Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 14

Check out the latest Mountain West bowl projections.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 14

Final week of the regular season does not change much.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Seven teams will go bowling.

The Mountain West will have all seven teams going to the postseason, no questions. There are going to be more bowl-eligible teams than bowl teams but with each Mountain West team having at least seven wins means that the teams will be safe to assume a postseason berth is on the way.

The big question is if the Mountain West can get into the Cotton Bowl. Boise State is in prime position to if they beat Hawaii in the championship game next weekend.

However, the Broncos will need some help. Memphis is in the front runner seat and if they defeat Cincinnati — the second time in as many weeks — the Tigers are going to the Cotton Bowl but if it is the Bearcats then the Broncos should go to that game. We say should because it depends on where the College Football Playoff committee ranks both Memphis and Cincinnati in the next set of rankings. It is somewhat safe to assume that a one-loss Boise State team should get in over a two-loss Bearcats team.

If Boise State goes to the Cotton Bowl it would shake up who goes where and could provide for a few better matchups with every team moving up a spot in the bowl pecking order.

A few notes about the bowl lineups. Starting with the Hawaii Bowl. The game has a vaguely worded tie-in which is a combination between BYU, Hawaii or an AAC team. The Warriors have a 13-game schedule and must have seven wins to secure a bowl berth. Technically, BYU takes the Mountain West spot but a Cougars vs. Warriors matchup would be a classic WAC rivalry renewal.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Overall, the league has six guaranteed bowl berths and is a backup for the Cheez-It Bowl if the Pac-12 or Big 12 does not have enough teams eligible. As always, there can be trades for the best matchups.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. MAC
– Gildan New Mexico Bowl vs. Conference USA
– Hawai’i Bowl vs. BYU or American
– NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. Sun Belt
– Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl vs. Big Ten
– Cheez-It Bowl Conditional for MW if bowl can’t fill a spot.

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APR Rankings, Bowl Projections. What Losing Teams Still Have A Chance?

College Football News bowl projections: APR rankings. What losing teams still have a chance?

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College Football News bowl projections: APR rankings. What losing teams still have a chance?

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews

– Future College Football Playoff Sites & Dates

So you think your 4-7 team is out of the bowl picture?

So you think you’re not going to have any swag-bag fun if your 5-6 team loses this weekend?

Just wait … you still have hope.

Welcome to the very quirky, very strange world of the APR rankings as the way college football fills its bowl slots if there aren’t enough eligible teams.

To whiteboard this, a team becomes bowl eligible if it wins six games, as long as there’s only one win over an FCS team. A bowl game has to take a team with six or more wins first, at least according to its conference bowl tie-ins. After that, if there are any open slots and no more available teams, the next-teams up go by the Academic Progress Rates.

The APR is a measurement of the improvements and academic success for the 2017-2018 school year. It has nothing to do with how good a football team is this season, but this is the deal.

So, again, if there aren’t enough teams that finish with a bowl-eligible six wins, the teams that finish 5-7 are allowed to be taken based on the APR.

Just in case you’re totally lost right now, here’s where to go to dive deeper …

– 2019 APR Rankings | APR by conference
– 2019-2020 College Bowl Tie-Ins by Conference
– CFN Latest Bowl Projections

Now, here’s why this matters.

There are 78 available slots for the 39 bowl games. At the immediate moment there are 73 bowl eligible teams, so obviously there are currently five openings.

Going into this weekend there are 12 teams with 5-6 records. If more than five of them win, there won’t be enough bowl games for all of the eligible teams. But if there aren’t five winners, then there will be a few openings.

Here’s where those 12 teams stand and what their chances are to get that sixth win – and here’s who you need to root against if your 4-7 or 5-6 team has a high APR.

5-7 Teams That Will Be Bowl Eligible With A Win

Boston College at Pitt -9

Cal at UCLA -2.5

Kent State at Eastern Michigan -5.5

Michigan State -21.5 at Maryland

Mississippi State -3 vs. Ole Miss

Nebraska at Iowa -5

North Carolina -8 at NC State

Ohio -27.5 at Akron

Oregon State at Oregon -17.5

TCU -12.5 at West Virginia

Troy at Appalachian State -13

ULM at Louisiana -21

Let’s add one more special case to the mix. Missouri -11.5 at Arkansas. At the moment, Mizzou isn’t eligible to go to a bowl due to NCAA sanctions, but the NCAA is looking into – and taking its sweet time – possibly changing this.

