Bowl Projections: DIRECTV Holiday Bowl Preseason Prediction, Breakdown and History

Before the season gets underway, what's the first guess on what the 2024 DIRECTV Holiday Bowl might be? Why did we make this call, who else should be in the mix, and what's the history of the bowl?

This will all change throughout the season with its twists and turns, but in the preseason, the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl projection is ...

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl Projection

Date TBA
Time, TV TBA
Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, CA
Bowl Affiliations : ACC, Former Pac-12
Last Season: USC 42, Louisville 28
Preseason Bowl Projection (with predicted final regular season records)
NC State (9-3) vs Washington (8-4)

CFN Preview of All 134 Teams

Why this is the preseason DIRECTV Holiday Bowl Projection

The former Pac-12 team opening for the Holiday Bowl opens it up to a slew of programs who should be up for a prime bowl slot.

USC is probably out considering it was in this last year, and Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, UCLA, and Stanford probably won’t get the call, and Oregon will likely be somewhere bigger.

Washington would be a nice get for the bowl, and a nice landing spot in what should be a fight of a year for the Dawgs.

The ACC side will be quirkier. Clemson, NC State, Miami, and possibly Florida State will all be in contention.

NC State will be right on the fringe of the College Football Playoff, but it should just barely miss out. This would be the program’s first trip to the San Diego game.

5 teams also in the mix for the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl

1. Miami
2. USC
3. Arizona
4. NC State
5. Utah

DIRECTV Holiday Bowl History

Dec 27, 2023 USC 42, Louisville 28
Dec 28, 2022 Oregon 28, North Carolina 27
2021 Canceled
2020 Canceled
Dec. 27, 2019 Iowa 49, USC 24
Dec. 31, 2018 Northwestern 31, Utah 20
Dec. 28, 2017 Michigan State 42, Washington State 17
Dec. 27, 2016 Minnesota 17, Washington State 12
Dec. 30, 2015 Wisconsin 23 USC 21
Dec. 27, 2014 USC 45 Nebraska 42
Dec. 30, 2013 Texas Tech 37 Arizona State 23
Dec. 27, 2012 Baylor 49 UCLA 26
Dec. 28, 2011 Texas 21 California 10
Dec. 30, 2010 Washington 19 Nebraska 7
Dec. 30, 2009 Nebraska 33 Arizona 0
Dec. 30, 2008 Oregon 42 Oklahoma State 31
Dec. 27, 2007 Texas 52 Arizona State 34
Dec. 28, 2006 California 45 Texas A&M 10
Dec. 29, 2005 Oklahoma 17 Oregon 14
Dec. 30, 2004 Texas Tech 45 California 31
Dec. 30, 2003 Washington State 28 Texas 20
Dec. 27, 2002 Kansas State 34 Arizona State 27
Dec. 28, 2001 Texas 47 Washington 43
Dec. 29, 2000 Oregon 35 Texas 30
Dec. 29, 1999 Kansas State 24 Washington 20
Dec. 30, 1998 Arizona 23 Nebraska 20
Dec. 29, 1997 Colorado State 35 Missouri 24
Dec. 30, 1996 Colorado 33 Washington 21
Dec. 29, 1995 Kansas State 54 Colorado State 21
Dec. 30, 1994 Michigan 24 Colorado State 14
Dec. 30, 1993 Ohio State 28 BYU 21
Dec. 30, 1992 Hawaii 27 Illinois 17
Dec. 30, 1991 BYU 13 Iowa 13
Dec. 29, 1990 Texas A&M 65 BYU 14
Dec. 29, 1989 Penn State 50 BYU 39
Dec. 30, 1988 Oklahoma State 62 Wyoming 14
Dec. 30, 1987 Iowa 20 Wyoming 19
Dec. 30, 1986 Iowa 39 San Diego St. 38
Dec. 22, 1985 Arkansas 18 Arizona State 17
Dec. 21, 1984 BYU 24 Michigan 17
Dec. 23, 1983 BYU 21 Missouri 17
Dec. 17, 1982 Ohio State 47 BYU 17
Dec. 18, 1981 BYU 38 Washington State 36
Dec. 19, 1980 BYU 46 SMU 45
Dec. 21, 1979 Indiana 38 BYU 37
Dec. 22, 1978 Navy 23 BYU 16