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Success continues to come in 2020. Ohio State 4 has become the latest team forced to put things on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Buckeyes’ game at Illinois was canceled Friday night, and they are now on to another cancellation of not being eligible for the Big Ten Championship Game.
It’s been a tough week for the Pac-12 as well, but why should this week be any different? After the initial college football playoff standings came out with Oregon as the top-rated team in the conference at No.15, the Ducks lost 41-38 to Oregon State in the fog. On top of that, the USC No.18 had his game called off in Utah, limiting the Trojans schedule to five regular season games, plus a potential Pac-12 championship game.
I still project Oregon to win the league, but obviously their playoff chances are dead. In fact, it seems more likely that the Pac-12 will produce a champion who is not in the top 10 of the PSC final standings. This didn’t happen to a great conference champion during the CFP era.
No.2 Notre Dame takes Oregon’s place in the CFP draft as a four-seed. The Fighting Irish beat North Carolina 31-17 Friday night.
No.3 Clemson finally took the field for the first time after the loss to Notre Dame on November 7. The Tigers roughed up Pittsburgh 52-17 when quarterback Trevor Lawrence returned to play. Clemson remains the intended third seed in the college football playoffs.
College football playoffs
|
January 11 |
National championship |
Title game | Winners of the semi-finals |
|
January 1st |
Rose bowl |
Semi final |
(2) State of Ohio vs. (3) Clemson |
|
January 1st |
Sugar |
Semi final |
(1) Alabama vs. (4) Notre Dame |
As such, I now have Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl facing northwest. The No.8 Wildcats took their first loss of the season at Michigan State, 29-20. Northwestern will give up competing for a New Years Six game altogether if it loses to anyone other than Ohio State for the rest of the time.
The Wisconsin No.16 also had a game called off, but this time it was due to a COVID-19 outbreak for the Badgers’ opponent Minnesota. This is the third game canceled for Wisconsin and makes them ineligible for the Big Ten Championship Game. It would have mattered more if Wisconsin had beaten Northwestern last week. The Badgers are still thrown into the Cotton Bowl to face the expected Big 12 champion Oklahoma.
It’s likely that the No.11 Sooners will face the No.13 Iowa State for the Big 12 Championship. The Cyclones won a share of the league title with a 23-20 victory over Texas.
As Notre Dame headed into the playoffs, there were more changes with the other New Years Six games. Miami-Florida is now the game in the Orange Bowl, while Cincinnati is now set to face Georgia in the Peach Bowl.
New Year’s Six Bowl Sets
I still don’t expect No.5 Texas A&M or No.14 BYU to make an appearance in the New Years Six. Of course, in the case of the Aggies, that requires a loss at some point, most likely in Auburn.
The CFP selection committee made its feelings clear about BYU’s schedule Tuesday night, but the Cougars still have an outside chance of securing a spot. However, that luck was compromised by the loss of San Diego State to Colorado late Saturday night. The Aztecs are BYU’s only remaining opponent.
If BYU doesn’t hit the New Years Six, I think ESPN will do what it can to make the Cougars the best possible opponent. Unfortunately, bowl combinations don’t offer much of a chance for this. I expect the highest rated potential opponent for BYU to be # 20 from Coastal Carolina. The only bowl that would suit these teams is the Lending Tree Bowl in Mobile, Ala. On December 26. The Chanticleers cannot play earlier than this as they will be competing in the Sun Belt Championship Game on December 19.
Check out the full screenings of Jerry Palm’s 2020 Bowl.
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