{"id":753,"date":"2016-09-15T11:00:13","date_gmt":"2016-09-15T15:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordoncollegefootball.com\/?p=753"},"modified":"2016-09-14T13:38:14","modified_gmt":"2016-09-14T17:38:14","slug":"2016-17-bowl-projections-week-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/collegefootball\/2016\/09\/15\/2016-17-bowl-projections-week-2\/","title":{"rendered":"2016-17 Bowl Projections: Week 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a supposed “down week” in competition this past weekend, ranked teams had scares against presumptive pushovers. Arkansas<\/strong> was the week’s big winner over TCU<\/strong>, while Georgia<\/strong> and Clemson<\/strong> showed they need improvement before their conference slates begin. With a big week ahead, here are my 2016-17 bowl projections after Week 2.<\/p>\n

College Football Playoff<\/h2>\n

Peach Bowl
\n#1 Alabama vs. #4 Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fiesta Bowl
\n#2 Florida State vs. #3 Ohio State<\/strong><\/p>\n

National Championship Game
\n#1 Alabama vs. #2 Florida State<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>My CFP picks all held sway this week, so I\u2019m leaving those alone.<\/p>\n

The Big 12 did itself no favors with the big loser being TCU. The Horned Frogs lost a wild one at home to Arkansas.<\/p>\n

With that big time win, Arkansas got the SEC back on track after their opening week sputter.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma State <\/strong>lost in Stillwater to Central Michigan <\/strong>on a controversial Hail Mary<\/a> hook and ladder touchdown with no time on the clock.<\/p>\n

Oklahoma, Texas<\/strong>, and Baylor <\/strong>won in blowouts to give the presumptive top four of the Big 12 a 3-1 record on the weekend, with TCU the lone loss.<\/p>\n

This coming week\u2019s Ohio State at Oklahoma contest will set the tone for the rest of the season for the Big 12\u2019s perception. The Sooners can erase some of the sting from their loss to Houston <\/strong>if they knock off the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n

I still see the Big 12 and Pac-12 being left out of the playoff this year. Washington<\/strong> continues to mash lesser competition. Stanford\u2019s <\/strong>visit to Seattle in Week 5 will go a long way in determining the PAC-12 North winner.<\/p>\n

Arizona State <\/strong>survived a wild shoot out at home over Texas Tech<\/strong> and could be a factor in the PAC-12 South, though all their opponents won\u2019t be as kind defensively as the Red Raiders.<\/p>\n

New Years Six Bowls<\/h2>\n

Rose Bowl
\nIowa vs. Washington<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sugar Bowl
\nOklahoma vs. Tennessee<\/strong><\/p>\n

Orange Bowl
\nLouisville vs. Notre Dame<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cotton Bowl
\nLSU vs. Houston <\/strong><\/p>\n

I had high hopes for Clemson in the preseason. The Tigers have gone from my CFP projections down to the Orange and now out of the New Year\u2019s Six altogether.<\/p>\n

It may be a knee-jerk reaction, but Clemson has looked sluggish in its first two games versus Auburn<\/strong> and Troy<\/strong>. I can forgive an opening road game against Auburn, but a home struggle with Troy has me second guessing how far Deshaun Watson<\/strong> and company can go.<\/p>\n

I have Louisville in the top non-CFP Bowl for the ACC, replacing Clemson. If Louisville can upset Florida State at home this coming Saturday, the Cardinals will vault into the playoff conversation, led by early Heisman candidate quarterback\u00a0Lamar Jackson.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bowl Season Projections<\/h2>\n

Outback Bowl: Big Ten vs. SEC
\nMichigan State vs. Texas A&M<\/strong><\/p>\n

TaxSlayer Bowl: SEC vs. ACC\/Big Ten\/Notre Dame
\nOle Miss vs. Miami (FL)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Citrus Bowl: SEC vs. ACC\/Big Ten\/Notre Dame
\nFlorida vs. Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Music City Bowl: ACC\/Big Ten vs. SEC
\nNebraska vs. Arkansas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hyundai Sun Bowl: ACC\/Notre Dame vs. PAC-12
\nVirginia Tech vs. USC<\/strong><\/p>\n

