By Matt Whisnant, LastWordOnCollegeFootball
After a major upset in State College, Pennsylvania, the top four got a facelift. Michigan was the big beneficiary of Ohio State’s loss. With 20 teams bowl eligible, and only three teams bowl ineligible (sorry UMass, Bowling Green, and Fresno State) here are the LWOS Bowl Projections Week 8.
LWOS Bowl Projections Week 8
College Football Playoff
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
CFP Semifinal
#1 Alabama vs. #4 Washington
Fiesta Bowl
CFP Semifinal
#2 Michigan vs. #3 Clemson
National Championship Game
#1 Alabama vs. #2 Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines make their reappearance in my CFP projections. Michigan has benefitted from six home games and one true road game (at Rutgers, won 78 – 0). They have taken advantage of this friendly schedule, and are off to a 7 – 0 start.
With Ohio State dropping a stunner in Happy Valley 24 – 21 to Penn State, the race atop the Big Ten got a major shot of energy. With that first loss, the Buckeyes can still force a three-way tie atop the Big Ten East if they beat Michigan at home on November 26.
Washington may get its toughest test this season this coming weekend as they head to Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Utes. If the Huskies escape The MUSS fueled stadium with a win, they will have a quality win to combat their weak non-conference slate (8 – 15 combined record).
New Years Six Bowls
Rose Bowl
Ohio State vs. Washington State
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Baylor vs. Texas A&M
Capital One Orange Bowl
Louisville vs. Wisconsin
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Tennessee vs. Boise State
Explanation
Ohio State and Washington State move into the Rose Bowl to take Michigan and USC’s spots.
The Pac-12 South looks to be on a collision course for a log jam up top. Utah and Colorado may decide the division on November 26. Even if Washington State loses the biggest Apple Cup in ages, they may finish with one loss in conference.
The Cougars’ last Rose Bowl was in 2003, and a matchup with either OSU or Michigan would create a buzz, and give the Pac-12 a decent showing.
Boise State held on to a spot in my New Year’s Six with a 28 – 27 win versus the BYU Cougars. That is back-to-back close calls at home for the Broncos, including a 28 – 23 win versus Colorado State. With Houston firmly planted in the traditional bowl pecking order in the AAC, the Group of Five representative picture is taking shape.
If Boise State continues to play uninspired football, and Western Michigan continues their run at perfection, there could be a hot debate for a spot in the Cotton Bowl.
Bowl Season Projections
Outback Bowl
Big Ten vs. SEC
Penn State vs. Auburn
TaxSlayer Bowl
SEC vs. ACC/Big Ten/Notre Dame
Arkansas vs. Miami (FL)
Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
SEC vs. ACC/Big Ten/Notre Dame
Florida vs. Nebraska
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
ACC/Big Ten vs. SEC
Northwestern vs. Ole Miss
Hyundai Sun Bowl
ACC/Notre Dame vs. Pac-12
Florida State vs. USC
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Big 12 vs. SEC
TCU vs. Georgia
Arizona Bowl
Mountain West vs. Sun Belt
New Mexico vs. Idaho
Valero Alamo Bowl
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
West Virginia vs. Utah
Belk Bowl
ACC vs. SEC
Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky
Birmingham Bowl
AAC vs. SEC
Tulsa vs. Vanderbilt
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
Big 12 vs. SEC
Oklahoma State vs. LSU
Foster Farms Bowl
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Iowa vs. California
Russell Athletic Bowl
ACC vs. Big 12
UNC vs. Oklahoma
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
ACC/Notre Dame vs. Big Ten
Pitt vs. Maryland
Cactus Bowl
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Texas vs. Stanford
Holiday Bowl
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Minnesota vs. Colorado
Military Bowl
AAC vs. ACC
Memphis vs. NC State
Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl
Big Ten vs. C-USA
Texas Tech * vs. North Texas
Camping World Independence Bowl
ACC vs. SEC
Georgia Tech vs. Army *
Quick Lane Bowl
ACC vs. Big Ten
Eastern Michigan * vs. Indiana
St. Petersburg Bowl
AAC vs. ACC
USF vs. Wake Forest
Hawai’i Bowl
C-USA vs. Mountain West
Old Dominion vs. Hawai’i
Dollar General Bowl
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Akron vs. Troy
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
AAC vs. Big 12
Navy vs. Kansas State
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
C-USA vs. MAC
Southern Mississippi vs. Ohio
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
MAC vs. Mountain West
Toledo vs. Wyoming
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
BYU vs. Mountain West
BYU vs. Air Force
Marmot Boca Raton Bowl
AAC vs. C-USA
Temple vs. Western Kentucky
Miami Beach Bowl
AAC vs. MAC
Houston vs. Western Michigan
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
C-USA vs. Sun Belt
Middle Tennessee vs. Appalachian State
AutoNation Cure Bowl
AAC vs. Sun Belt
UConn vs. South Alabama
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Central Michigan vs. Georgia Southern
Las Vegas Bowl
Mountain West vs. Pac-12
San Diego State vs. Arizona State
Gildan New Mexico Bowl
C-USA vs. Mountain West
Louisiana Tech vs. Arkansas State *
Explanation
The Kentucky Wildcats and Vanderbilt Commodores enter the projections this week to fill in lower tier bowls for the SEC. Kentucky has a shot at six wins with winnable games at Missouri and versus Austin Peay left.
While I see Vanderbilt winning just one more game, the Commodores could benefit from an Academic Progress Rate waiver to go to the post season.
* = Replacement team
