By Stewart Mandel, SI.com
Below are SI.com's Dec. 5 bowl projections (with our assumption, based on the latest AP poll, that Texas will move past Cal and into the BCS). First, a few important disclaimers:
1) Only teams currently at .500 or above, and with enough games remaining to become bowl eligible, are considered.
2) No attempts are made to predict future results. In the case of ties, the higher-ranked team is used as the conference's champion.
3) Remember, in most cases, bowls do not have to select a conference's teams based on their order of standing. I.e., the Gator Bowl gets second choice of ACC teams but does not have to select its second-place team.
4) Clemson and South Carolina, who are both bowl eligible, have refused bowl bids because of the brawl in their season finale. Virginia has said it would not accept a bid to the Champs Sports Bowl because it conflicts with its final exams.
Teams in bold have already accepted their invitations.
| Date |
Bowl |
Matchup |
| Jan. 4 |
Orange |
USC (BCS No. 1) vs. Oklahoma (BCS No. 2) |
| Jan. 3 |
Sugar |
Auburn (SEC champ) vs. Virginia Tech (ACC champ) |
| Jan. 1 |
Fiesta |
Utah (BCS at-large) vs. Pittsburgh (Big East champ) |
| Jan. 1 |
Rose |
Michigan (Big Ten champ) vs. Texas (BCS at-large) |
| Jan. 1 |
Capital One |
Iowa (Big Ten No. 2) vs. LSU (SEC) |
| Jan. 1 |
Outback |
Wisconsin (Big Ten No. 3) vs. Georgia (SEC) |
| Jan. 1 |
Gator |
Florida State (ACC No. 2) vs. West Virginia (Big East No. 2) |
| Jan. 1 |
Cotton |
Texas A&M (Big 12 No. 2) vs. Tennessee (SEC) |
| Dec. 31 |
Peach |
Miami (ACC) vs. Florida (SEC) |
| Dec. 31 |
Sun |
Purdue (Big Ten No. 5) vs. Arizona State (Pac-10 No. 3) |
| Dec. 31 |
Liberty |
Boise State (in place of MWC) vs. Louisville (C-USA champ) |
| Dec. 31 |
Music City |
Minnesota (Big Ten No. 6) vs. Alabama (SEC) |
| Dec. 30 |
Holiday |
Cal (Pac-10 No. 2) vs. Texas Tech (Big 12) |
| Dec. 30 |
Houston |
Colorado (Big 12) vs. UTEP (in place of SEC) |
| Dec. 30 |
Tire |
North Carolina (ACC) vs. Boston College (Big East) |
| Dec. 30 |
Emerald |
New Mexico (MWC No. 3) vs. Navy (in place of Pac-10) |
| Dec. 29 |
Alamo |
Ohio State (Big Ten No. 4) vs. Oklahoma State (Big 12) |
| Dec. 29 |
Silicon Valley |
Troy (in place of WAC) vs. Northern Illinois (MAC) |
| Dec. 28 |
Insight |
Notre Dame (Big East*) vs. Oregon State (Pac-10) |
| Dec. 28 |
Independence |
Miami of Ohio (in place of SEC) vs. Iowa State (Big 12) |
| Dec. 27 |
Motor City |
Toledo (MAC) vs. Connecticut (in place of Big Ten) |
| Dec. 27 |
MPC Computers |
Fresno State (WAC) vs. Virginia (ACC) |
| Dec. 24 |
Hawaii |
Hawaii (WAC) vs. UAB (C-USA) |
| Dec. 23 |
Las Vegas |
Wyoming (MWC No. 2) vs. UCLA (Pac-10) |
| Dec. 23 |
Fort Worth |
Cincinnati (C-USA) vs. Marshall (in place of Big 12) |
| Dec. 22 |
GMAC |
Memphis (C-USA) vs. Bowling Green (MAC) |
| Dec. 21 |
Champs Sports |
Georgia Tech (ACC) vs. Syracuse (in place of Big 12) |
| Dec. 14 |
New Orleans |
North Texas (Sun Belt champ) vs. Southern Miss (C-USA) |
* -- Notre Dame is part of the Big East's bowl partnerships
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