Brett McMurphy’s College Football Bowl Projections After Week 7

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. 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.