Bowl Projections: Preseason Predictions for the 12-Team College Football Playoff

Bowl projections: Preseason picks for who will make the 12-team College Football Playoff

The upcoming college football postseason will unveil a fresh format, featuring an expanded playoff and an extended schedule that stretches well into mid-January. These alterations coincide with yet another wave of conference realignment, effectively reducing the Power Five to four major conferences and rendering the bowl landscape increasingly intricate.

Despite these added complexities, we remain committed to delivering our postseason forecasts. However, the process will be more arduous, likely necessitating multiple revisions as we navigate the associated growing pains. Expect a significant representation from the SEC and Big Ten in this year’s projections, with four teams from the former and three from the latter.

The predictions also include two teams from the ACC, an independent, a Group of Five champion, and one Big 12 contender.

Oklahoma presents a compelling case study in the evolving criteria for evaluating teams beyond mere win-loss records. The Sooners face five opponents ranked in the top 15 of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll, with three of those matchups on the road and one at a neutral site. A 9-3 record against such formidable competition should outweigh a 10-2 finish from a team without comparable quality wins.

As for the absence of Florida State and North Carolina as a second ACC representative, that decision was made even before the Seminoles’ disappointing performance in Ireland, and it appears increasingly justified now.

So, without further delay, here’s the initial version of this season’s bowl projections—a list certain to evolve as the schedule unfolds.