There are only four favorites out of the 12 teams that need a win this weekend. There will be upsets, and there’s a strong chance that at least five teams win and the bowl problem is solved. However, if fewer than five teams win, it comes down to the APR.

Which teams are in line for a bowl game because their respective players went to class a few years ago? Here’s who’s still alive …

APR Rankings For Bowl Eligibility

The teams below are the ones in the mix if the APR factor kicks in.

If a team is 4-7 and wins this weekend to get to 5-7, it’s in the APR eligibility world. A 4-7 team is out with a loss.

Again, if the 5-6 teams on this list win, they’re eligible. But if any of them lose, there’s still the lifeline of the APR ranking.

LONG-winded article way of saying … if there aren’t enough bowl eligible teams to fill out the 78 slots, this would be the pecking order. The number in parentheses is the APR ranking of the school overall, followed by the APR score, followed by record.
– 2019 APR Rankings | APR by conference

1. (3) Duke 992 (4-7)
Duke vs. Miami -8.5

2. (8) Boston College 989 (5-6)
Boston College at Pitt -9

3. (15) Stanford 986 (4-7)
Stanford vs. Notre Dame -16.5

4. (22) Middle Tennessee 982 (4-7)
Middle Tennessee at WKU -9.5

5. (28) Ohio 981 (5-6)
Ohio -27.5 at Akron

6. (38) Ole Miss 978 (4-7)
Mississippi State -3 vs. Ole Miss

7. (41) Nebraska 977 (5-6)
Nebraska at Iowa -5

8. (43) Mississippi State 976 (5-6)
Mississippi State -3 vs. Ole Miss

9. (54) Oregon State 971 (5-6)
Oregon State at Oregon -17.5

Any team lower than this in the APR Rankings is out, considering there would be at least five teams above finishing 5-7.

– 2019-2020 College Football Conference Bowl Tie-Ins

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 13

Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 13 Only seven teams will be bowl eligible. Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire No more bowl eligible teams. The Mountain West will have seven bowl-eligible teams this season since the teams in …

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 13

Only seven teams will be bowl eligible.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

No more bowl eligible teams.

The Mountain West will have seven bowl-eligible teams this season since the teams in contention to get to six wins all lost. The seven teams are Boise State, Air Force, Utah State, Nevada, Hawaii, San Diego State, and Wyoming.

All have seven more wins except for Utah State and with the Mountain West having just six official bowl tie-ins there is a chance a team could get left out. At this time that team would be Utah State if they end up with six wins. The NCAA has a rule that they must take all teams with seven or more wins before they can choose a six-win team. The Aggies finish the season at New Mexico and that should allow them to get to seven wins.

As where teams will be placed it is getting more clear each week but there will be some changes if the New Year’s Six spot goes to the Mountain West.

The Broncos are in line to win out and have a good chance to do so, but there are two AAC team ahead of them in the pecking order in Memphis and Cincinnati. The latter has struggled mightily against bad teams and just keeps escaping with wins. The new College Football Playoff rankings probably will have Boise State pass the Bearcats but not Memphis. Those two AAC team will play on the final week of the season and then most likely again the following week.

Things can change and as much as Boise State looks to be good enough to be ahead of any American team, that pick can not be justified currently since the Broncos are not the highest-rated team in the Group of Five.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

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Pages: 12

Bowl Projections, College Football Playoff Predictions: After Week 13

The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 13.

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The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 13.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews

– Future College Football Playoff Sites & Dates

If there appear to be a ton of awful matchups, there’s a reason …

Simply put, there are probably going to be a ton of awful matchups.

However, this can change a wee bit if Mississippi State beats Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl, and at the moment, we don’t project that to happen.

As we see it right now, there will be exactly enough bowl eligible teams for the slots – there won’t be any need to dive into the APR tie-breaker (if you don’t know what that is, don’t worry about it for now).

However, if the College Football Playoff rankings finish up as expected, LSU, Georgia, Alabama and Florida will all need to find homes in either the CFP or in one of the New Year’s Six games. If that happens, there won’t be enough SEC teams for all of the good bowl ties.

That means the potential will be there for a whole slew of bizarre MAC vs. Power Five matchups just to fill out the exhibitions.

The one other key part to note will be the American Athletic Conference pecking order.

