Bowl Projections 2022: Predictions for Top Games to Watch
South Carolina's 63-38 upset victory over Tennessee shook things up quite a bit for the AP Top 25 rankings and the College Football Playoff race.
The Volunteers moved down four spots to No. 9, which is bad news for sure, but that effectively ended their CFP bid.
And to add injury to insult, Tennessee lost its star quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate, Hendon Hooker, to a torn ACL.
The Gamecocks' surprise win didn't get them into the Top 25, but it did allow USC to jump up two spots to No. 5, their first time that high in the poll in five years.
It also sets up a possible move up to No. 4 if No. 3 Michigan loses to No. 2 Ohio State this coming weekend.
Both teams are undefeated, as is No. 4 TCU and No. 1 Georgia.
Clemson is another team that benefited from the shift in rankings, moving up two spots to No. 7.
Needless to say, Week 13 should bring with it some results that could create some interesting considerations for the selection committee as they look to make their decisions on the matchups for the slate of bowl games in December and January.
Here's a quick look at how those games might look, along with early predictions.
College Football Playoff
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Peach Bowl: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 USC
Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 TCU
It's not exactly normal to be heading into Week 13 with four teams still unbeaten, but that's the way it's been this season in college football.
The lack of parity notwithstanding, it has been easier to predict how the selection committee will determine who gets into the CFP.
Right now, Georgia is a lock. After that, it's not a foregone conclusion.
It looks good for Ohio State and TCU, but an upset would throw a major monkey wrench into their plans to remain part of the last four.
The oddsmakers have Michigan losing to the Buckeyes this coming weekend.
If that happens, the Wolverines will be out of the running due to their weak schedule and will likely have to settle for the Rose Bowl, making way for USC to sneak into the CFP.
But if Ohio State drops the ball, the committee will have some tough decisions to make.
If all the games go as expected, the Bulldogs vs. the Trojans should be a great matchup.
Georgia has been the front-runner all year, but USC is peaking at the right time and could be dangerous.
The Buckeyes have also been presumptive favorites this season, but they'll have to face off against TCU, who is having a dream season.
When the dust settles, the title game should feature Georgia and Ohio State.
Rest of New Year's Six
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Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Oregon
Cotton Bowl: Tennessee vs. Cincinnati
Sugar Bowl: LSU vs. Kansas State
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Alabama
Missed opportunities are tough to swallow, especially when it comes to the CFP.
When the announcement for the teams in this field is made, there's no doubt that it'll be Tennessee that will look back on how close they came to the big game this season.
After that, it'll be Michigan that will likely be full of regret.
But as disappointing as it is to miss the CFP when there was a real opportunity to make it in, neither the Volunteers nor the Wolverines will have a reason to hang their heads.
They've both had great years and they'll still be going to bowl games, important bowl games, in fact.
The former will be playing in the Cotton Bowl, and the latter will be headed to the Rose Bowl.
Next in line of importance is the Sugar Bowl.
LSU is trending towards that game in New Orleans, Louisiana, and it looks like they'll be facing off against Kansas State.
The Tigers have the second-best record in the SEC, and the Wildcats are No. 2 in the Big 12.
Last year, Alabama made it all the way to the championship game, where they lost 33-18.
The Crimson Tide didn't have the kind of year needed to make it back to the big game, but they'll be in the Orange Bowl against Clemson.
That should be a great game for the fans, as it's a rematch of the 2019 National Championship, when the Tigers won 44-16.
Both teams have changed considerably, but the budding rivalry remains.
All things considered, these bowl games should provide four days of can't-miss action.
Other Matchups to Watch
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Citrus Bowl: Penn State vs. Ole Miss
Holiday Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Utah
Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Arkansas
Alamo Bowl: Texas vs. Washington
Webster's Dictionary defines "other" as being the one remaining or not included.
That perfectly sums up the cumulative influence of the Citrus Bowl, Holiday Bowl, Gator Bowl and Alamo Bowl in college football.
They're the other bowls.
But the fact that they're the "other" bowls doesn't mean that they'll be lacking when it comes to good football.
Leading the pack is Penn State, who might have been in a New Year's Six bowl if they'd played enough ranked teams this year.
Instead, they'll be headed to Orlando to take on Ole Miss.
Washington's fifth straight win lifted them up three spots in the AP rankings to No. 12, their highest ranking since 2018.
The Huskies will likely play Texas in the Alamo Bowl.
Jacksonville is hosting the Gator Bowl, and right now, it's likely that No. 13 Notre Dame will be in the house to go up against Arkansas.
The Holiday Bowl in San Diego should be where Utah and Wake Forest meet up, and it, along with the other bowls on the early schedule, should serve as a great lead-in to the big games.
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