What's new this week?
Notre Dame’s upset of then-No. 1 Clemson shook up the AP rankings and delivered NBC’s best ratings for the Fighting Irish in 15 years. Not quite “Seinfeld”-like ratings, but still pretty, pretty, pretty good, as “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David would say.
The impact on my bowl projections? Yada, yada, yada. There’s not much change as far as my playoff rankings go. I still have the same four: Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Clemson. I’m projecting Clemson to win the rematch over Notre Dame in the ACC title game.
However, I now have moved independent BYU into my New Year’s 6 bowl lineup. I’m projecting the Cougars to earn an at-large bid as one of the highest ranked non-conference champions. Cincinnati remains my pick as the Group of Five’s highest ranked conference champion.
As far as the overall bowl lineup, there’s no real shrinkage since last week — serenity now! There has been no official announcement about the status of the Las Vegas Bowl, but sources told Stadium the game won’t be played this year. That would leave 36 bowls and 72 bowl bids.
College Football Playoff
Championship – Jan. 10 (CFP semifinal winners)
Projection: Alabama vs. Ohio State
Semifinals
Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Alabama (CFP No. 1) vs. Clemson (CFP No. 4)
Rose Bowl – Jan. 1 (CFP semifinal)
Projection: Ohio State (CFP No. 2) vs. Oregon (CFP No. 3)
New Year’s 6 Bowls
Orange Bowl – Jan. 2 (ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten)
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Florida
Fiesta Bowl – Jan. 2 (at-large vs. at-large)
Projection: USC vs. Wisconsin
Peach Bowl – Jan. 1 (at-large vs. at-large)
Projection: BYU vs. Cincinnati*
Cotton Bowl – Dec. 30 (at-large vs. at-large)
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Texas A&M
Other Bowls
Alamo Bowl (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa State vs. Arizona State
Arizona Bowl (MAC vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Toledo vs. Fresno State
Armed Forces Bowl (AAC vs. Big 12)
Projection: Houston vs. TCU
Birmingham Bowl (AAC vs. SEC)
Projection: UCF vs. Missouri
Boca Raton Bowl (AAC vs. C-USA/BYU/Liberty/MAC)
Projection: Memphis vs. FAU
Camellia Bowl (MAC vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Buffalo vs. Appalachian State
Cheez-It Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12)
Projection: Miami vs. Oklahoma
Citrus Bowl (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Indiana vs. Georgia
Cure Bowl (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. South Alabama
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: NC State vs. Iowa
First Responder Bowl (ACC vs. AAC)
Projection: Pitt vs. Tulsa
Frisco Bowl (AAC vs. C-USA)
Projection: SMU vs. UTSA
Gasparilla Bowl (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Virginia vs. Ole Miss
Gator Bowl (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: North Carolina vs. Auburn
Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Big Ten vs. Big 12)
Projection: Michigan vs. West Virginia
Idaho Potato Bowl (Mountain West vs. BYU/Liberty/MAC)
Projection: Nevada vs. Miami (Ohio)
Independence Bowl (Army vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Army vs. Washington
LendingTree Bowl (MAC/C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Georgia Southern
Liberty Bowl (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Texas vs. Arkansas
Los Angeles Bowl (Pac-12 vs. Mountain West)
Projection: Cal vs. Boise State
Military Bowl (ACC vs. AAC)
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Navy
**Montgomery Bowl (Group of Five, Liberty or BYU)
Projection: Liberty vs. UAB
Music City Bowl (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Purdue vs. Tennessee
Myrtle Beach Bowl (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Marshall vs. Coastal Carolina
New Mexico Bowl (Mountain West vs. C-USA/BYU/Liberty/MAC)
Projection: San Jose State vs. Western Michigan
New Orleans Bowl (C-USA vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Charlotte vs. Louisiana
Outback Bowl (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Northwestern vs. Kentucky
Pinstripe Bowl (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Maryland
Sun Bowl (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Boston College vs. Utah
Texas Bowl (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Kansas State vs. LSU
Bowls that have been canceled this year:
•Bahamas Bowl
•Fenway Bowl
•Hawaii Bowl
•Holiday Bowl
•Las Vegas Bowl (not official, but Stadium is reporting it won’t be played)
•Redbox Bowl
•Quick Lane Bowl
Teams in bold have already officially accepted bid.
*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.
**Replacing Fenway Bowl for this season only.