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As is, the league’s bowl-ties are AWFUL – a few of the stars are going to end up punching well below their respective weights. For now, the call is that Memphis and Cincinnati will split their two showdowns – with Memphis winning in the regular-season finale, and UC pulling off the victory in a rematch in the Conference USA Championship.

If that doesn’t happen and if the AAC champion is 12-1 and goes to the Cotton Bowl instead of projected Mountain West champ Boise State, then things get really nutty.

This will all start to clear up over the next several days, but for now …

2019-2020 Bowl Projections: Week 13

Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl

Friday, December 20
2:00 ET, ESPN
Thomas Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
MAC vs. Conference USA
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Florida Atlantic
Last Season: FIU 35, Toledo 32

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

Friday, December 20L
7:30 ET, ESPN2
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
American Athletic vs. at-large
Secondary: MAC, and if not, Conference USA
Projection: SMU vs. Eastern Michigan
Last Season: Ohio 27, San Diego State 0

Cure Bowl

Saturday, December 21
1:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
American Athletic vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Temple vs. Georgia State
Last Season: Tulane 41, Louisiana 24

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 21
2:00 ET, ESPN
Branch Field at Dreamstyle Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Conference USA vs. Mountain West
Projection: Southern Miss vs. Nevada
Last Season: Utah State 52, North Texas 13

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Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

Saturday, December 21
3:30 ET, ABC
Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
American Athletic vs. MAC
Projection: Tulane vs. Toledo
Last Season: UAB 37, Northern Illinois 13

Camellia Bowl

Saturday, December 21
5:30 ET, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Buffalo vs. Arkansas State
Last Season: Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21

Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl

Saturday, December 21
7:30 ET, ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Mountain West (champion) vs. Pac-12
Projection: Hawaii vs. Washington State
Last Season: Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Saturday, December 21
9:00 ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt (champion)
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Appalachian State
Last Season: Appalachian State 45, Middle Tennessee 13

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

Monday, December 23
2:30 ET, ESPN
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
American Athletic vs. Conference USA
Secondary: ACC
Projection: UCF vs. WKU
Last Season: Marshall 38, USF 20

SoFi Hawai’i Bowl

Tuesday, December 24
8:00 ET, ESPN
Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union Field at Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
BYU vs. American Athletic or Mountain West
Projection: BYU vs. Wyoming
Last Season: Louisiana Tech 31, Hawaii 14

Walk-On’s Independence Bowl

Thursday, December 26
4:00 ET, ESPN
Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
ACC vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic, Conference USA
Projection: Florida State vs. Memphis
Last Season: Duke 56, Temple 27

Quick Lane Bowl

Thursday, December 26
8:00 ET, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
ACC vs. Big Ten
Secondary: MAC
Projection: North Carolina vs. Michigan State
Last Season: Minnesota 34, Georgia Tech 10

Military Bowl Presented By Northrup Grumman

Friday, December 27
12:00 ET, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium, Annapolis, MD
ACC vs. American Athletic
Projection: Louisville vs. Navy
Last Season: Cincinnati 35, Virginia Tech 31

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Friday, December 27
3:20 ET, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Nebraska
Last Season: Wisconsin 35, Miami 3

Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl

Friday, December 27
6:45 ET, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Texas vs. FIU*
*No SEC team projected available
Last Season: Baylor 45, Vanderbilt 38

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

Friday, December 27
8:00 ET, FS1
SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Michigan vs. Washington
Last Season: Northwestern 31, Utah 20

Cheez-It Bowl

Saturday, December 28
10:15 ET, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Secondary: Mountain West
Projection: Kansas State vs. Ohio*
Last Season: TCU 10, Cal 7 OT
*No Pac-12 or Mountain West projected available

Camping World Bowl

Saturday, December 28
12:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Oklahoma State
Last Season: Syracuse 34, West Virginia 18

SERVPRO First Responders Bowl

Monday, December 30
12:30 ET, ESPN
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Projection: TCU vs. Marshall
Last Season: Boise State vs. Boston College cancelled

Redbox Bowl

Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, FOX
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Illinois vs. Cal
Last Season: Oregon 7, Michigan State 6

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, ESPN
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
SEC vs. (likely) ACC, or Big Ten
Projection: Miami vs. Liberty*
Last Season: Auburn 63, Purdue 14
*No SEC team projected available

Belk Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
12:00 ET, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Pitt vs. Charlotte*
Last Season: Virginia 28, South Carolina 0
*No SEC team projected available

