West Virginia’s win at Texas vaults the Mountaineers into my New Year’s 6 bowl projections this week.
My projected College Football Playoff field remains the same from the past couple of weeks: Alabama, Clemson, Michigan and Notre Dame.
UCF still remains my pick to be the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion, but if the Knights slip up, look for the Mountain West champ – either Utah State or Fresno State – to earn a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.
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: West Virginia vs. Georgia
Fiesta Bowl – Jan. 1 (at-large vs. Group of 5*)
Projection: Kentucky 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: Michigan State vs. Florida
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: Baylor vs. Arizona**
Redbox Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Northwestern vs. Oregon
Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Pitt vs. Stanford
Military Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Duke vs. Cincinnati
Arizona Bowl – Dec. 29 (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Monroe
Belk Bowl – Dec. 29 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Virginia vs. Missouri
Alamo Bowl – Dec. 28 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas vs. Washington
Camping World Bowl – Dec. 28 (ACC vs. Big 12)
Projection: Boston College vs. Iowa State
Music City Bowl – Dec. 28 (ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: NC State vs. South Carolina
Texas Bowl – Dec. 27 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Texas Tech vs. Mississippi State
Pinstripe Bowl – Dec. 27 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Syracuse vs. Wisconsin
Independence Bowl – Dec. 27 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Georgia Tech vs. FAU**
Cheez-It Bowl – Dec. 26 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Oklahoma State** vs. Arizona State
Quick Lane Bowl – Dec. 26 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Nevada**
First Responder Bowl – Dec. 26 (C-USA vs. Big Ten)
Projection: UAB vs. BYU
Hawaii Bowl – Dec. 22 (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: FIU 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: SMU vs. Army**
Birmingham Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. SEC)
Projection: Memphis vs. Cal**
Idaho Potato Bowl – Dec. 21 (MAC vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Toledo vs. Boise State
Bahamas Bowl – Dec. 21 (C-USA vs. MAC)
Projection: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois
Gasparilla Bowl – Dec. 20 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Miami vs. USF
Frisco Bowl – Dec. 19 (American vs. MAC)
Projection: Temple** vs. Western Michigan
Boca Raton Bowl – Dec. 18 (American vs. C-USA)
Projection: Houston vs. Middle Tennessee
New Orleans Bowl – Dec. 15 (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State
Camellia Bowl – Dec. 15 (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Ohio vs. Georgia Southern
Las Vegas Bowl – Dec. 15 (Mountain West vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Utah State vs. USC
Cure Bowl – Dec. 15 (American vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Tulane vs. Arkansas State
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.