Bowl Projections 2014: Preview and Predictions for Biggest Matchups
Oregon has one ticket to the College Football Playoff secure. Keep in mind that the CFP is just one facet of a lengthy bowl season, though.
One batch of CFP rankings is all that stands between now and almost a month of electric action as the best teams in the nation square off in a number of bowls. The perfect complement to the holiday season, those teams that miss out on being one of the final four still have plenty to play for in bowl games.
Below, let's take a look at the full upcoming slate and nail down some of the most likely encounters soon to be set in stone.
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2014-15 Bowl Game Schedule
| New Orleans Bowl | Sun Belt vs. MW | New Orleans | Dec. 20 | 11 a.m. | ESPN |
| New Mexico Bowl | MW vs. C-USA | Albuquerque, N.M. | Dec. 20 | 2:20 p.m. | ESPN |
| Las Vegas Bowl | MW vs. Pac-12 | Las Vegas | Dec. 20 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Potato Bowl | MAC vs. MW | Boise, Idaho | Dec. 20 | 5:45 p.m. | ESPN |
| Camellia Bowl | MAC vs. Sun Belt | Montgomery, Ala. | Dec. 20 | 9:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| Miami Beach Bowl | AAC vs. BYU | Miami | Dec. 22 | 2 p.m. | TBD |
| Boca Raton Bowl | C-USA vs. MAC | Boca Raton, Fla. | Dec. 23 | 6 p.m. | ESPN |
| Poinsettia Bowl | MW vs. Navy | San Diego | Dec. 23 | 9:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Bahamas Bowl | C-USA vs. MAC | Nassau, Bahamas | Dec. 24 | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| Hawai'i Bowl | C-USA vs. MW | Honolulu | Dec. 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Heart of Dallas Bowl | Big Ten vs. C-USA | Dallas | Dec. 26 | 1 p.m. | ESPN |
| Quick Lane Bowl | ACC vs. Big Ten | Detroit | Dec. 26 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| St. Petersburg Bowl | AAC vs. ACC | St. Petersburg, Fla. | Dec. 26 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Military Bowl | AAC vs. ACC | Annapolis, Md. | Dec. 27 | 1 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sun Bowl | ACC vs. Pac-12 | El Paso, Texas | Dec. 27 | 2 p.m. | CBS |
| Independence Bowl | ACC vs. SEC | Shreveport, La. | Dec. 27 | 3:30 p.m. | ABC |
| Pinstripe Bowl | ACC vs. Big Ten | Bronx, N.Y. | Dec. 27 | 4:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Holiday Bowl | Big Ten vs. Pac-12 | San Diego | Dec. 27 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Liberty Bowl | Big 12 vs. SEC | Memphis, Tenn. | Dec. 29 | 2 p.m. | ESPN |
| Russell Athletic Bowl | ACC vs. Big 12 | Orlando, Fla. | Dec. 29 | TBD | TBD |
| Texas Bowl | Big 12 vs. SEC | Houston | Dec. 29 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| Music City Bowl | SEC vs. ACC/Big Ten | Nashville, Tenn. | Dec. 30 | 3 p.m. | ESPN |
| Belk Bowl | ACC vs. SEC | Charlotte, N.C. | Dec. 30 | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Foster Farms Bowl | Big Ten vs. Pac-12 | Santa Clara, Calif. | Dec. 30 | 10 p.m. | ESPN |
| Peach Bowl | TBD | Atlanta | Dec. 31 | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Fiesta Bowl | TBD | Glendale, Ariz. | Dec. 31 | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| Orange Bowl | ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten | Miami | Dec. 31 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Citrus Bowl | Big Ten vs. SEC | Orlando, Fla. | Jan. 1 | 1 p.m. | ABC |
| Outback Bowl | Big Ten vs. SEC | Tampa, Fla. | Jan. 1 | 12 p.m. | ESPN2 |
| Cotton Bowl | TBD | Arlington, Texas | Jan. 1 | 12:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Rose Bowl | CFP Semi | Pasadena, Calif. | Jan. 1 | 5 p.m. | ESPN |
| Sugar Bowl | CFP Semi | New Orleans | Jan. 1 | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Armed Forces Bowl | AAC vs. Army | Fort Worth, Texas | Jan. 2 | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| TaxSlayer Bowl | SEC vs. ACC/Big Ten | Jacksonville, Fla. | Jan. 2 | 3:20 p.m. | ESPN |
| Alamo Bowl | Big 12 vs. Pac-12 | San Antonio | Jan. 2 | 6:45 p.m. | ESPN |
| Cactus Bowl | Big 12 vs. Pac-12 | Tempe, Ariz. | Jan. 2 | 10:15 p.m. | ESPN |
| Birmingham Bowl | AAC vs. SEC | Birmingham, Ala. | Jan. 3 | 1 p.m. | ESPN/2 |
| GoDaddy Bowl | MAC vs. Sun Belt | Mobile, Ala. | Jan. 4 | 9 p.m. | ESPN |
| National Championship | CFP | Arlington, Texas | Jan. 12 | TBD | ESPN |
Bowl schedule information courtesy of ESPN.com.
