Playoff Projections

August 20

It's been a while, but football season is finally upon us. Here are my preseason bowl projections.

The poll preseason No. 1 Ohio State heads a contingent of three Big Ten teams in the College Football Playoff portion of the projections. The SEC has four teams on this list, most of any conference, led by second seed Georgia. The Big 12 is the only other conference represented by multiple teams with two. That leaves one each for the ACC, Group of Five Six and Notre Dame. Beginning this season, the Fighting Irish automatically qualify if they are in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings. Had that been in place last season, the Irish would have made the CFP instead of Miami. I don't expect Notre Dame to need the help this season.

The Pac-12 is back! There are only eight teams in the conference for now, but it is projected to put its champion in the CFP. That is a familiar name to playoff followers, Boise State.

The Poinsettia Bowl is back as well for the first time since 2011. It will feature the Pac-12 champion, or another team if the champion is in the CFP, as is the case in this projection. Their opponent will be a former Pac-12 member, which are now being referred to as "Pac-12 Legacy" teams. Those are the ten schools that left for the ACC, Big 12 and Big Ten.

The Puerto Rico Bowl is also new this season, which will be the new home of the top choice of the MAC.

The two new bowls replace the ones that called Los Angeles and Detroit home.