Yes, miracles do happen: After one week, all of my College Football Playoff and New Year’s 6 preseason predictions remain unbeaten.
Clemson, Georgia, Alabama and Utah remain my picks to reach the College Football Playoff. And looking at their upcoming schedules, this likely won’t change for a few weeks (months?).
My remaining New Year’s 6 bowl teams: Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Virginia, Notre Dame, Washington, and LSU, with Memphis as the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion.
On to the bowl projections for this week:
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: Michigan vs. Washington
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. Ohio 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: Penn State vs. Auburn
Outback Bowl – (Big Ten vs. SEC)
Projection: Nebraska 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. Washington State
Liberty Bowl – (Big 12 vs. SEC)
Projection: Baylor vs. Duke**
Redbox Bowl – (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Iowa vs. Arizona State
Sun Bowl – (ACC vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Miami vs. USC
Military Bowl – (ACC vs. American)
Projection: Pitt vs. Navy
Arizona Bowl – (Mountain West vs. Sun Belt)
Projection: Wyoming vs. Troy
Belk Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: Boston College vs. Florida
Alamo Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas vs. Oregon
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: Virginia Tech vs. Indiana
Independence Bowl – (ACC vs. SEC)
Projection: North Carolina vs. Minnesota**
Cheez-It Bowl – (Big 12 vs. Pac-12)
Projection: Texas Tech vs. Cal
Quick Lane Bowl – (ACC vs. Big Ten)
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Purdue
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. Utah 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. 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 the Cotton Bowl.
**-Replaces team from league that can’t fill bowl.