Orange Bowl
Georgia Tech vs. Michigan State
This one goes out to fans of traditional offenses and gritty defenses.
The Michigan State Spartans came up short this season in the Big Ten, but a top defense once again assures that the program will get a major bowl. Even if Georgia Tech upends Florida State in the ACC Championship, it will not be enough to propel the Yellow Jackets to the CFP.
Thanks to gaudy rushing attacks, fewer ideal matchups exist in terms of strength versus strength matchups this bowl season:
For Michigan State this encounter is a reward for bouncing back after a loss to Ohio State with three consecutive wins, capped off by a 34-10 trouncing of Penn State.
"I don't think there's any question we'll be chosen," coach Mark Dantonio said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). "With Georgia losing. With UCLA losing. We're up there in the top 10, for sure. That should get us to one of those bowls. That was our goal. When we had to bounce back, that was our goal."
It is also an opportunity for the Spartans to prove losses this year were mere flukes.
The defense ranks 14th in the nation with just 19.9 points allowed per game. But both Oregon and Ohio State scored more than 40 points. Georgia Tech is certainly capable of this number thanks to the nation's fourth-ranked rushing attack and the fact quarterback Justin Thomas (16 touchdowns, four interceptions) can go up over the top for big gains.
Keep in mind that Michigan State has surpassed 40 points in a game six times this season. Given how proficient Dantonio's offense has been, even limited offensive touches against the clock-control attack of Georgia Tech will produce a win.
Prediction: Spartans 33, Yellow Jackets 23
Fiesta Bowl
Arizona vs. Boise State
This one seems rather predictable especially now that the Arizona Wildcats did not beat Marcus Mariota and the Ducks for a second time this season.
ESPN's Ted Miller put it best:
It is understandable if the nation is somewhat asleep in regard to Boise State. The Broncos average 40.8 points per game, good for the ninth-ranked offense. Quarterback Grant Hedrick has 3,232 yards and 22 scores. Back Jay Ajayi has 1,619 yards and 24 scores.
But the Broncos ran through a cupcake schedule with the only real opposition being Ole Miss to start the season—the Rebels rolled to a 35-13 victory.
Still, the Broncos match up well with Arizona, a team that was just blown away by Oregon in 51-13 fashion. But the young Wildcats, led by quarterback Anu Solomon and tailback Nick Wilson, both freshmen, average nearly 35 points per game and have wins over Oregon, Utah and Arizona State.
It creates an environment that is prone to boatloads of points. It is difficult to imagine how an Arizona defense that was just exploited stops Ajayi, though. In a recent win over Utah State he rushed 27 times for 229 yards and five touchdowns.
How Arizona keeps up with that is difficult to comprehend.
Prediction: Broncos 36, Wildcats 30
Peach Bowl
Ohio State vs. Mississippi State
Different circumstances but similar disappointments seem poised to lead these two away from the CFP.
Ohio State lost Braxton Miller earlier this year, derailing what should have been a Heisman-contending season. J.T. Barrett stepped in and had that sort of campaign for himself, but suffered a season-ending injury, too.
Now everything falls on the shoulders of the inexperienced Cardale Jones, which is more than enough to knock the Buckeyes out of the CFP.
Mississippi State did not suffer a major injury under center. But former Heisman hopeful Dak Prescott has been unable to pull more magic out of his hat as of late in the competitive SEC. The Bulldogs lost two of three, the losses being a dud against Alabama and a blowout at the hands of Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.
Regardless of whether or not Jones can provide a spark and lift the Buckeyes over Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship, this seems like the logical spot for the team. Mississippi State's elite defense will need to deal with an unknown element under center, and Ohio State's unit will need to solve the riddle that is one of the nation's best dual-threat players.
Most important of all, though, is the endless Big Ten vs. SEC battle. In this one, the team not starting a third-string quarterback figures to win out.
Prediction: Bulldogs 27, Buckeyes 24
Statistics and info courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.
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