Bowl projections: Can the Pac-12 get a team into the College Football Playoff?
Can someone run the table in the Pac-12 over the final four weeks of the season?
The conference has three teams with a chance to make the College Football Playoff. Oregon, USC and UCLA are all at 8-1 through the first 10 weeks of the season and in the top 12 in the CFP rankings. If either of those three teams can win its final three regular season games and the Pac-12 title game then a playoff spot is likely.
That’s much easier said than done.
The 2022 season is the Pac-12’s best shot to get a team in the playoff for the first time since 2016. But the conference’s strength at the top could also end up being its biggest playoff problem. Just look at the schedules for the top three teams over the final three weeks of the season.
No. 6 Oregon
vs. No. 25 Washington
vs. No. 13 Utah
@ Oregon State
No. 8 USC
vs. Colorado
@ No. 12 UCLA
vs. No. 20 Notre Dame
No. 12 UCLA
vs. Arizona
vs. No. 8 USC
@ Cal
Utah (7-2) isn’t out of the conference title mix either. If the Utes beat Oregon and take care of business against Stanford and Colorado, they’re in the Pac-12 title game against one of the three teams mentioned above.
The Pac-12’s best playoff scenario at the moment is to have Oregon and either USC or UCLA win out so two 11-1 teams meet in the title game. That would ensure a 12-1 team at the end of the season and a legitimate shot at the playoff.
We’re going with Oregon to be that team in our latest edition of bowl projections. The Ducks have some work to do; three of their final four games would be against ranked opponents and Oregon State is just outside the top 25. But we think Oregon is playing well enough to make it happen at the moment.
Here’s how we see the bowl lineup ahead of Week 11. As always, things could change dramatically in the weeks to come. Especially in the Pac-12, when Oregon plays Utah and UCLA plays USC Week 12.
New Year's Six bowl games
Orange Bowl (Dec. 30)
Clemson vs. Penn State
Sugar Bowl (Dec. 31)
TCU vs. Alabama
Peach Bowl (Dec. 31) [CFP semifinal]
Georgia vs. Oregon
Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 31) [CFP semifinal]
Ohio State vs. Tennessee
Cotton Bowl (Jan. 2)
North Carolina vs. Tulane
Rose Bowl (Jan. 2)
Michigan vs. USC
Other bowl games
Bahamas Bowl (Dec. 16)
UTEP vs. Ball State
Cure Bowl (Dec. 16)
Liberty vs. Appalachian State
Fenway Bowl (Dec. 17)
Syracuse vs. Cincinnati
New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 17)
Air Force vs. North Texas
LA Bowl (Dec. 17)
Boise State vs. Washington State
LendingTree Bowl (Dec. 17)
Toledo vs. South Alabama
Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 17)
Utah vs. Ole Miss
Frisco Bowl (Dec. 17)
Middle Tennessee State vs. SMU
Myrtle Beach Bowl (Dec. 19)
UTSA vs. Coastal Carolina
Potato Bowl (Dec. 20)
San Diego State vs. Miami (Ohio)
Boca Raton Bowl (Dec. 20)
Florida Atlantic vs. Houston
New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 21)
Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss
Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 22)
East Carolina vs. Texas Tech
Gasparilla Bowl (Dec. 23)
Wyoming vs. Georgia Southern
Independence Bowl (Dec. 23)
BYU vs. Army
Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24)
San Jose State vs. UAB
Quick Lane Bowl (Dec. 26)
Wisconsin vs. Buffalo
First Responder Bowl (Dec. 27)
Memphis vs. Kansas
Birmingham Bowl (Dec. 27)
Missouri vs. Louisiana
Camellia Bowl (Dec. 27)
Ohio vs. Troy
Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Dec. 27)
Iowa vs. Oklahoma State
Military Bowl (Dec. 28)
Miami vs. UCF
Liberty Bowl (Dec. 28)
Oklahoma vs. South Carolina
Holiday Bowl (Dec. 28)
Wake Forest vs. Washington
Texas Bowl (Dec. 28)
Texas vs. Arkansas
Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 29)
NC State vs. Minnesota
Cheez-It Bowl (Dec. 29)
Notre Dame vs. Kansas State
Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29)
Baylor vs. UCLA
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Dec. 30)
Louisville vs. Maryland
Sun Bowl (Dec. 30)
Oregon State vs. Pitt
Gator Bowl (Dec. 30)
Duke vs. Mississippi State
Arizona Bowl (Dec. 30)
UNLV vs. Eastern Michigan
Music City Bowl (Dec. 31)
Purdue vs. Florida
ReliaQuest Bowl (Jan. 2)
Florida State vs. Kentucky
Citrus Bowl (Jan. 2)
Illinois vs. LSU