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
2:00 ET, CBS
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia vs. Arizona State
Last Season: Stanford 14, Pitt 13

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
3:45 ET, ESPN
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Big 12 vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic
Projection: Iowa State vs. Tennessee
Last Season: Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 33

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
4:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Sun Belt vs. Mountain West
Projection: Georgia Southern vs. San Diego State
Last Season: Nevada 16, Arkansas State 13 OT

Valero Alamo Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
7:30 ET, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Baylor vs. USC
Last Season: Washington State 28, Iowa State 26

VRBO Citrus Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
SEC vs. Big Ten or ACC
Projection: Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin
Last Season: Kentucky 27, Penn State 24

Outback Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Penn State vs. Auburn
Last Season: Iowa 27, Mississippi State 22

Birmingham Bowl

Thursday, January 2
3:00 ET, ESPN
Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
American Athletic vs. SEC
Secondary: ACC
Projection: Cincinnati vs. UAB*
Last Season: Wake Forest 37, Memphis 34
*No SEC or ACC teams projected available

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TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Thursday, January 2
7:00 ET, ESPN
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
SEC vs. (likely) Big Ten, or ACC
Projection: Kentucky vs. Iowa
Last Season: Texas A&M 52, NC State 13

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Friday, January 3
3:30 ET, ESPN
Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Utah State
Last Season: BYU 49, Western Michigan 18

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Saturday, January 4
11:30 am ET, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Big Ten vs. Mountain West
Projection: Indiana vs. Air Force
Last Season: Army 70, Houston 14

Mobile Alabama Bowl

Monday, January 6
7:30 ET, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Miami University vs. Louisiana
Last Season: Troy 42, Buffalo 32

– 2019-2020 College Football Conference Bowl Tie-Ins

NEXT: New Year’s Six Bowls & College Football Playoff

Pages: 123

Bowl Projections, College Football Playoff Predictions: After Week 12

The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 12.

[jwplayer PkCtjTd4-boEY74VG]

The CollegeFootballNews.com bowl projections, picks and predictions for the College Football Playoff after Week 12.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews

– Future College Football Playoff Sites & Dates

These projections are all going to go haywire when it’s time to really do this for three reasons.

1) The SEC. In some way, shape and form, LSU, Alabama, Georgia and Florida will all likely be in the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six games. That screws up the whole SEC pecking order, meaning there will be a few big openings against good Power Five teams.

If Mississippi State loses to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and doesn’t become bowl eligible, and/or if Tennessee doesn’t get to six wins … uh oh. There could be as many as five bowls that have to fill open SEC spots, which is a problem because …

2) There won’t be any Power Five at-large teams to choose from. There will be some very, very good teams playing some very, very mediocre Group of Five teams because there simple won’t be enough options. And that means …

3) This is all going to be screwed up by a few bowls that will jump the gun. The Belk, AutoZone Liberty, Franklin American Mortgage Music City, and Academy Sports + Outdoor Texas will all be desperate for an SEC team. All of a sudden, Kentucky and Tennessee could be the most beloved programs in college football. The bowls that don’t get them might have to scramble for the best available MAC team.

2019-2020 Bowl Projections: Week 12

Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl

Friday, December 20
2:00 ET, ESPN
Thomas Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
MAC vs. Conference USA
Projection: Ohio vs. Florida Atlantic
Last Season: FIU 35, Toledo 32

Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl

Friday, December 20
7:30 ET, ESPN2
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
American Athletic vs. at-large
Secondary: MAC, and if not, Conference USA
Projection: Tulane vs. Ball State
Last Season: Ohio 27, San Diego State 0

Cure Bowl

Saturday, December 21
1:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
American Athletic vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Temple vs. Georgia State
Last Season: Tulane 41, Louisiana 24

New Mexico Bowl

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Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

Saturday, December 21
3:30 ET, ABC
Howard Schnellenberger Field at FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
American Athletic vs. MAC
Projection: Charlotte* vs. Miami University
Last Season: UAB 37, Northern Illinois 13

Camellia Bowl

Saturday, December 21
5:30 ET, ESPN
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Toledo vs. Arkansas State
Last Season: Georgia Southern 23, Eastern Michigan 21

Mitsubishi Motors Las Vegas Bowl

Saturday, December 21
7:30 ET, ABC
Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
Mountain West (champion) vs. Pac-12
Projection: Hawaii vs. Cal
Last Season: Fresno State 31, Arizona State 20

