Updated bowl projections coming out of the craziest week of the season so far
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College football bowl projections: Slotting all 46 games, new CFP teams after Oklahoma, UCLA upsets
Updated bowl projections coming out of the craziest week of the season so far
College Football Playoff
First round
Projection: (9) UCLA at (8) Texas
Bob Chesney got his breakthrough win with the Bruins, and now, UCLA enters the CFP mix for the first time this season as one of two unbeatens left in the Big Ten after Week 6. Unfortunately for UCLA, quarterback Nico Iamaleava left the win in the second half, and his injury status is unknown. This offense changes if he's unable to return in the coming weeks.
Texas losing to Oklahoma pushes the Longhorns back a few spots. There are a couple of throws
Arch Manning would like back from Red River, but he still has one of the nation's best resumes, considering previous wins over Ohio State and Tennessee. A strong finish will be more than enough to get into the bracket.
Projection: (10) Ole Miss at (7) Utah
Ole Miss gets the nod in the No. 10 spot after passing the eye test in Nashville. The Rebels clobbered Vanderbilt in their first game since losing at Florida and seemed to finally find their footing defensively. Missouri, Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and Mississippi State are still on the schedule, so this CFP berth is far from wrapped up for Ole Miss.
Utah's one of four teams likely to decide the Big 12 as the Utes join BYU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State. Where it gets sticky for at-large hopefuls is the possibility of this conference's runner-up finishing with 11 (or more) wins. That would be a bid-stealing scenario against the likes of the SEC, which is hoping to place five teams in the bracket for the first time.
Projection: (11) Kentucky at (6) Indiana
That's right -- Will Stein and Kentucky have entered the CFP zone. The Wildcats are 5-1 this season with consecutive 35-34 overtime wins, the latest coming against 10th-ranked LSU. It's a devastating loss for the Tigers, who drop out of the CFP mix this week and are one loss away from being out of it altogether.
The Hoosiers tied Ohio State's Big Ten record with its 22nd straight win, and Curt Cignetti improved to 27-0 at Indiana against unranked teams following Saturday's comeback at Nebraska. The 20-17 victory may have told us more about the Huskers than it did the Hoosiers, who have narrowly escaped two Big Ten opponents to stay unblemished ahead of next weekend's mammoth battle against Ohio State.
Projection: (12) Boise State at (5) Notre Dame
The Broncos stay as the Group of Six favorite this week following Saturday night's 38-31 victory at Fresno State. Notre Dame's in the No. 5 spot with the projection that the Fighting Irish's lone regular-season loss comes against Miami in early November. Notre Dame looks explosive offensively and if Marcus Freeman's team finish 11-1, at worst, they're going to be the 5-seed.
Quarterfinals
PEACH BOWL — Projection: (8) Texas vs. (1) Miami
COTTON BOWL — Projection: (10) Ole Miss vs. (2) Georgia
ROSE BOWL — Projection: (6) Indiana vs. (3) Ohio State
FIESTA BOWL — Projection: (5) Notre Dame vs. (4) Alabama
Semifinals
ORANGE BOWL — Projection: (1) Miami vs. (4) Alabama
SUGAR BOWL — Projection: (2) Georgia vs. (3) Ohio State
