Bowl Predictions 2014: Latest Projections Before Saturday's Week 7 Action
Most college football fans will agree that last week’s action was some of the wildest and most unpredictable in years, but the focus for many has turned to the 2014 bowl predictions heading into Week 7.
With top programs like Oregon, Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, UCLA and others losing in Week 6, how each bounces back and how the current projections have the college football postseason shaking out will be the top storyline on Saturday.
Here are the latest bowl predictions as college football fans prepare for Saturday’s action.
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| Championship Bowl | Jan. 12 | Arlington, Texas | Semifinal winners | Florida State vs. Auburn |
| Sugar Bowl | Jan. 1 | New Orleans, Louisiana | Semifinal | Baylor vs. Auburn |
| Rose Bowl | Jan. 1 | Pasadena, California | Semifinal | Florida State vs. Mississippi State |
| Cotton Bowl | Jan. 1 | Arlington, Texas | At-Large vs. At-Large | Ole Miss vs. Michigan State |
| Orange Bowl | Dec. 31 | Miami, Florida | ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame | Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame |
| Fiesta Bowl | Dec. 31 | Glendale, Arizona | At-Large vs. At-Large | Alabama vs. Oregon |
| Peach Bowl | Dec. 31 | Atlanta, Georgia | At-Large vs. At-Large | Arizona vs. Oklahoma |
Predicting the Four Teams That’ll Make the Playoff
As seen from the turnover at the top of the polls, predicting the College Football Playoff is a difficult task. One constant this season has been the Florida State Seminoles holding the top spot in the rankings.
Despite a slow start to the year, defending Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston is starting to regain his form and the trust of his coaching staff. If the Florida State roster begins to find its rhythm, the rest of the sport should take notice. The defending national champions have depth on both sides of the ball and have showcased the tenacity needed to be victorious again.
The biggest key for the Seminoles is the favorable schedule. If FSU can make it past Notre Dame on Oct. 18, there will be no ranked teams on the schedule for the remainder of the season. Florida State has the ability to run the table and would ensure a spot in the postseason if the team was to go undefeated.
Another team with the chance to make it into the playoff is the Auburn Tigers. The program sits at No. 2 in the AP rankings but has a tough test against Mississippi State on Saturday. If Auburn can manage to beat the Bulldogs on the road, the school will be on the right path toward a championship.
Unfortunately for Tigers fans, the schedule for Auburn is much more difficult than Florida State’s. After playing Mississippi State this week, battles against South Carolina, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama could make or break the team’s postseason chances.
For now, though, Auburn is a serious postseason contender. If the program makes it through its brutal schedule, expect the Tigers to be the No. 1 seed heading into the playoff.
One team not getting the respect it deserves nationally is the Baylor Bears. With an offensive unit ranked first in the country, averaging 51 points per game, and a defense that is ranked fifth, allowing just 12.4 points per game, Baylor is on the cusp of entering the national championship conversation.
The Bears take on a tough TCU team this week and have the chance to prove they are legitimate contenders. The schedule gets tougher starting in Week 7, and Baylor will have to make it past Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State on top of TCU to remain perfect and have a shot at making the postseason.
After watching the Big 12 struggle for the most part this season, the Bears have a legitimate chance to run the table and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The fourth team for the postseason is the most difficult to predict, but Mississippi State is playing so well right now that the program could overcome a loss to Auburn in Week 7 and still be considered a challenger for the national championship.
The Bulldogs have a tough schedule playing in the SEC. Even with a potential loss to the Tigers on Saturday, Mississippi State still has marquee games against Alabama and Ole Miss left to bolster its regular-season resume.
With wins over LSU and Texas A&M earlier this year, the team’s track record would be impressive enough to earn the fourth spot in the postseason.
Regardless of how the playoff shakes out, fans of the sport are excited to see a genuine postseason format instead of the archaic BCS system that held college football hostage for too many years.
*Stats via ESPN.com.
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