Bowl projections and predictions 2023: What bowl game is LSU playing in?

The College Football Playoff is a long-past dream for the LSU Tigers in the 2023 season, but Brian Kelly's team has been one of the greatest joys of the year. Obviously, the heart of that is LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, who should be on his way to New York before bowl season begins to accept the Heisman Trophy.

It remains to be seen what will happen for Daniels thereafter, whether he'll declare for the NFL Draft and skip LSU's bowl game, or if he'll stick it out for one last hurrah with the Tigers.

But with LSU out of the CFP race, what bowl game are the Tigers projected to play in? Let's take a look at what the latest predictions say.

LSU bowl projections: Tigers expected to play in ReliaQuest Bowl

The LSU Tigers are most likely heading to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl to conclude their 2023 season. It's mostly between that game and the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl as the two high-profile games with SEC tie-ins, but Ole Miss is likely to earn the Citrus Bowl berth as the higher-ranked team from the conference this season.

Thus, bowl predictions from Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach of ESPN, Brad Crawford of 247Sports, and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports are in agreement that LSU will be in the ReliaQuest Bowl. What is up for debate among these projections is who the Tigers will be facing in that bowl game.

With the SEC on one side, the ReliaQuest Bowl has a tie-in with either the Big Ten, the ACC, or Notre Dame. Palm at CBS Sports has the Tigers facing the NC State Wolfpack while Bonagura at ESPN predicts that the Wisconsin Badgers will be the opponent. However, Schlabach and Crawford are in lockstep that LSU will face Notre Dame in this game.

ReliaQuest Bowl recent history

• 2022/23: Missisippi State 19, Illinois 10
• 2021/22: Arkansas 24, Penn State 10
• 2020/21: Ole Miss 26, Indiana 20
• 2019/20: Minnesota 31, Auburn 24
• 2018/19: Iowa 27, Mississippi State 22

Formerly known as the Outback Bowl, we've seen the now-ReliaQuest Bowl often be one of the more entertaining games of bowl season. Only one of the past five games in this bowl series has been decided by double digits and the last three iterations have all been one-possession games. Given the way LSU's defense has played paired with the high-powered offense, we might be in store for another classic again this year if the Tigers indeed head there.

LSU last played in the Outback/ReliaQuest Bowl back in 2014 when they beat Iowa, 21-14. That win, however, was officially vacated in 2023.

LSU bowl game recent history

• 2022/23: Citrus Bowl, LSU 63, Purdue 7
• 2021/22: Texas Bowl, Kansas State 42, LSU 20
• 2019/20: CFP National Championship, LSU 42, Clemson 25
• 2019/20: Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal), LSU 63, Oklahoma 28
• 2018/19: Fiesta Bowl, LSU 40, UCF 32
• 2017/18: Citrus Bowl, Notre Dame 21, LSU 17

After winning the 2019-20 national championship, LSU missed a bowl game the following year as they were ineligible at 5-5 after all of the roster turnover. Meanwhile, it was Brad Davis who coached the Texas Bowl in 2021-22 after Ed Orgeron was fired. Brian Kelly, on the other hand, has both a win over LSU in a bowl game and a win for LSU in a bowl game over the past six years.

When is the ReliaQuest Bowl? Date, time, location, TV info

The 2023-24 ReliaQuest Bowl will be played on Monday, Jan. 1, the same day as the CFP Semifinal matchups, with kickoff set for Noon ET from Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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