Bowl Predictions 2016: Postseason Projections for Top Playoff Contenders
It's hard to believe, but we're almost halfway through college football's regular season.
With many teams reaching the midway point of their regular-season schedule this week, it's time to look ahead and project how the playoffs may look this season.
The following projections for the New Year's Six bowl games are not strictly based off what has happened through the first five weeks of the college football season. Each team's future schedule and expected results are also taken into account to create these projections for how the bowl matchups will break down at season's end.
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Here's a look at who could face off in the New Year's Six matchups, followed by a look at how a few notable teams could get there:
| Rose Bowl | Michigan vs. Washington | MICH |
| Cotton Bowl | Houston vs. Baylor | HOU |
| Orange Bowl | Florida State vs. Tennessee | FSU |
| Sugar Bowl | Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma | TA&M |
| Peach Bowl/CFP Semifinal | Alabama vs. Louisville | BAMA |
| Fiesta Bowl/CFP Semifinal | Ohio State vs. Clemson | OSU |
Notable Teams
Ohio State Buckeyes
Urban Meyer's Ohio State Buckeyes have a clear path to return to the playoffs thanks to a favorable schedule down the stretch.
Having already disposed of the Oklahoma Sooners in convincing fashion, the Buckeyes have just one more game remaining against a ranked opponent on the road. They travel to face the Wisconsin Badgers on October 15.
Assuming Ohio State can get by the Badgers, Meyer's squad should cruise through the rest of the regular season until hosting the Michigan Wolverines in the regular-season finale.
Since Ohio State and Michigan play in the same division in the Big Ten, that game should effectively serve as a battle for the Big Ten title, and clinch a berth in the playoffs for the winner.
Clemson Tigers
It hasn't been smooth sailing for the Clemson Tigers this season, but the defending ACC champs remain undefeated and have their toughest test out of the way.
Thanks to its victory over the Louisville Cardinals, Clemson controls its own destiny in the ACC.
In fact, Clemson is in good position to win the ACC Atlantic division even if it suffers a loss at some point this season.
Since Clemson has already defeated Louisville, and Florida State already has two losses in ACC play, Clemson would need to lose two games for either team to have a shot at overtaking the Tigers in the ACC Atlantic standings.
Not only do the Tigers control the ACC, but their slow start to the season now appears to be a thing of the past.
After some sloppy early-season games, Clemson has put 98 points on the scoreboard over the past two games, including 56 against Boston College on Friday night.
If Deshaun Watson continues to lead Clemson's high-powered offense at this pace, the Tigers should be considered strong contenders to return to the playoffs.
Louisville Cardinals
After a tough loss to Clemson, Louisville has a difficult road ahead to advance to the playoffs. However, a key late-season non-conference game against the Houston Cougars could be their savior.
If Louisville runs the table and finishes 11-1 with victories over Florida State and Houston, it will have a strong case to be the second ACC team represented in the playoffs along with Clemson.
For this scenario to play out, Louisville will need the Washington Huskies to lose at least one game, as an undefeated Pac-12 champion would certainly earn an invitation over a one-loss non-champ.
It's certainly possible for Washington to go undefeated, but the Huskies have tough road games at Utah, California and Washington State remaining on the schedule.
Assuming Washington loses at least one game, Louisville should enter the conversation. No matter who Washington were to lose to, it's unlikely to be as impressive a loss as Louisville's close-call on the road against Clemson.
If Washington wins the Pac-12 with one loss and Louisville runs the table, we'll learn just how much the playoff committee values conference championships. Louisville would certainly have the more impressive overall resume, but Washington would have the advantage of the conference title.
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