Michigan’s throttling of Michigan State and Ohio State’s upset loss vaults the Wolverines into my latest College Football Playoff projections. Michigan
October 22, 2018Michigan’s throttling of Michigan State and Ohio State’s upset loss vaults the Wolverines into my latest College Football Playoff projections.
Michigan still has to win in Columbus, not an easy task, and get past Penn State, but I’m projecting the Wolverines, as Big Ten champions, to be the No. 3 seed behind No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson.
A 12-0 Notre Dame would get the fourth seed in the College Football Playoff. Yes, Notre Dame had the head-to-head win against Michigan, but I believe the selection committee would value Michigan’s tougher overall schedule – potentially at least 4-1 vs. Top 25 teams – more than UM’s 7-point loss at Notre Dame in the season opener.
The remainder of my New Year’s 6 bowl projections remains the same. UCF is the favorite to get the Group of 5’s New Year’s 6 bid, but if the Knights stumble down the stretch, several teams (Utah State, Fresno State, Appalachian State and USF) are poised to grab that bid if they can win their respective conference championships.
Onto this week’s bowl projections:
College Football Playoff
Championship – Jan. 7 (CFP semifinal winners)
Projection: Alabama vs. Clemson
Semifinals
Orange Bowl – Dec. 29 (CFP Playoff semifinal)
Projection: Alabama (CFP No. 1) vs. Notre Dame (CFP No. 4)
Cotton Bowl – Dec. 29 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Clemson (CFP No. 2) vs. Michigan (CFP No. 3)
New Year’s 6 Bowls
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Ohio State vs. Washington State
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: Purdue vs. Auburn
Holiday Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Penn State vs. Utah
Liberty Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Middle Tennessee**
Redbox Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Northwestern vs. Stanford
Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Oregon
Military Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Boston College vs. Cincinnati
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 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. Michigan State
Independence Bowl – Dec. 27 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Duke vs. Nevada**
Cheez-It Bowl – Dec. 26 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa State vs. USC
Quick Lane Bowl – Dec. 26 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Pitt vs. Indiana
First Responder Bowl – Dec. 26 (C-USA vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Marshall vs. Maryland
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. Appalachian State
Armed Forces Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. Big 12)
Projection: Temple vs. Army**
Birmingham Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. SEC)
Projection: Memphis vs. Ohio**
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: BYU** vs. USF
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. Troy
Las Vegas Bowl – Dec. 15 (Mountain West vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Utah State vs. Colorado
Cure Bowl – Dec. 15 (American vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Liberty** vs. Coastal Carolina
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.