College football bowl projections: Oregon takes USC’s spot despite Washington loss, Air Force soars upward

It used to be coming ultimately. We all knew it. There used to be going to be an opponent towards which USC’s high-flying offense would no longer be capable to stay up given its dreadful protection. That got here Saturday evening because the Trojans were given hammered, 48-20 at Notre Dame. To be honest to the protection, it didn’t lend a hand that the offense became the ball over 5 instances.

That end result creates a shakeup of types in the most recent bowl projections after Week 7. USC is now out of the New Year’s Six with Oregon moving into its position. The Ducks fell at Washington in a 36-33 mystery, however Oregon obviously got here out of the sport having a look like one of the most best two groups within the Pac-12.

As I consider Texas will win its rematch with Oklahoma within the Big 12 Championship Game, I in a similar fashion challenge Oregon to win a rematch with Washington within the Pac-12 Championship Game on a impartial box in Las Vegas. Still, each groups are projected for the New Year’s Six. Though I nonetheless have the Ducks projected upper than the Huskies at season’s finish, it isn’t excessive sufficient for Oregon to supplant one of the most projected College Football Playoff groups. It seems like the CFP Selection Committee may have some tricky choices to make this season.

One different exchange within the New Year’s Six is that Air Force replaces Tulane on this week’s projection. The Falcons beat Wyoming Saturday evening, 34-27. I’m now anticipating Air Force to run the desk and constitute the Group of Five within the Fiesta Bowl.

College Football Playoff

New Year’s Six bowl video games

The Big Ten’s no-repeat rule may just finally end up developing some problem filling its bowl matchups this season. Iowa is now on the right track to win the Big Ten West after beating Wisconsin. They Hawkeyes may just end 11-2 but probably not qualify for a New Year’s Six recreation. Normally, they might be simple to fit into the Citrus Bowl, however Iowa simply performed there in 2021, so that they can’t repeat.

Iowa would even be ineligible for the Music City Bowl amid the no-repeat rule, and the Big Ten’s spot within the Reliaquest Bowl is going to ACC on this projection as a result of Ohio State is within the Orange Bowl, so that’s not an possibility for Iowa, both. As a end result, Iowa lands within the Las Vegas Bowl in those projections.

The next-best Big Ten workforce, Wisconsin, would finally end up within the Citrus Bowl. That leaves Maryland, Rutgers and Minnesota, which is projected into the sphere at 5-7, to fill the opposite spots. The Pinstripe Bowl has featured the Terrapins and Golden Gophers the ultimate two seasons, in order that places Rutgers there. Minnesota has additionally already been within the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, so Maryland has to move there with Minnesota bumped as much as the Music City Bowl. That’s lovely excessive cotton for a 5-7 workforce.

Minnesota is one among 9 groups on this week’s projection that will another way be ineligible for a bowl if there have been sufficient eligible groups. Jacksonville State and James Madison stuffed two of the ones spots as a result of they’re 6-6 or higher and of their 2d yr of transition to FBS. The different fill-ins are all anticipated to be 5-7.

Don’t see your workforce? Check out Jerry Palm’s bowl projections after Week 7.