College Football Bowl Projections 2018: Chaos averted in Week 11
December 27
Walk-On’s Independence Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. BYU
1:30 pm ET, ESPN – Shreveport, Louisiana
New Era Pinstripe Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Purdue
5:15 pm ET, ESPN – New York, New York
Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Texas Tech
9 pm ET, ESPN – Houston, Texas
December 28
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Virginia vs. Tennessee
1:30 pm ET, ESPN – Nashville, Tennessee
Camping World Bowl: Syracuse vs. Iowa State
5:15 pm ET, ESPN – Orlando, Florida
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl: Fresno State vs. Arkansas State
5:30 pm ET, CBSSN – Tuscon, Arizona
Valero Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Washington
9 pm ET, ESPN – San Antonio, Texas
The skinny
Miami dropped their fourth consecutive game in a 27-21 loss to Georgia Tech, which put their bowl hopes in serious doubt. The Hurricanes will either have to knock off Virginia Tech on the road or take down Pitt at home in order to make a bowl game. The ‘Canes have been one of the biggest disappointments in college football this season, going from a preseason Top 10 team to a fringe bowl team. After going 19-7 in his first two seasons back home, including an Orange Bowl berth last season, Mark Richt‘s team has taken a big step back in year three.
Pittsburgh is a win at Wake Forest or at Miami away from clinching the Coastal Division title and setting up a matchup with Clemson in Charlotte. The Panthers have unlocked their offense thanks to a dynamic running back duo of Qadree Ollison and Darrin Hall. The two keyed a Pitt ground attack that rushed for 492 yards on Virginia Tech this weekend in a blowout victory over the Hokies.
The Texas Bowl could be the site of a renewed rivalry between Texas A&M and Texas Tech. The two foes haven’t faced each other since 2011, the last year the Aggies were in the Big 12 before making the leap to the SEC and abandoning their traditional rivalries. The move has worked out for A&M so far, but it would be fun to see them get schools like Texas Tech and Texas back on the schedule every year. Maybe the rekindling of the rivalry in a bowl game would spark the flame to ignite a new series.
Syracuse has a path to a New Year’s Six bowl, and might be able to get there if they can even split one of their next two games against Notre Dame or Boston College. The Orange get the Irish in a neutral site at Yankee Stadium before finishing off the regular season on the road against the Eagles. Syracuse has an opportunity next week to throw the college football world through a loop if they can do the unthinkable and knock off Notre Dame.