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl

Monday, December 23
2:30 ET, ESPN
Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
American Athletic vs. Conference USA
Secondary: ACC
Projection: UCF vs. WKU
Last Season: Marshall 38, USF 20

SoFi Hawai’i Bowl

Walk-On’s Independence Bowl

Quick Lane Bowl

Thursday, December 26
8:00 ET, ESPN
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
ACC vs. Big Ten
Secondary: MAC
Projection: North Carolina vs. Michigan State
Last Season: Minnesota 34, Georgia Tech 10

Military Bowl Presented By Northrup Grumman

Friday, December 27
12:00 ET, ESPN
Navy-Marine Corps. Stadium, Annapolis, MD
ACC vs. American Athletic
Projection: Louisville vs. Navy
Last Season: Cincinnati 35, Virginia Tech 31

New Era Pinstripe Bowl

Friday, December 27
3:20 ET, ESPN
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
ACC vs. Big Ten
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Nebraska
Last Season: Wisconsin 35, Miami 3

Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl

Friday, December 27
6:45 ET, ESPN
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
Big 12 vs. SEC
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. SMU*
*No SEC team projected available
Last Season: Baylor 45, Vanderbilt 38

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

Friday, December 27
8:00 ET, FS1
SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Michigan vs. USC
Last Season: Northwestern 31, Utah 20

Cheez-It Bowl

Saturday, December 28
10:15 ET, ESPN
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Secondary: Mountain West
Projection: Kansas State vs. San Diego State
Last Season: TCU 10, Cal 7 OT

Camping World Bowl

Saturday, December 28
12:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
ACC vs. Big 12
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Last Season: Syracuse 34, West Virginia 18

SERVPRO First Responders Bowl

Monday, December 30
12:30 ET, ESPN
Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Projection: TCU vs. Marshall
Last Season: Boise State vs. Boston College cancelled

Redbox Bowl

Monday, December 30
4:00 ET, FOX
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Projection: Illinois vs. Washington State
Last Season: Oregon 7, Michigan State 6

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl

Belk Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
12:00 ET, ESPN
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
ACC vs. SEC
Projection: Pitt vs. Mississippi State
*No SEC team projected available
Last Season: Virginia 28, South Carolina 0

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
2:00 ET, CBS
Sun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, TX
ACC vs. Pac-12
Projection: Virginia vs. Arizona State
Last Season: Stanford 14, Pitt 13

AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
3:45 ET, ESPN
Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Big 12 vs. SEC
Secondary: American Athletic
Projection: Iowa State vs. Tennessee
Last Season: Oklahoma State 38, Missouri 33

NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
4:30 ET, CBS Sports Network
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Sun Belt vs. Mountain West
Projection: Georgia Southern vs. San Jose State
Last Season: Nevada 16, Arkansas State 13 OT

Valero Alamo Bowl

Tuesday, December 31
7:30 ET, ESPN
Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Projection: Baylor vs. Washington
Last Season: Washington State 28, Iowa State 26

VRBO Citrus Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ABC
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
SEC vs. Big Ten or ACC
Projection: Texas A&M vs. Wisconsin
Last Season: Kentucky 27, Penn State 24

Outback Bowl

Wednesday, January 1
1:00 ET, ESPN
Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL
Big Ten vs. SEC
Projection: Penn State vs. Auburn
Last Season: Iowa 27, Mississippi State 22

Birmingham Bowl

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TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

Thursday, January 2
7:00 ET, ESPN
EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
SEC vs. (likely) Big Ten, or ACC
Projection: Kentucky vs. Iowa
Last Season: Texas A&M 52, NC State 13

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Friday, January 3
3:30 ET, ESPN
Lyle Smith Field at Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
MAC vs. Mountain West
Projection: Central Michigan vs. Utah State
Last Season: BYU 49, Western Michigan 18

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Saturday, January 4
11:30 am ET, ESPN
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
Big Ten vs. Mountain West
Projection: Indiana vs. Air Force
Last Season: Army 70, Houston 14

Mobile Alabama Bowl

Monday, January 6
7:30 ET, ESPN
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, AL
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Projection: Western Michigan vs. Louisiana
Last Season: Troy 42, Buffalo 32

– 2019-2020 College Football Conference Bowl Tie-Ins

NEXT: New Year’s Six Bowls & College Football Playoff

Pages: 123

Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 12

Find out where the Mountain West team are projected to go bowling this week.

