New Years' Six Bowls Graphic by the College Football Playoff
Week 8 CFB Top 25 Rankings
Less than a dozen undefeated teams remain after the halfway point of the season. You’re starting to see teams separate themselves in both record, rankings, and on-field play and that will only continue with more emphasis every Saturday. So many teams continue to control their own destinies and many are building first-rate resumes too. It’s still anyone’s season. A dozen or more teams could be the one to win it all this year and it’s fun to have that many good teams still in it heading into Week 8.
The rankings are if the season ended today. But the bowl projections are how I think the future will shake out the rest of the season. In my rankings, wins, and losses count. I will try my best to be consistent about this and never rank a team with two losses above a team with one loss unless head-to-head results say otherwise.
These rankings are how well a team is playing and how well they have played. Things like being undefeated count and will count all year. Plenty of one-loss teams who are top ten in talent and where they will finish aren’t here. There are certainly teams ranked that would lose to them, but those teams at the moment are having better seasons by having won all their games.
1. Michigan (7-0) (Last Week #1. Ranked #2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Harbaugh’s guys took it personally that Indiana led 7-0 after one quarter. They turned on the afterburners for the remaining three, crushing Indiana 52-7. Next week for McCarthy, Corum, Wilson, and company is their instate rival who is reeling, the Michigan State Spartans.
2. Georgia (7-0) (Last Week #2. Ranked #1 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
24 straight wins kind of says it all. The Bulldogs are sticking to the way they’ve operated the last two seasons, where they’ll crush a team that is ranked and struggle early against a team like Vanderbilt. But why should they change the way they do it since that way has won them two straight national titles? They have a week off for Brock Bowers to heal that ankle and get ready for Missouri.
3. Oklahoma (6-0) (Last Week #3. Ranked #6 and #7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The undefeated and third-ranked Sooners were idle this week before hosting UCF who is on a three-game losing streak next week.
4. Penn State (Last Week #4. Ranked #7 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Penn State tuned up UMass in their last tune-up game before going to Ohio State next week. The Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes have the second and third-ranked defenses respectively in points allowed. The only team ahead of them is their fellow Big Ten East team out of Ann Arbor. These three defensive powers all lock horns this season starting with this one in Columbus, Ohio next week.
5. Florida State (Last Week #5. Ranked #4 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Noles had a great outing, crushing the Orange, when they had had a few close games that were closer than they should have been. They needed a drubbing of 41-3 before hosting a chippy Duke team. The Seminoles’ schedule is friendly down the stretch as they don’t play teams like Louisville and North Carolina.
6. Washington (Last Week #7. Ranked #5 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Huskies had one of the best wins of the season in one of the top ten games of the season so far. Once again, they did it behind the left arm of Michael Penix. Penix took a big lead in the Heisman race with 302 yards and four touchdowns. The Huskies get ASU next week.
7. Ohio State (Last Week #8. Ranked #3 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ohio State had a much better outing against Purdue than Maryland and they needed it before hosting Penn State next week. Their running game found a little more traction with Dallan Hayden and McCord continues to improve each and every week at quarterback, as does the defense.
8. North Carolina (6-0) (Last Week #9. Ranked #10 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Drake Maye and the Heels absolutely crushed Miami. Their potent offense is good enough to score on any team in the country. Up next is a home game against a struggling Virginia.
9. Air Force (6-0) (Last Week #13. Ranked #22 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
Air Force is the leading team to be the Group of 5 Champion right now. I wish they and Liberty could play each other and see who runs the option the best. The Falcons win over Wyoming was a classic and another one that we may see again in December. The Falcons take their 11-game winning streak to Annapolis to battle Navy next week.
10. Liberty (6-0) (Last Week #12. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Flames are 1 of 11 undefeated teams and the heavy favorite to win Conference USA. Jamey Chadwell, Kaidon Salter, and Quinton Cooley are making people take notice and be in the early conversation for the Group of 5 champion in a New Years’ Six Bowl.
11. James Madison (6-0) (Last Week #14. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Dukes continue to expose an idiotic NCAA rule. That is because a couple of seasons ago they were in the FCS they are not bowl eligible, despite getting to six wins in six tries. James Madison leads their Sun Belt division and plays the next team in the standings Marshall next week. Sadly, regardless of the outcome, the Dukes can’t play for even a Sun Belt Championship.
