New Year’s Six Bowl Projections: Week 6
The two big calls for the New Year’s Six …
1. The CFP would LOVE to put Notre Dame in a spotlight game. The Irish will lose once more along the way, but at 10-2 it’ll still be close enough to make the NY6.
2. We’ll believe the committee puts a Group of Five team in the College Football Playoff when we see it.
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Thursday, December 30
ESPN, 7:00 pm
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Bowl Projection: Clemson vs Notre Dame
You really think Wake Forest is winning the ACC Championship? It has to go to Clemson on November 20th. If there’s a shot to get the Tigers and Irish together in a major bowl, it’s happening.
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 1:00 pm
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Bowl Tie-Ins: At-Large vs. At-Large
Bowl Projection: Cincinnati vs Arizona State
Arizona State doesn’t play Oregon in the regular season. It rolls through the rest of its slate – watch out for the road games at Washington and Oregon State in November, though, and then loses the Pac-12 championship to the Ducks.
Cincinnati won’t be as dominant as you might think through the rest of its schedule, and there will be four good Power Five options for the playoff. More on that in a moment.
Rose Bowl Game
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 5:00 pm
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Bowl Projection: Iowa vs. Oregon
The Hawkeyes will come close, but if they don’t get bitten on the road by the Wisconsin defense or in a desperation game for Nebraska, the Big Ten East champ that everyone seems to be dismissing will be a problem.
Oregon will lose another regular season game – ending the playoff shot – but will win yet the Pac-12 title again.
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Saturday, January 1
ESPN, 8:45 pm
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Tie-Ins: Big 12 vs. SEC
Bowl Projection: Texas vs. Kentucky
Remember, the Sugar Bowl has to take a Big 12 team. Texas will get an 11-1 Kentucky in a fun showdown with a ton of energy in the stadium.