My College Football Playoff projections haven’t changed – and won’t, as long as Clemson, Georgia, Alabama and Utah keep winning – but my New Year’s 6 bowl projections have a new look.

Michigan, my preseason pick to get to the Rose Bowl, has been replaced by Ohio State in the Rose Bowl after the Wolverines’ escape against Army. Michigan also dropped completely out of my New Year’s 6 bowl projections with Penn State now projected to land an at-large bid to the Orange Bowl. It came down to Penn State and Wisconsin for the Orange Bowl with the Nittany Lions – for now – getting the slight edge.

With Washington’s upset loss to Cal, Washington State is my new Pac-12 choice to go the Rose Bowl.

Memphis remains my choice to finish as the highest ranked Group of 5 conference champion, by the narrowest of margins over Boise State.

This week’s bowl projections:

 

College Football Playoff
Championship – Jan. 13 (CFP semifinal winners)
Projection: Clemson vs. Georgia

Semifinals
Peach Bowl – Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Clemson (CFP No. 1) vs. Alabama (CFP No. 4)

Fiesta Bowl – Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Georgia (CFP No. 2) vs. Utah (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: Oklahoma vs. LSU

Orange Bowl – Jan. 1 (ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame)
Projection: Virginia vs. Penn State

Cotton Bowl – Dec. 28 (at-large vs. Group of 5*)
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Memphis*

 

Other Bowls

Citrus Bowl – (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Boston College vs. Auburn

Outback Bowl – (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Michigan vs. Texas A&M

Gator Bowl – (Big Ten/ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Michigan State vs. South Carolina

Holiday Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Wisconsin vs. Cal

Liberty Bowl – (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Baylor vs. Purdue**

Redbox Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa vs. Washington

Sun Bowl – (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Oregon

Military Bowl – (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Duke vs. Navy

Arizona Bowl – (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Wyoming vs. Troy

Belk Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Pitt vs. Florida

Alamo Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas vs. USC

Camping World Bowl – (ACC vs. Big 12)
Projection: Syracuse vs. Oklahoma State

Music City Bowl – (ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: NC State vs. Mississippi State

Texas Bowl – (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Iowa State vs. Kentucky

Pinstripe Bowl – (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: North Carolina vs. Maryland

Independence Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Miami vs. Arizona State**

Cheez-It Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas Tech vs. Colorado

Quick Lane Bowl – (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Nebraska

First Responder Bowl – (Big 12 vs. C-USA)
Projection: TCU vs. Marshall

Hawaii Bowl – (AAC vs. BYU)
Projection: SMU vs. BYU

Dollar General Bowl – (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Eastern Michigan vs. Georgia State

Armed Forces Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Northwestern vs. Air Force

Birmingham Bowl – (American vs. SEC)
Projection: UCF vs. Kansas State**

Idaho Potato Bowl – (MAC vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Toledo vs. San Diego State

Bahamas Bowl – (C-USA vs. MAC)
Projection: Southern Miss vs. Buffalo

Gasparilla Bowl – (American vs. C-USA)
Projection: Cincinnati vs. North Texas

Frisco Bowl – (American vs. Open)
Projection: Tulane vs. Army

Boca Raton Bowl – (American vs. MAC)
Projection: Houston vs. Ohio

New Orleans Bowl – (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State

Camellia Bowl – (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Louisiana

Las Vegas Bowl – (Mountain West vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Boise State vs. Stanford

Cure Bowl – (American vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Temple vs. UL-Monroe

New Mexico Bowl – (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: UAB vs. Hawaii

---

*-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 the Cotton Bowl.

**-Replaces team from league that can’t fill bowl.