College Football Playoff 2017: New Year’s Six Projections entering Week 9

The beginning of the College Football Playoff era ushered in the race for a New Year’s Six Bowl berth. Which teams are at the front of the line in Week 9?

We are getting closer and closer to the month of November and what you do in November will always be remembered. Before that, comes the first College Football Playoff ranking on Tuesday, Oct. 31. With one week to go, here are the latest New Year’s Six projections.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: South Florida (at-large) vs. Oklahoma (at-large)
Where: AT&T Stadium (Dallas, Texas)
When: Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
Last week’s projection: USC vs. Georgia

In what could boil down to a potential sunshine state battle between Central and South Florida, the winner of that game will most likely get the Group of Five nod into the New Year’s Six an my projection for whoever that may be is the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma. The Sooners fall into this spot due to the slated Big 12 champion at this point being in another NY6 bowl.

Ever since the Oklahoma loss to Iowa State a few weeks back, the Sooners have done well in fighting their way back into the discussion of teams that are deserving of a potential spot in the College Football Playoff. When it comes to South Florida, the road for the Bulls is an easy one. As long as they win out, they will be playing in a New Year’s Six bowl game.

Week 9 outlook

Expect both teams to remain in their spots after Week 9, with a little over a week before the first CFP rankings are released. Oklahoma hosts a very fascinating Texas Tech team that can score a lot of points but also allow a ton as well. Meanwhile, in South Florida’s pursuit for perfection and a NY6 spot they will host Houston in American Athletic Conference action. A loss by South Florida would slot the Central Florida Knights into the Group of Five slot going into Week 10.