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Big 12 vs. SEC
\nOklahoma State vs.\u00a0Missouri<\/strong><\/p>\n

Arizona Bowl: Mountain West vs. Sun Belt
\nNevada vs. Troy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Valero Alamo Bowl: Big 12 vs. PAC-12
\nTexas vs. UCLA<\/strong><\/p>\n

Belk Bowl: ACC vs. SEC
\nUNC vs. Auburn<\/strong><\/p>\n

Birmingham Bowl: AAC vs. SEC
\nTulsa vs. Texas Tech *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Texas Bowl: Big 12 vs. SEC
\nBaylor vs.\u00a0Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Foster Farms Bowl: Big Ten vs. PAC-12
\nIndiana vs. Oregon<\/strong><\/p>\n

Russell Athletic Bowl: ACC vs. Big 12
\nClemson vs. TCU<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pinstripe Bowl: ACC vs. Big Ten
\nPitt vs. Minnesota<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cactus Bowl: Big 12 vs. PAC-12
\nKansas State vs. Arizona State <\/strong><\/p>\n

Holiday Bowl: Big Ten vs. PAC-12
\nPenn State vs. Stanford<\/strong><\/p>\n

Military Bowl: AAC vs. ACC
\nUConn vs. Georgia Tech<\/strong><\/p>\n

Heart of Dallas Bowl: Big Ten vs. C-USA
\nMaryland vs. Western Kentucky<\/strong><\/p>\n

Independence Bowl: ACC vs. SEC
\nNC State vs. UL-Lafayette *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Quick Lane Bowl: ACC vs. Big Ten
\nArmy * vs. Northwestern<\/strong><\/p>\n

St. Petersburg Bowl: AAC vs. ACC
\nSouth Florida vs. Wake Forest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hawai\u2019i Bowl: C-USA vs. Mountain West
\nOld Dominion vs. Air Force<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dollar General Bowl: MAC vs. Sun Belt
\nWestern Michigan vs. Arkansas State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Armed Forces Bowl: Navy vs. Big 12
\nNavy vs. West Virginia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl: C-USA vs. MAC
\nSouthern Miss vs. Ohio<\/strong><\/p>\n

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: MAC vs. Mountain West
\nBowling Green vs. Utah State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Poinsettia Bowl: BYU vs. Mountain West
\nBYU vs. San Diego State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Boca Raton Bowl: AAC vs. C-USA
\nCincinnati vs. Marshall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Miami Beach Bowl: AAC vs. MAC
\nTemple vs. Northern Illinois<\/strong><\/p>\n

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: C-USA vs. Sun Belt
\nMiddle Tennessee vs. Appalachian State<\/strong><\/p>\n

AutoNation Cure Bowl: AAC vs. Sun Belt
\nMemphis vs. South Alabama<\/strong><\/p>\n

Camellia Bowl: MAC vs. Sun Belt
\nCentral Michigan vs. Georgia Southern<\/strong><\/p>\n

Las Vegas Bowl: Mountain West vs. PAC-12
\nBoise State vs. Utah<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gildan New Mexico Bowl: C-USA vs. Mountain West
\nUTEP vs. UNLV<\/strong><\/p>\n

Explanation<\/em>
\n<\/strong>I welcome Wake Forest back to my projections this week, as they won at Duke <\/strong>24-14. The Demon Deacons are 2-0, right where I have them in my season scenario. A win at home next week versus Delaware <\/strong>would have Wake half way to bowl eligibility.<\/p>\n

Arkansas\u2019 win in Fort Worth over TCU moves them up my SEC pecking order, and closer to a top-tier bowl.<\/p>\n

Washington State <\/strong>and New Mexico <\/strong>also left my projections this week. The Cougars lost their opener to FCS team Eastern Washington<\/strong>, but could not bounce back on the road at Boise State. I do not see Washington State competing in the PAC-12 this year unless they get a run game going to complement Luke Falk\u2019s<\/strong> air raid.<\/p>\n

New Mexico lost to in-state rival New Mexico State <\/strong>32-31. The Lobos were favored by double digits but squandered a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter. UNM faces Boise State and Air Force in divisional play, so their margin for error has decreased drastically.<\/p>\n

*<\/strong>\u00a0= Replacement team<\/p>\n

Main Photo:<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n