College football season is officially here, and the excitement is only just beginning. As teams gear up for conference play, all eyes are already looking ahead to what’s in store for the postseason.
Check out who the media is projecting for this year’s Valero Alamo Bowl and see when and where each eligible team is set to play in Week 1.
Media Projections:
Athlon – Texas Tech vs. USC
CBS Sports – BYU vs. Arizona State
ESPN (Bonagura) – Kansas State vs. Washington
On3 – Iowa State vs. USC
Team Selection Rights:
For the final year of its current bowl agreement, the Valero Alamo Bowl will match up the first choice from the following two 12-team pools after the College Football Playoff field is selected:
- Big 12 Conference Pool – Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia.
- Pac-12/former Pac-12 Pool – Arizona, Arizona State, California, Colorado, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, and Washington State.
As part of this agreement, the Pac-12’s current two members (Oregon State and Washington State) and the former Pac-12 members Cal and Stanford (ACC), Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington (Big Ten), and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah (Big 12) will remain in the Pac-12 bowl lineup for the 2025-26 season.
Game Schedule:
*all times CST
Big 12 Pool:
Thursday, Aug 28:
Jacksonville State @ UCF | 6:00 p.m.
UT Martin @ Oklahoma State | 6:30 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin @ Houston | 7:00 p.m.
Nebraska @ Cincinnati | 8:00 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 29:
Wagner @ Kansas | 6:30 p.m.
Auburn @ Baylor | 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 30
Robert Morris @ West Virginia | 1:00 p.m.
South Dakota @ 22 Iowa State | 2:30 p.m.
North Dakota @ 17 Kansas State | 6:00 p.m.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff @ 23 Texas Tech | 6:30 p.m.
Portland State @ BYU | 7:00 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 1:
TCU @ North Carolina | 7:00 p.m.
Pac-12 / Former Pac-12 Pool:
Friday, Aug. 29:
Georgia Tech @ Colorado | 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 30:
Montana State @ 7 Oregon | 3:00 p.m.
Missouri State @ USC | 6:30 p.m.
Northern Arizona @ 11 Arizona State | 9:00 p.m.
Idaho @ Washington State | 9:00 p.m.
Hawai’i @ Arizona | 9:30 p.m.
California @ Oregon State | 9:30 p.m.
Utah @ UCLA | 10:00 p.m.
Colorado State @ Washington | 10:00 p.m.
The official team selection will be announced on Sunday, December 7 at 3:00 p.m., so purchase your tickets here to watch another Top 25 matchup battle it out Tuesday, December 30th at 8 p.m. in the Alamodome.