The USA TODAY has released their updated bowl projections after college football’s Week 11 and the good news for ACC fans is that two members of their conference are projected to make the College Football Playoff.
The bad news is that neither of those two ACC teams are projected to win a game as they have neither in the national championship game.
USA TODAY projects the following in regards to the College Football Playoff as of November 17:
Rose Bowl: 2. Ohio State vs. 3. Clemson
Sugar Bowl: 1. Alabama vs. 4. Notre Dame
The projections call for both Alabama and Ohio State to win those games which would certainly set up an intriguing national championship game.
As for the rest of the ACC, here’s what the USA TODAY has shaking out:
Jan. 2 – Orange Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Florida
Jan. 2 – Gator Bowl: North Carolina St. vs. Kentucky
Dec. 31 – Sun Bowl: Boston College vs. Washington
Dec. 30 – Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Michigan
Dec. 29 – Cheez-It Bowl: North Carolina vs. Texas
Dec. 29 – Pinstripe Bowl: Virginia vs. Purdue
Dec. 28 – Military Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Navy
Dec. 26 – Gasparilla Bowl: Louisville vs. Central Florida
Some compelling games here and quick takeaways:
- Seemingly nobody is giving Notre Dame a chance in the ACC Championship Game against Clemson. I know there was no Trevor Lawrence but even with him that game was going down to the final few possessions. The Irish are understandably underdogs in that potential rematch but its getting treated like there is simply no chance they can do it a second time against a Clemson team that is great, but certainly has flaws.
- Miami and Florida brings me flashbacks of the Sugar Bowl a couple decades back when the teams brawled on Bourbon Street their first night in town for the game.
- The Cheez-It Bowl would lose it’s collective Cheez-It filled mind if it were to get Mack Brown and North Carolina to take on a Texas team that has only disappointed since his exit.
- If Michigan qualifies for a bowl this year you can bet your bottom dollar I hope it’s the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. And you can parlay that bottom into me hoping they lose it.
In this strange season Army has actually already accepted an invitation to play in the Dec. 26 Independence Bowl and the projection has them taking on Colorado.
Bowl games are set to get underway the same day most conferences will be playing their championship games. What an odd twist on an incredibly odd year.