Updated College Football Bowls Predictions (Sept 27th)

The first College Football Playoff committee rankings won’t come out for a little over a month, but let’s project the New Year’s Six Bowl games as things stand entering Week 5 of the college football betting season. A lot could change this week with Top-10 matchups between Louisville and Clemson and Wisconsin and Michigan.

Updated College Football Bowls Predictions (Sept 27th)

Birthday cake✅ Best friends✅@BGCMP✅ Time to play some flag football. pic.twitter.com/JuIeC4296G

— Fiesta Bowl (@Fiesta_Bowl) September 24, 2016

Fiesta Bowl, Dec. 31, Glendale, Ariz.

This is one of the two national semifinals and I like Clemson vs. Ohio State. What a great matchup this would be between the national champion from the first College Football Playoff two years ago in the Buckeyes and last year’s runner-up in Clemson. The Buckeyes shouldn’t move from their No. 2 spot in the polls this week as the host Rutgers. Urban Meyer is a perfect 14-0 at Ohio State in the month of October. Ohio State leads the nation in turnover margin (+9) with 11 turnovers caused (9 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries) against two turnovers. The Buckeyes also lead the FBS with four defensive TDs, all INTs. Ohio State is the only FBS team to not allow a rushing TD this season. The Buckeyes still haven’t lost a true road game ever under Meyer.

Peach Bowl, Dec. 31, Atlanta

Alabama vs. Houston. This is the other national semifinal on New Year’s Eve. I previewed Houston’s game Thursday night against UConn here at Mybookie. The Cougars are No. 6 in the polls and should rise because either No. 3 Louisville or No. 5 Clemson will lose on Saturday. Alabama remains on top of the polls and should crush Kentucky this week. The Cats do come off a solid 17-10 win over South Carolina. Benny Snell scored the go-ahead touchdown from 1 yard midway through the fourth quarter, and Boom Williams broke a 43-yard TD. The Wildcats have defeated South Carolina three straight years, marking the first time the Wildcats have defeated an SEC foe three straight years since taking down Vanderbilt four straight years from 2004 to 2007.

Orange Bowl, Dec. 30, Miami

This bowl features an ACC team against one from the Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame. I’ll go with Louisville against Wisconsin. The Badgers routed Michigan State last week for their second win over a Top-10 team already. UW moved up three spots to No. 8, its highest ranking since earning claim as the nation’s fourth-best team for a two-week stretch in 2011. The Badgers will travel to No. 4 Michigan on Saturday and host second-ranked Ohio State after a bye week. I think Louisville will lose in Clemson this Saturday in the game of the day.

Cotton Bowl, Jan. 2, Arlington, Texas

The Cotton gets two at-large teams this year. Let’s go with Florida State vs. San Diego State — the Aztecs of the Mountain West could well run the table this season. They have arguably the nation’s best running back in Donnel Pumphrey. San Diego State, which is coming off its first unbeaten September since the 1981 squad went 2-0, has won 13 consecutive games, outscoring the opposition, 482-189 over the streak. It is the second-longest active win streak in the nation behind the defending national champion Alabama (16).

Rose Bowl, Jan. 2, Pasadena, Calif

The Big Ten and Pac-12 face off here and I like Michigan vs. Stanford in a defensive battle. The Cardinal have a huge game Friday night in a Top-10 showdown vs. Washington and the Wolverines host Wisconsin in another Top-10 game. This matchup would be a defensive battle for sure and would feature Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh against his former team.

Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2, New Orleans

This features the Big 12 vs. the SEC and I like Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M, with the Aggies of course a former Big 12 team. Their QB these days? Former Sooner Travis Knight. He transferred to A&M this year after losing his starting job in 2015 to Baker Mayfield. In last Saturday’s win over Arkansas, Knight hooked up with receiver Josh Reynolds along the right sideline for a 92-yard touchdown pass. It marked the longest touchdown pass by a college team in the history of AT&T Stadium, which opened in 2009 and also plays host to the Cotton Bowl, among other collegiate collisions.