Brett McMurphy’s College Football Bowl Projections After Week 9

With the exception of replacing Texas in the Sugar Bowl with Oklahoma, there wasn’t a lot of movement in my New Year’s 6 bowl projections this week.

However, my projections in the non-New Year’s 6 bowls were a much different story.

Northwestern, Iowa State, Utah, Boston College and Florida International were among the teams that made significant movements up their respective conference bowl pecking orders after wins last week.

My projections this week actually account for enough teams with at least six wins to fill all 78 spots. That could change, but right now with five weeks left I’m projecting 80 or 81 bowl-eligible teams for 78 spots.

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: Oklahoma 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. Texas

Other Bowls
Citrus Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Penn State vs. Kentucky

Outback Bowl – Jan. 1 (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Michigan State 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: Northwestern vs. Washington

Liberty Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Cal**

Redbox Bowl – Dec. 31 (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa vs. Stanford

Sun Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Virginia vs. Oregon

Military Bowl – Dec. 31 (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati

Arizona Bowl – Dec. 29 (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: San Diego State vs. Appalachian State

Belk Bowl – Dec. 29 (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Miami vs. Missouri

Alamo Bowl – Dec. 28 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: West Virginia vs. Utah

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: Pitt vs. Arizona**

Cheez-It Bowl – Dec. 26 (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Fresno State** vs. Arizona State

Quick Lane Bowl – Dec. 26 (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Duke vs. Indiana

First Responder Bowl – Dec. 26 (C-USA vs. Big Ten)
Projection: UAB vs. Maryland

Hawaii Bowl – Dec. 22 (C-USA vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Florida International vs. Hawaii

Dollar General Bowl – Dec. 22 (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Buffalo vs. Georgia Southern

Armed Forces Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. Big 12)
Projection: Memphis vs. Eastern Michigan**

Birmingham Bowl – Dec. 22 (American vs. SEC)
Projection: Houston vs. BYU**

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: Georgia Tech vs. USF

Frisco Bowl – Dec. 19 (American vs. MAC)
Projection: Army** vs. Ohio

Boca Raton Bowl – Dec. 18 (American vs. C-USA)
Projection: Temple vs. Middle Tennessee

New Orleans Bowl – Dec. 15 (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Louisiana

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. USC

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. Nevada


* – 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.