so I believe they could defeat a Power Four squad in a bowl.
Teams likely to play in the First Responder Bowl:
- Tulane
- UTSA
- Army
- Kansas
- Iowa State
Bahamas Bowl Prediction
For my Bahamas Bowl prediction, I project Bowling Green will play Sam Houston with Bowling Green winning.
Following a losing season in its first year as an FBS program, making a bowl game would be a massive success for Sam Houston in 2024, and I think the Bearkats are capable of doing that. But with the likes of running back Terion Stewart and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., I think Bowling Green will be tough to keep up with in 2024. The Falcons showed how great they can be in their seven-point loss at Penn State in Week 2.
Teams likely to play in the Bahamas Bowl:
- Bowling Green
- Ohio
- Sam Houston
- Jacksonville State
- Western Kentucky
Group of Five FBS Bowl Schedule
| Bowl | Bowl Tie-In | Date | TV |
| Camellia Bowl | G5 vs. G5 | Dec. 14 | ESPN |
| Boca Raton Bowl | G5 vs. G5 | Dec. 17 | ESPN |
| Frisco Bowl | G5 vs. G5 | Dec. 17 | ESPN |
| LA Bowl | MWC vs. Pac-12 | Dec. 18 | ESPN |
| New Orleans Bowl | CUSA vs. SBC | Dec. 19 | ESPN2 |
| Cure Bowl | G5 vs. G5 | Dec. 20 | ESPN |
| Gasparilla Bowl | AAC vs. ACC/SEC | Dec. 20 | ESPN |
| Myrtle Beach Bowl | AAC/MAC/SBC | Dec. 23 | ESPN |
| Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | MAC vs. MWC | Dec. 23 | ESPN |
| Hawaii Bowl | CUSA vs. MWC | Dec. 24 | ESPN |
| Detroit Bowl | Big Ten vs. MAC | Dec. 26 | ESPN |
| Guaranteed Rate Bowl | MWC vs. Big Ten/Big 12 | Dec. 26 | ESPN |
| 68 Ventures Bowl | CUSA/MAC/SBC | Dec. 26 | ESPN |
| Armed Forces Bowl | AAC vs. CUSA | Dec. 27 | ESPN |
| Birmingham Bowl | AAC vs. ACC/SEC | Dec. 27 | ESPN |
| Fenway Bowl | AAC vs. ACC | Dec. 28 | ESPN |
| New Mexico Bowl | CUSA vs. MWC | Dec. 28 | ESPN |
| Arizona Bowl | MAC vs. MWC | Dec. 28 | CW |
| Military Bowl | AAC vs. ACC | Dec. 28 | ESPN |
| First Responder Bowl | AAC vs. ACC/Big 12 | Jan. 3 | ESPN |
| Bahamas Bowl | CUSA vs. MAC | Jan. 4 | ESPN2 |