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 12

Two more teams are bowl eligible this week.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Utah State, Hawaii are now bowl eligible

Two more Mountain West teams became bowl eligible over the weekend when Hawaii outlasted UNLV, 21-7, and Utah State survived Wyoming, 26-21, while also losing quarterback Jordan Love to an injury.

This now gives the league seven bowl-eligible teams and there are three teams at 4-6 in Fresno State, San Jose State, and Colorado State. Only two have a chance at six wins since the Spartans and Bulldogs play each other. The Rams are likely out as they would have to defeat Wyoming and Boise State to get to six.

With seven bowl-eligible teams, there still could be one or teams left out. There are five official Mountain West bowl spots. BYU has officially accepted an invitation to the Hawaii Bowl. Technically, the other half of the bowl goes to an AAC team but Hawaii is also an option.

It would make a whole lot of sense for the Hawaii Bowl to have is hometown Warriors play a former rival in BYU. The only way the Warriors are passed over is if the American has a ranked team available. There is a real possibility of three AAC teams being ranked at the end of the year; some combination of SMU, Memphis, Navy, and Cincinnati.

Who will #BYU face in the @HawaiiBowl? ESPN’s Pete Derzis said it will be a team from either the AAC or the MWC. @kslsports pic.twitter.com/bqRsCbFVFL

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) November 17, 2019

It all depends on the bowl and how many tickets they want to sell or if they want a good matchup. Hawaii vs. BYU could be both but it also would be attractive for the bowl game to have BYU vs. a team ranked in the 20s over the Warriors.

In this reincarnation of the Hawaii Bowl which dates back to 2002, the game has never had a ranked team in its game and that might be hard to pass up.

There is also some bowl shuffling going on with the Big Ten and SEC having more teams in the New Year’s Six and playoff to not allow enough teams to fill its required spots, and that is how the Mountain West could find space for all seven bowl-eligible teams.

There is an itch to just put Boise State in the Cotton Bowl but with the AAC having a fairly deciding edge that will have to wait until things look more realistic for the Broncos.

With some bowl swapping, we welcome the Frisco Bowl to our bowl projections.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

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Colorado State vs. Air Force: Game Preview, Kick Time, TV & Radio Schedule, Odds, Prediction

The Ram-Falcon Trophy is on the Line The Falcons look to extend their win streak to five Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire WEEK 12: Colorado State Rams (4-5) vs. Air Force Falcons (7-2) WHEN: Saturday, November 16 -5:30 PM MT/4:30 PM PT WHERE: Canvas …

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The Ram-Falcon Trophy is on the Line

The Falcons look to extend their win streak to five

Contact/Follow @Sean or @MWCWire

WEEK 12: Colorado State Rams (4-5) vs. Air Force Falcons (7-2)

WHEN: Saturday, November 16 —5:30 PM MT/4:30 PM PT

WHERE: Canvas Stadium; Fort Collins, Colorado (41,000)

TV: ESPN2

STREAMING: You can get a free seven-day trial of SlingTV by clicking here.

RADIO: Air Force | Colorado State

SERIES RECORD: Air Force leads the series 35-21-1.

GAME NOTES (PDF): Colorado State | Air Force

ODDS (via OddsShark): Air Force -10.5

SP+ PROJECTION: Air Force by 14.1

FEI PROJECTION:

Were already at week 12 of the college football season, and the Mountain West pecking order is starting to sort itself out. While the broader College Football landscape is clamoring Tuesday by Tuesday to see how the College Football playoff deck has shuffled, the Mountain West has quietly put together some compelling stories of its own.

Both Air Force and Colorado State have stories that are yet to be unwritten. Considering how the season started for the Rams, the fact that we are this far into the season and the page has not turned to the new chapter on them is making things interesting.

The Falcons have seemed to hit their stride in conference battle ever since their loss at Boise State. Their neighbors from Fort Collins though have quietly strung together three consecutive wins themselves.

So you see, besides playing backup quarterbacks due to attrition what seems perennially, this season these two rivals have a little more in common.

Three Keys to an Air Force Victory

1. Start Fast

The Falcons want to get off to a fast start so they can dictate terms on offense (and defense). In their last game against Army, they really slogged together just enough plays on offense to stay ahead- and relied on some very stout and timely defensive stops.

Colorado State has much more firepower than Army, and a lot of other teams Air Force have played. Sticking with what has brought success, a ball control offense, will also mitigate opportunities for the Rams very talented receiving corp.

