Let's Get Ready to GO Bowling!

[Jon Joseph]

OK, it's far too early. How about allowing the season to play out? But these revised bowl projections from 247 Sports do offer at least one interesting change, instead of playing Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl the Ducks are now projected to play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. THIS would be a great swap and would draw millions more eyeballs than would playing in San Antonio.

 

Other Pac Bowl projections and a couple of others that may be of interest to Ducks fans. 

 

LA Bowl - Arizona vs SDSU - Unless a MW team is selected for one of the NY6 bowls this would mean that SDSU won the MW; likely, on its way out the door. 

 

[Frisco Bowl - SMU vs Cincinnati]

 

Las Vegas Bowl - UCLA vs Kentucky - This match-up likely means a 4th/5th place Pac finish for the Bruins. I don't see UCLA that has to play at Oregon State beating out the Beavers for this or a better bowl for Oregon State. I would flip Oregon State in this or the Holiday Bowl and have UCLA in the Sun Bowl.

 

Independence Bowl - Washington State vs BYU - one of the few bowl projections I have seen that has Wazzu bowling.

 

Holiday Bowl - Utah vs NC State - This time the Wolfpack hopes to travel west and actually play a football game. No litigation required.

 

Alamo Bowl - Washington versus Oklahoma - UW remembers the Alamo; it defeated Texas in this bowl last season. This bowl spot for UW would mean no conference champ game appearance. Too bad, so sad. 

 

Sun Bowl - Oregon State vs UNC - Both of these teams heading into 2023 are looking for better than a late lunch with Tony the Tiger.

 

[Pop-Tarts (Really?) Bowl - Texas Tech vs Miami - I do not think either team would be happy with finding pop-tarts in their future.]

 

Fiesta Bowl - OREGON vs Notre Dame - Best eyeballs match-up of the projected NY6 Bowls. With USC projected to return to the Cotton Bowl, Oregon will win the conference championship but not qualify for the final, 4 team playoff. Wait 'Till Next Year! In 2024, a Pac title will likely mean a first-round playoff bye for the Ducks. 

 

Cotton Bowl - USC vs LSU - If you can't defeat a team from New Orleans why not try your luck against a team from Baton Rogue? If this game is played I have to wonder if Caleb Williams and JT Daniels will suit up.

 

Peach Bowl - Alabama vs Tulane - Saint Nick grabs the G5 end of the stick. Based on this and the above, 247 has LSU winning the SEC W for the second season in a row, and in the last season that will have an SEC W.

 

Playoff - 

 

Rose Bowl - 2. Ohio State vs 3. Texas -  I'll believe Texas over Alabama, LSU, the Pac-12 champion, and Penn State, only when I see it. 247 has UT winning in Tuscaloosa. #2 seed for Ohio State means that Ohio State wins in South Bend and with Michigan the 4 seed (see below,) also in Ann Arbor. With Georgia's lightweight schedule this season I don't see except for the ever-present SEC bias, a 13-0 Ohio State finishing behind 13-0 Georgia; especially with LSU ticketed for the Cotton Bowl and Michigan making the playoff.

 

Sugar Bowl - 1. Georgia vs 4. Michigan. 

 

Not happy with the above? 8 Pac-12 teams bowling would be nice as would SC leaving a NY6 payment behind. But the odds of the above happening like this are infinitesimal.