Despite a plethora of upsets last week, I’m sticking with my same four College Football Playoff teams – Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Notre Dame.
October 15, 2018Despite a plethora of upsets last week, I’m sticking with my same four College Football Playoff teams – Alabama, Ohio State, Clemson and Notre Dame. However, I’ve got some new teams projected for the New Year’s 6 bowl games. Say hello to Texas, Michigan, Oregon and Oklahoma.
There still remains eight unbeaten teams, including five Power 5 teams, but those will be whittled down to one or two in the next few weeks.
UCF is still my pick to earn the Group of 5 conference’s New Year’s 6 bowl berth, but the Knights must get past undefeated Cincinnati and USF. If those three American Athletic Conference teams beat up on each other, it could open the door for maybe the Mountain West champ – Fresno State, Utah State or San Diego State – to challenge for that New Year’s 6 bowl bid.
Onto this week’s bowl projections:
College Football Playoff
Championship – Jan. 7 (CFP semifinal winners)
Projection: Alabama vs. Ohio State
Semifinals
Orange Bowl – Dec. 29 (CFP Playoff semifinal)
Projection: Alabama (CFP No. 1) vs. Clemson (CFP No. 4)
Cotton Bowl – Dec. 29 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Ohio State (CFP No. 2) vs. Notre Dame (CFP No. 3)
New Year’s 6 Bowls
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Michigan vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Texas vs. Georgia
Fiesta Bowl – Jan. 1 (at-large vs. Group of 5*)
Projection: Florida vs. UCF
Peach Bowl – Dec. 29 (at large vs. at-large)
Projection: LSU vs. Oklahoma
Other Bowls
Citrus Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Wisconsin vs. Kentucky
Outback Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Iowa vs. Texas A&M
Gator Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Michigan State vs. Auburn
Holiday Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Penn State vs. USC
Liberty Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Cal**
Redbox Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Northwestern vs. Washington State
Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Duke vs. Stanford
Military Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Boston College vs. USF
Arizona Bowl – Dec. 29 (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: San Diego State vs. Georgia Southern
Belk Bowl – Dec. 29 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Miami vs. Missouri
Alamo Bowl – Dec. 28 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: West Virginia vs. Washington
Camping World Bowl – Dec. 28 (ACC vs. Big 12)
Projection: NC State vs. Texas Tech
Music City Bowl – Dec. 28 (ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina
Texas Bowl – Dec. 27 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: TCU vs. Mississippi State
Pinstripe Bowl – Dec. 27 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Syracuse vs. Maryland
Independence Bowl – Dec. 27 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Virginia vs. BYU**
Cheez-It Bowl – Dec. 26 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa State vs. Colorado
Quick Lane Bowl – Dec. 26 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Purdue
First Responder Bowl – Dec. 26 (C-USA vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Marshall vs. Indiana
Hawaii Bowl – Dec. 22 (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: FAU vs. Hawaii
Dollar General Bowl – Dec. 22 (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Buffalo vs. Troy
Armed Forces Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. Big 12)
Projection: Southern Miss** vs. Army**
Birmingham Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. SEC)
Projection: Memphis vs. Middle Tennessee**
Idaho Potato Bowl – Dec. 21 (MAC vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Toledo vs. Boise State
Bahamas Bowl – Dec. 21 (C-USA vs. MAC)
Projection: Florida International vs. Northern Illinois
Gasparilla Bowl – Dec. 20 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Pitt vs. Cincinnati
Frisco Bowl – Dec. 19 (American vs. MAC)
Projection: Nevada** vs. Eastern Michigan
Boca Raton Bowl – Dec. 18 (American vs. C-USA)
Projection: Houston vs. UAB
New Orleans Bowl – Dec. 15 (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Arkansas State
Camellia Bowl – Dec. 15 (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Appalachian State
Las Vegas Bowl – Dec. 15 (Mountain West vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Utah State vs. Utah
Cure Bowl – Dec. 15 (American vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Ohio** vs. Louisiana
New Mexico Bowl – Dec. 15 (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: North Texas vs. Fresno State
* – The highest rated champion from the Group of Five conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt) will be selected to play in either the Cotton, Fiesta or Peach Bowl.
** – Replaces team from league that can’t fill bowl.