College football bowl projections for Week 7 of the 2016 season. After yet another wacky weekend, here’s how the postseason could shake out.
Week 6 of the college football season is almost in the books, and once again we saw games play out that will have a direct influence on the College Football Playoff race as well as other major bowl games.
We won’t ever know how much consideration Houston would have received from the selection committee for a CFP bid because the Cougars were knocked off by AAC foe Navy. Now, Tom Herman’s team is going to have to fight other Group of Five squads such as Boise State and Western Michigan for a New Year’s Six spot. It will be difficult for the Cougars to even play for their conference title, but I am still projecting Houston to make a NY6 game because there is plenty of football left to be played. But Saturday was certainly a tough blow for the Cougars.
Notre Dame, meanwhile, is in great danger of not even making a bowl game after its loss to NC State. The Fighting Irish dropped to 2-4 with a loss in Raleigh, and the schedule only gets tougher as the weeks progress.
Where is your favorite team slated to play this postseason?
Note: An asterisk (*) denotes that the respective league did not have enough teams eligible to fill its bowl slot, thus it went to a team from a different league.
Bowl Projections
Cure Bowl
Date: Dec. 17
Location: Orlando, Florida
Tie-ins: AAC/Sun Belt
Cure Bowl Projection: East Carolina (AAC) vs. Arkansas State (Sun Belt)
Las Vegas Bowl
Date: Dec. 17
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Tie-ins: Mountain West/Pac-12
Las Vegas Bowl Projection: Boise State (MW) vs. Arizona (Pac-12)
Camellia Bowl
Date: Dec. 17
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Tie-ins: MAC/Sun Belt
Camellia Bowl Projection: Akron (MAC) vs. Appalachian State (Sun Belt)
New Mexico Bowl
Date: Dec. 17
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Tie-ins: Conference USA/Mountain West
New Mexico Bowl Projection: Western Kentucky (C-USA) vs. UNLV (MW)
New Orleans Bowl
Date: Dec. 17
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Tie-ins: Conference USA/Sun Belt
New Orleans Bowl Projection: Louisiana Tech (C-USA) vs. Georgia Southern (Sun Belt)
Miami Beach Bowl
Date: Dec. 19
Location: Miami, Florida
Tie-ins: AAC/MAC
Miami Beach Bowl Projection: Memphis (AAC) vs. Central Michigan (MAC)
Boca Raton Bowl
Date: Dec. 20
Location: Boca Raton, Florida
Tie-ins: AAC/Conference USA
Boca Raton Bowl Projection: Tulsa (AAC) vs. Old Dominion (C-USA)
Poinsettia Bowl
Date: Dec. 21
Location: San Diego, California
Tie-ins: MAC/Mountain West/BYU (BYU tied to bowl if not in CFP)
Poinsettia Bowl Projection: BYU vs. San Diego State (MW)
Idaho Potato Bowl
Date: Dec. 22
Location: Boise, Idaho
Tie-ins: MAC/Mountain West
Idaho Potato Bowl Projection: Ohio (MAC) vs. Air Force (MW)
Bahamas Bowl
Date: Dec. 23
Location: Nassau, Bahamas
Tie-ins: AAC/MAC
Bahamas Bowl Projection: UCF (AAC) vs. Toledo (MAC)
Armed Forces Bowl
Date: Dec. 23
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Tie-ins: AAC/Big 12/Navy (automatically takes spot if eligible)
Armed Forces Bowl Projection: West Virginia (Big 12) vs. Navy
Dollar General Bowl
Date: Dec. 23
Location: Mobile, Alabama
Tie-ins: MAC/Sun Belt
Dollar General Bowl Projection: Western Michigan (MAC) vs. Troy (Sun Belt)
Hawaii Bowl
Date: Dec. 24
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Tie-ins: Conference USA/Mountain West
Hawaii Bowl Projection: Middle Tennessee (C-USA) vs. Utah State (MW)
Quick Lane Bowl
Date: Dec. 26
Location: Detroit, Michigan
Tie-ins: ACC/Big Ten
Quick Lane Bowl Projection: Georgia Tech (ACC) vs. Indiana (Big Ten)
St. Petersburg Bowl
Date: Dec. 26
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Tie-ins: ACC/AAC
St. Petersburg Bowl Projection: South Alabama* (Sun Belt) vs. Temple (AAC)
Independence Bowl
Date: Dec. 26
Location: Shreveport, Louisiana
Tie-ins: ACC/SEC
Independence Bowl Projection: Wake Forest (ACC) vs. Colorado* (Pac-12)
Military Bowl
Date: Dec. 27
Location: Annapolis, Maryland
Tie-ins: ACC/AAC
Military Bowl Projection: Pittsburgh (ACC) vs. Cincinnati (AAC)
Holiday Bowl
Date: Dec. 27
Location: San Diego, California
Tie-ins: Big Ten/Pac-12
Holiday Bowl Projection: Minnesota (Big Ten) vs. Arizona State (Pac-12)
Heart of Dallas Bowl
Date: Dec. 27
Location: Dallas, Texas
Tie-ins: Big Ten/Conference USA
Heart of Dallas Bowl Projection: Northwestern (Big Ten) vs. Southern Miss (C-USA)
Cactus Bowl
Date: Dec. 27
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Tie-ins: Big 12/Pac-12