2. Win with Less

Colorado State will try and find balance by running the ball, even without Marvin Kinsey JR. The key for the Falcons won’t just be limiting damage done on the ground- which they have done a great job of this season; but to be able to generate pressure when the Rams do pass without having to regularly commit a fifth and sixth rusher.

Air Force has done a good job of bringing delayed blitzes and mixing up fronts to confuse offenses. But when the base of the front seven isn’t generating pressure, they will send another linebacker or safety to turn up the heat. With the talent that Colorado State has on the outside, it would a great time for Jordan Jackson, Mosese Fifita and company to take over the line of scrimmage, like they have in the past.

3. Finish the Job

I don’t want to create hyperbole to make this Colorado State team sound like world beaters, but this is a talented team capable of ruining the Falcons weekend. Air Force needs to impose their will early and often, and not take their hand off the thrust.

For a team that can be so lethal in the red-zone, the Falcons have also stumbled at critical times in this area. The kicking game has been stellar, so points have almost been a ‘gimme’ in this territory. But I’d prefer not to harken questionable fortitude come late Saturday night and see the Falcons push the issue.

Prediction

I really like what Colorado state has been doing of late. This is a team who had what many believe is a lame-duck head coach and could have easily folded before the midpoint of the season.

Instead, they have shown promise and are still in the mix for a bowl game. Not only that, but they have showcased a lot of talent on this team that should give a lot of promise for the balance of the year, and into 2020.

Marvin Kinsey JR is gone, and by most accounts that is a real loss for the Rams. I disagree for the game against Air Force though. And here is why- The Falcons are stout against the run, and Kinsey JR had been coughing up the football left and right. Those are the kind of turnovers the the Air Force defense feeds on.

The Falcons may be looking for some running back depth themselves as the status of Kadin Remsberg seems murky, in spite of being listed atop the 2-deep. I don’t put a lot of credence into Calhouns depth chart, but whether its Remsberg or perhapse a combination of Nolan Eriksen and Josh Stoner working in tandem with Duvall Jackson and Taven Birdow, they should be able to give the Rams defense a hard time.

Air Force wins its fourth straight against the Rams.

Air Force 35 – Colorado State 30

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 11

Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 11 Some shuffling this week in bowl projections. Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Power Five failures will help MW This time of year the bowl projections start to get more clear and it also …

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Mountain West Football Bowl Projections After Week 11

Some shuffling this week in bowl projections.

Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Power Five failures will help MW

This time of year the bowl projections start to get more clear and it also muddles things up with replacement teams. This all goes to the College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six games, plus ESPN wanting to make a deal for the best possible television show to put on for the bowl game.

The Mountain West has the Cheeze-It Bowl as a back up if there are not enough Big 12 or Pac-12 teams. So, if either league gets a playoff team and fills its spot in a New Year’s Six bowl then it will open things up.

Also, it looks likely that the Big 10 and SEC are on track for multiple New Year’s Six teams and that will allow for trading and swapping. So, this just means these bowl lineups might be a be wonky compared to the typical tie-ins.

As for who is going bowling from the Mountain West, the teams that are bowl eligible for sure are Boise State, Nevada, Wyoming, Air Force, and San Diego State. Hawaii has six wins but since they play 13 games they need to hit the threshold of seven victories. The Warriors are likely to be bowl eligible as they face UNLV and Army in two of their final three games.

That gives us six bowl eligible teams for five or six spots as it depends on if the Hawaii Bowl will take the Warriors if eligible and match them up with former WAC for BYU.

Utah State is the next likely team with five wins and then there is Colorado State, Fresno State and San Jose State sitting with four wins each.

The Aggies are likely getting to at least six as they play New Mexico. Colorado State is playing better but they hit a tough stretch of Air Force, Boise State, and Wyoming, so they are out. San Jose State takes on UNLV and then Fresno State so a slight chance, and then the Bulldogs have the Spartans plus San Diego State and Nevada with two of the three on the road.

This week we will go with seven teams by including Utah State with the already bowl eligible teams, and also Fresno State since ESPN’s FPI likes their chances of winning two of its last three.

There is a new bowl this year and it’s a Power Five opponent from the Big Ten in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Finally, if the Mountain West is the highest-rated team in the College Football Playoff then a New Year’s Six Bowl game is an option at either the Cotton or Orange Bowl.

1. Las Vegas vs. Pac-12

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