12. Texas (5-1) (Last Week #15. Ranked #8 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Longhorns were idle this week before they head east to take on in-state and old Southwest Conference rival Houston for the first time since 2002.
13. Alabama (6-1) (Last Week #16. Ranked #11 and #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Bama is Bama. Flying under the radar is Nick Saban’s favorite way to go. He may not love tight games against Arkansas like this, but he’ll use them. Somehow, despite the fact that they are still Alabama, he’ll get them to believe they’re being disrespected, and they’ll play like it. Next up for the Tide, is their rivalry game with Tennessee.
14. Oregon (5-1) (Last Week #6. Ranked #9 and #11 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Ducks lost a heartbreaker, and I could be wrong but I’m going to make the prediction that they see Washington again in December in Las Vegas. The Ducks will try to bounce back next week against Washington State.
15. Oregon State (6-1) (Last Week #18. Ranked #12 and #13 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Beavers outlasted UCLA a home with their good defense and their ever-improving and efficient offense. They have a week off before traveling to Tucson to take on an Arizona team that is better than their 4-3 record indicates, and who just upset fellow Pac-2 member Washington State.
16. Utah (5-1) (Last Week #19. Ranked #14 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Utes beat Cal by 20 points and face USC next week. I really would have liked to have seen this team with Cam Rising all season. Almost as much as Coach Whittingham and Salt Lake City would’ve liked to. The bright side for the Utes is they are very capable of playing the same kind of game against USC as Notre Dame did.
17. Ole Miss (5-1) (Last Week #23. Ranked #13 and #12 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ole Miss has the week off before traveling to Auburn, Alabama.
18. Iowa (5-1) Last Week #24. Ranked #24 and #23 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Hawkeyes are now heavily favored in winning the Big Ten West in the division’s last year. And they’ll likely do it without an offense as they had only 237 yards against Wisconsin with only 37 passing yards.
19. Tennessee (5-1) Last Week Unranked. Ranked #17 and #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Vols came up with a big win against visiting Texas A&M and their tough loss to Florida isn’t looking as bad. Up next, their game of the year as they go to Alabama.
20. Missouri (6-1) Last Week Unranked. Ranked #20 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Tigers control their own destiny in the SEC East, but that means beating Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida but first, they have to get past South Carolina.
21. Duke (5-1) (Last Week Unranked. Ranked #16 and #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Blue Devils needed a win after their heartbreaker to Notre Dame and they got it against NC State. Now, a chance for them to slay another titan as they go on the road to Florida State.
22. Tulane (5-1) (Last Week Unranked. #23 and #24 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
With their only loss being to a top 25 Ole Miss team, the Green Wave are still in the hunt for a second straight New Years’ Six Bowl, but they need someone to help by knocking off Air Force and Liberty. First, they got to take care of business against North Texas this week.
23. Louisville (6-1) (Last Week #10. Ranked #21 in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Cards dream season had a nightmare outing against a struggling Pittsburgh this past week. They’re still 6-1 and get a week to lick their wounds before hosting another surprise team in the ACC, the Duke Blue Devils.
24. Notre Dame (6-2) Last Week Unranked. Ranked #15 and #18 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The best two-loss team in the nation right now, the Irish’s brutal four-game slate of Ohio State, Duke, Louisville, and USC comes to an end. They finally get a week off before hosting Pitt.
25. Miami (OH) (6-1) Last Week Unranked. Unranked in both the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Redhawks have won six in a row, and play 6-1 Toledo this week in another game that could very likely have a sequel played in December.
Games of the Week
Oregon at Washington
Speaking of games that can have a sequel in December, a rematch between these two in the Pac-12 Championship seems very likely and they had an epic matchup that Washington took in round one.
Wyoming at Air Force
Again, these two could meet in their conference championship game in December and the college football world would likely be in for another treat of an old-school football game.
New Years’ Six Bowls Projections
Rose Bowl (Semi-Final) – Michigan vs. Florida State
Sugar Bowl (Semi-Final) – Georgia vs. Oklahoma
Cotton Bowl – Oregon vs. Alabama
Orange Bowl – North Carolina vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State vs. Texas
Peach Bowl – Washington vs. Air Force
National Championship – Georgia over Michigan
On the Radar:
Group of Five Contenders:
Fresno State (6-1)
Toledo (6-1)
UNLV (5-1)
Georgia State (5-1)
Teams Who Will be Back:
USC (6-1)
LSU (5-2)
Florida (5-2)
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