Which bowl video games may Utah go to within the 2026 season? – Deseret News

Bowl season continues to be over six months away, however preparation is already underway for the annual postseason slate.

In April, it was introduced that the current bowl system will maintain its current structure through the 2026 season.

The College Football Playoff stays at 12 groups, with automated bids for the 5 highest-ranked convention champions. Every different workforce that wins six or extra video games can be positioned right into a bowl sport primarily based on convention affiliation.

The fallout from the collapse of the previous Pac-12 Conference may even nonetheless be felt throughout bowl season. For the previous two seasons, legacy Pac-12 Conference members Utah, Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Cal and Stanford continued to characterize their previous convention in bowl video games.

Last yr, Utah defeated Nebraska 44-22 within the Las Vegas Bowl in a Pac-12 vs. Big Ten matchup.

In 2026, legacy Pac-12 colleges will nonetheless be tied into Pac-12 bowl choices, which means no Pop-Tarts Bowl for former Pac-12 and present Big 12 members Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State.

Here had been the bowl video games for final yr’s non-CFP former Pac-12 colleges:

• Alamo Bowl (Pac-12 vs. Big 12), San Antonio, Texas, Dec. 30 — TCU 30, USC 27 (OT).
• Holiday Bowl (Pac-12 vs. ACC), San Diego, Calif., Jan. 2. — SMU 24, Arizona 19.
• Las Vegas Bowl (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten), Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 31 — Utah 44, Nebraska 22.
• Sun Bowl (Pac-12 vs. ACC), El Paso, Texas, Dec. 31 — Duke 42, Arizona State 39.
• LA Bowl (Pac-12 vs. Mountain West). Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 13 — Washington 38, Boise State 10.

That rotation ought to be fairly related for 2026.

“We believe maintaining stability across the bowl system for 2026 is the most appropriate path forward given the CFP’s decision to extend the current format through this upcoming season,” stated Nick Carparelli, govt director of Bowl Season, in a press launch.

“This approach provides clarity for our stakeholders while preserving flexibility as we collectively evaluate the future of the postseason.”

The Alamo Bowl — the New Year’s Eve bowl game is usually one of the top non-CFP bowls — announced that it will function a legacy Pac-12 faculty in 2026 and so has the Sun Bowl.

The Holiday Bowl and Las Vegas Bowl haven’t formally introduced the individuals for subsequent season’s video games, however it’s anticipated that they’ll function a legacy Pac-12 faculty.

One change would be the alternative of the LA Bowl, which performed its final sport in 2025, with the Poinsettia Bowl. Played from 2005-2016 in San Diego, the Poinsettia Bowl is making a comeback and can function a legacy Pac-12 faculty vs. the brand new Pac-12 champion if the brand new Pac-12 champion doesn’t make the playoff, according to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

The sport can be performed at Snapdragon Stadium.

After the 2026 season, it’s anticipated that there can be a significant reorganizing of bowl video games. At that time, after becoming a member of the Big 12 Conference forward of the 2023 season, Utah will lastly be eligible for Big 12 bowl tie-ins.