College Football Bowl Projections 2018: Michigan falls out of playoff in Week 13
December 29
Belk Bowl: NC State vs. South Carolina
Noon ET, ESPN – Charlotte, North Carolina
December 31
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman: Georgia Tech vs. Army*
Noon ET, ESPN – Annapolis, Maryland
Hyundai Sun Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Arizona State
2 pm ET, CBS – El Paso, Texas
Redbox Bowl: Stanford vs. Minnesota
3 pm ET, Fox – Santa Clara, California
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Iowa State vs. Missouri
3:45 pm ET, ESPN – Memphis, Tennessee
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl: Oregon vs. Iowa
7 pm ET, FS1 – San Diego, California
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Northwestern
7:30 pm ET, ESPN – Jacksonville, Florida
January 1
Outback Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Michigan State
Noon ET, ESPN2 – Tampa, Florida
Citrus Bowl: Penn State vs. Kentucky
1 pm ET, ABC – Orlando, Florida
The Skinny
With too many bowl eligible teams, and no direct bowl tie-ins, Army is in danger of potentially missing a bowl despite likely winning 10 games. I feel like the Knights are going to get an at-large bid to a bowl somewhere, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they ended up missing out. That would be a travesty for a team that has played like a Top 25 team this season, and pushed Oklahoma to the brink of an upset in Norman earlier in the year.
Arizona State rallied from a 19-point deficit to knock off Arizona in the Duel in the Desert. Herm Edwards’ first team in Tempe finishes 7-5, highlighted with a rivalry win that knocks the Wildcats out of a potential bowl game. I’m still not sure about how Edwards will do long term in the college ranks, but his first season has undoubtedly been a success.
Texas A&M outlasted LSU 74-72 in 7 overtimes in what was the highest scoring game in college football history. The win gave Jimbo Fisher a signature win and boosts the Aggies’ bowl profile. They seem destined to either the Gator or Outback Bowl now, and with Mississippi State going to the Gator Bowl last year, Jacksonville seems like the most logical location.
Penn State is the first team out of the New Year’s Six for the second straight week, and aren’t likely to make a jump regardless of what happens in next week’s games. Fans in Happy Valley were hoping for more, but putting together a 9-3 campaign after losing Saquon Barkley is nothing to gloss over.