Cactus Bowl Projection: Texas (Big 12) vs. USC (Pac-12)
Texas Bowl
Date: Dec. 28
Location: Houston, Texas
Tie-ins: Big 12/SEC
Texas Bowl Projection: Baylor (Big 12) vs. Arkansas (SEC)
Russell Athletic Bowl
Date: Dec. 28
Location: Orlando, Florida
Tie-ins: ACC/Big 12
Russell Athletic Bowl Projection: Miami (ACC) vs. TCU (Big 12)
Pinstripe Bowl
Date: Dec. 28
Location: New York, New York
Tie-ins: ACC/Big Ten
Pinstripe Bowl Projection: NC State (ACC) vs. Maryland (Big Ten)
Foster Farms Bowl
Date: Dec. 28
Location: Santa Clara, California
Tie-ins: Big Ten/Pac-12
Foster Farms Bowl Projection: Penn State (Big Ten) vs. UCLA (Pac-12)
Birmingham Bowl
Date: Dec. 29
Location: Birmingham, Alabama
Tie-ins: AAC/SEC
Birmingham Bowl Projection: USF (AAC) vs. Missouri (SEC)
Belk Bowl
Date: Dec. 29
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Tie-ins: ACC/SEC
Belk Bowl Projection: Virginia Tech (ACC) vs. Auburn (SEC)
Alamo Bowl
Date: Dec. 29
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Tie-ins: Big 12/Pac-12
Alamo Bowl Projection: Oklahoma State (Big 12) vs. Stanford (Pac-12)
NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Date: Dec. 30
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Tie-ins: Mountain West/Sun Belt
Arizona Bowl Projection: Colorado State (MW) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
Sun Bowl
Date: Dec. 30
Location: El Paso, Texas
Tie-ins: ACC/Pac-12
Sun Bowl Projection: North Carolina (ACC) vs. Oregon (Pac-12)
Liberty Bowl
Date: Dec. 30
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Tie-ins: Big 12/SEC
Liberty Bowl Projection: Texas Tech (Big 12) vs. Mississippi State (SEC)
Music City Bowl
Date: Dec. 31
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Tie-ins: ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC
Music City Bowl Projection: Iowa (Big Ten) vs. Georgia (SEC)
TaxSlayer Bowl
Date: Dec. 31
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
Tie-ins: ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC
TaxSlayer Bowl Projection: Florida State (ACC) vs. LSU (SEC)
Citrus Bowl
Date: Dec. 31
Location: Orlando, Florida
Tie-ins: ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC
Citrus Bowl Projection: Wisconsin (Big Ten) vs. Tennessee (SEC)
Outback Bowl
Date: Jan. 2
Location: Tampa, Florida
Tie-ins: Big Ten/SEC
Outback Bowl Projection: Michigan State (Big Ten) vs. Florida (SEC)
New Year’s Six Bowl Projections
Orange Bowl
Date: Dec. 30
Location: Miami, Florida
Tie-ins: ACC vs. Big Ten/SEC/Notre Dame
Orange Bowl Projection: Louisville (ACC) vs. Nebraska (Big Ten)
Rose Bowl
Date: Jan. 2
Location: Pasadena, California
Tie-ins: Big Ten/Pac-12
Rose Bowl Projection: Michigan (Big Ten) vs. Utah (Pac-12)
Sugar Bowl
Date: Jan. 2
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Tie-ins: Big 12/SEC
Sugar Bowl Projection: Oklahoma (Big 12) vs. Texas A&M (SEC)
Cotton Bowl
Date: Jan. 2
Location: Arlington, Texas
Tie-ins: At-Large/At-Large
Cotton Bowl Projection: Ole Miss (SEC) vs. Houston (AAC)
College Football Playoff Projections
Semifinal No. 1 – Fiesta Bowl
Date: Dec. 31
Location: Glendale, Arizona
Tie-ins: CFP No. 2/CFP No. 3
Fiesta Bowl Projection: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State
The Tigers are finally looking like a complete outfit, and we’ll see how much of a test Florida State can give them when the teams meet in Tallahassee later this month. Dabo Swinney’s squad is finding its rhythm at the right time.
Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes may be young, but they’re as talented as any team in the country. They may face their toughest challenge thus far, though, next week when they play Wisconsin on the road.
Semifinal No. 2 – Peach Bowl
Date: Dec. 31
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Tie-ins: CFP No. 1/CFP No. 4
Peach Bowl Projection: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington
The Crimson Tide are getting strong play from quarterback Jalen Hurts, whose performances are far exceeding the expectations for a true freshman. After Saturday’s win over Arkansas, Alabama now has 55 non-offensive touchdowns in Nick Saban’s nine-plus seasons at the school.
The Huskies are the best out West, and they finally ended their 12-game skid to Oregon in a big way. Chris Petersen’s team returns home for a bye next week before hosting Oregon State on Oct. 22.
College Football National Championship Game
Date: Jan. 9
Location: Tampa, FL
Tie-ins: Semifinal winners
Championship Game Projection: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 2 Clemson