To avoid any repercussions of the realignment, let’s examine CBS Sports preseason bowl projections. As expected, the top two conferences in the NFL will dominate the College Football Playoff Rankings and ultimately the four-team CFP field.
If college football fans see that development, do you think they will be ecstatic? Not likely. However, as the Big Ten and SEC gain more influence in the next few years, fans will probably witness more of this.
The top four predictions are here to stay.
The Bulldogs are still weighing down three quarterbacks to replace Stetson Bennett, but they are now on the brink of taking Alabama out of the SEC and college football league, as Georgia looks for their third consecutive championship.
The Wolverines are in search of three consecutive Big Ten championships, but they have not won since 1997. They lead the conference with 13 national titles, which is only the first one since 1948. J.J. McCarthy returns to the team as quarterback for the fourth and fifth overall contenders while the offense includes Blake Corum and three starters off the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line.
The Crimson Tide have more than enough weapons to compete against Georgia for the SEC and national titles. They face a tough competition for starters, including Jalen Milroe, who started two games in place of an injured Bryce Young last year.
The Ohio State football team is attempting to determine which quarterback will throw the ball roughly 100 times to Marvin Harrison, Jr. As with Georgia and Alabama, the QB battle is expected to be an extremely productive one. The Buckeyes have lost two games in a row against Michigan after only losing two of their previous 19 matches. It’s good to see this rivalry back on track once again.
The College Football Playoff
Jan. 8 National Championship Matchup Prediction: Date Game / Loc.
Houston’s Semifinal matchup concludes on a winning note.
The Jan. 1 Rose Bowl game is a memorable one.
Semifinal (2) Michigan vs. (3) Alabama Sugar Bowl — Pasadena, Calif.
Georgia and Ohio State will compete in the New Orleans Semifinals, with Georgia losing (4).
It’s likely that the other New Year’S Six bowl games will result in some solid matchups, but also an unfortunate one. The Orange Bowl is set to take on the ACC champion, Florida State, and the top-ranked team from the SEC, Big Ten, or Notre Dame. This prediction applies to LSU, which starts the season against FSU. If the Sugar Bowl were not part of the CFP this season, LUA would have ended up in that position.
Texas is set to play in a New Year’s Six match for the second time. The predicted Big 12 champion will face off against ACC runner-up Clemson in the Peach Bowl. Longhorns fans may be relieved not to have another game scheduled for Sunday night.
Boise State is the frontrunner from the Group of Five. I have a special place for the Broncos in mind as they prepare to face the final Pac-12 champion, USC, in the Fiesta Bowl.
The possibility of Penn State losing a division title to Michgian and Ohio State exists, or it could completely turn the tables on them. However, the Nittany Lions will be playing against Kansas State, who were ranked second in the Big 12 at the Cotton Bowl.
The New Year’s Six bowl games are a part of the series.
The four-team CFP will undergo significant changes after this season, marking the end of its duration. The playoff will now have 12 teams next year, but due to a possible realignment during the summer, the format may be modified.
The probable collapse of the Pac-12, which has only four teams left, is likely to result in the league not participating next season, unless something unexpected occurs. Even if it does, its composition will be significantly different, and some are even willing to argue that it no longer qualifies for a “Power Five” title, potentially leading to the reduction or elimination of automatic berths in this expanded CFP by the remaining power conferences.
The Pac-12’s contracted bowls are also relocating to find new partners in the conference.
As an affluent Big Ten player, I was disappointed to see the relationship between the Big East and Pac-12 end with the Rose Bowl. However, now it is ok because the last Big state-Pac-12 matchup in the same event had Penn State and Utah as contenders who were moved up through the process of realigning for those conferences.
With only 79 teams expected to qualify for 82 bowl spots, three 5-7 teams are needed to fill the gaps. These teams will be chosen by the team with the highest APR rating among them. Michigan State University, UNLV, and Wake Forest take those spots in these projections.
Have you missed your team yet? Check out Jerry Palm’s preseason bowl totals.