College Football Bowl Projections 2019, Week 12: LSU up, Alabama down

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 09: Joe Burrow #9 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA - NOVEMBER 09: Joe Burrow #9 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball during the second half against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the game at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

December 20

Bahamas Bowl: Florida Atlantic vs. Toledo
2 p.m. ET, ESPN – Nassau, Bahamas

Frisco Bowl: SMU vs. Liberty*
7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2 – Frisco, Texas

December 21

New Mexico Bowl: Southern Miss vs. San Diego State
2 p.m. ET, ESPN – Albuquerque, N.M.

Cure Bowl: Tulane vs. Georgia Southern
2:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network – Orlando, Fla.

Boca Raton Bowl: Tempe vs. Miami (OH)
3:30 p.m. ET, ABC – Boca Raton, Fla.

Camellia Bowl: Georgia State vs. Ohio
5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN – Montgomery, Ala.

Las Vegas Bowl: Boise State vs. Washington State
7:30 p.m. ET, ABC – Las Vegas, Nev.

New Orleans Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Louisiana Tech
9 p.m. ET, ESPN – New Orleans, La.

The Skinny

The Group of Five race remains extremely compelling. After looking dead in the water after a stunning home defeat at the hands of Georgia Southern on Halloween, Appalachian State bounced back with a road upset of South Carolina, completing a sweep of the state schools of the Carolinas after having already beaten North Carolina earlier in the season.

The Mountaineers would likely be leading the Group of Five race if it wasn’t for the loss to Georgia Southern; they’ll likely be kicking themselves at the end of the year because that loss will likely prevent them from earning a New Year’s Six berth.

Boise State barely survived Wyoming this weekend, allowing the Broncos to remain very much in the hunt, too. I think the Broncos need some help, though, as one-loss teams from the AAC like Memphis, Cincinnati, and SMU (don’t discount Navy, either) would probably be ahead of Boise State in the pecking order due to the relative depth and strength of the American this season.