Bowl projections: Michigan creates distance in College Football Playoff bid as Florida State avoids upset

Barring something very unexpected, we now have one spot locked up for a specific New Year’s Six game slot. This as Louisville was upset at home by in-state rival Kentucky, ruining the slim chances the Cardinals had of climbing into the College Football Playoff. Because the Orange Bowl will get the ACC champion — if it is not in the CFP — or the highest-rated conference team outside of the playoff, Louisville will be that team.

If Louisville wins the ACC crown over Florida State next Saturday, the Cardinals will go to the Orange Bowl as the league champion. If not, the Seminoles are in the playoff and Louisville will be the highest-rated ACC team available.

So, what could happen that falls into the “very unexpected” category? (1) FSU wins the ACC, but the CFP Selection Committee decides for the first time ever to leave an undefeated major-conference team out of the playoff. (2) FSU wins and advances into the CFP, but the committee drops the Cardinals below NC State despite Louisville having one more win and a road victory over the Wolfpack.

We will break down each team’s path to the College Football Playoff later this week, but there are still eight teams in the running, four of which control their own fate: Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State. It is not a coincidence that all those teams are currently undefeated. We have never had a CFP with four unbeaten teams, but then again, we’ve never had four undefeated teams this deep in a season during the CFP era.

College Football Playoff

Jan. 8

National Championship
Houston

Title game …


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bowl-projections-michigan-creates-distance-in-college-football-playoff-bid-as-florida-state-avoids-upset/

Author : Jerry Palm

Publish date : 2023-11-26 15:51:21

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