2023-10-22 17:00:00
Kyle Bonagura and Mark SchlabachOct 22, 2023, 01:00 PM ET9 Minute Read
Washington needed a late pick-six by Mishael Powell to fend off upset-minded Arizona State.Jesse Beals/Icon Sportswire
Two top-10 teams (Penn State and North Carolina) suffered their first loss, while a couple of other unbeatens (Oklahoma and Washington) struggled but survived. Further down the pecking order, several ranked teams (Duke, Tennessee and USC) took their second defeat, albeit once morest higher-ranked foes.
How did Week 8’s results impact the bowl matchups? Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are here to sort it out, making their projections for all 43 games, plus their takes on the College Football Playoff picture, teams that have been a pleasant surprise and the games they’d be most excited to see.
All times Eastern
College Football Playoff
CFP National Championship presented by AT&T
NRG Stadium (Houston)
Monday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Michigan
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Michigan
CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
Monday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Washington
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Washington
CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
Monday, Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Florida State
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Florida State
CFP breakdown
Bonagura: The four teams stay the same this week — Georgia, Michigan, Washington and Florida State — but, not that it really matters, I flipped Michigan and Washington, with the Wolverines now projected as the No. 2 team and the theoretical favorite to reach the national championship game from the Rose Bowl semifinal. Michigan has been dominant for several weeks and not only has it looked better than the Huskies recently, but there is a strong case the Wolverines should be ranked No. 1.
On the other hand, Washington played its worst game of the season once morest Arizona State, narrowly defeating a team that has yet to beat an FBS opponent this year. While the Huskies survived, it will be worth monitoring if ASU found something other teams can latch onto or if it was just one of those nights.
Oklahoma also came this close to disaster, escaping with a two-point win over UCF, which is now 0-4 in the Big 12. For a team on the cusp of the top four, that wasn’t a performance that will help. It made it an easy choice to keep Florida State in.
Ohio State’s win once morest Penn State doesn’t really change much. It’s hard to envision a realistic scenario where the Big Ten champion doesn’t reach the playoff, so all of that will sort itself out in time.
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Schlabach: My top four once once more remains unchanged, even following Washington survived a close call (15-7 at home once morest Arizona State) on Saturday night. A letdown from the Huskies probably should have been expected following their showdown with Oregon a week earlier, but they didn’t have to make it that close. Washington needed Mishael Powell’s 89-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to finally go in front. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw two picks and fumbled twice, losing one. The Huskies still play USC (road), Utah (home), Oregon State (road) and Washington State (home), so they’ll have to clean up things down the stretch.
Michigan didn’t have any problems with struggling Michigan State in a 49-0 rout on the road. Say what you will regarding Michigan’s schedule. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Wolverines are the first team in the AP Poll era to score 30 points or more and allow 10 points or fewer in eight consecutive games in a season. They’ve allowed only 47 points in their first eight games, 5.9 per contest. And then there’s this nugget: Michigan is the only the third team in the AP Poll era to score at least 325 points and allow fewer than 50 through eight games, joining the 1972 Nebraska and 1993 Florida State squads. The Seminoles won their first national title that year.
Two-time defending national champion Georgia had an open date, which is a good thing for the Bulldogs as they try to figure out how to replace All-America tight end Brock Bowers. Florida State, my No. 4 team, had an impressive 38-20 victory over Duke at home Saturday night. The Seminoles shouldn’t have much trouble in their next two games, at Wake Forest and Pittsburgh. Then they’ll play Miami at home and rival Florida on the road, with a home game once morest FCS program North Alabama sandwiched in between, to close the regular season.
New Year’s Six
Friday, Dec. 29
Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Penn State vs. Texas
Saturday, Dec. 30
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas vs. Air Force
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
4 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisville vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Ohio State
Monday, Jan. 1
Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
1 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Oregon vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Oregon vs. Air Force
Favorite matchups
Bonagura: There’s something beautiful regarding the idea that Texas — with all its talent and players with an eye on the NFL — might reach a New Year’s Six bowl, only to have to prepare for Air Force’s triple option. Please happen.
Schlabach: LSU coach Brian Kelly probably wouldn’t enjoy it much, but a contest once morest his former team, Notre Dame, in the ReliaQuest Bowl would be uncomfortably fun for everyone else. Kelly guided the Irish to a pair of victories over LSU: a 31-28 win in the 2014 Music City Bowl and a 21-17 victory in the 2018 Citrus Bowl. The Tigers have won three straight games to stay in the SEC West race. They’ll get a week off before playing at No. 11 Alabama on Nov. 4.
Bowl season
Saturday, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Miami (Ohio) vs. New Mexico State
Schlabach: Eastern Michigan vs. Florida International
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central
Schlabach: Florida A&M vs. North Carolina Central
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
Schlabach: Liberty vs. Troy
Cure Bowl
FBC Mortgage Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Louisiana vs. Rice
Schlabach: Marshall vs. South Florida
Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: San José State vs. Louisiana
Schlabach: Washington State vs. UNLV
LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Arizona vs. Wyoming
Schlabach: UCLA vs. Wyoming
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: TCU vs. Washington State
Schlabach: TCU vs. Arizona
Monday, Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Eastern Michigan vs. Marshall
Schlabach: Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
Tuesday, Dec. 19
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Texas State vs. UTSA
Schlabach: Houston vs. Navy
Thursday, Dec. 21
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Bowling Green vs. South Alabama
Schlabach: UTSA vs. South Alabama
Friday, Dec. 22
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
6:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Auburn vs. Liberty
Schlabach: Coastal Carolina vs. Rice
Saturday, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Mississippi State vs. Troy
Schlabach: Mississippi State vs. Tulane
Camellia Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia Southern vs. South Florida
Schlabach: Old Dominion vs. Northern Illinois
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: BYU vs. James Madison
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Ohio vs. Boise State
Schlabach: Bowling Green vs. Colorado State
68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
7 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Coastal Carolina vs. Florida Atlantic
Schlabach: Georgia Southern vs. Toledo
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Rutgers vs. Utah
Schlabach: Wisconsin vs. USC
EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Memphis vs. UNLV
Schlabach: Florida Atlantic vs. Fresno State
Surprising teams
Bonagura: In the past 30 years, UNLV has played in a grand total of three bowl games. So, yeah, it’s very surprising the Rebels are bowl eligible through seven games. UNLV’s lone loss came once morest Michigan, and it has scored at least 40 points in five games.
Schlabach: North Carolina’s stunning loss to Virginia opened the door for Louisville in the ACC. The Cardinals have played very well in coach Jeff Brohm’s first season back at his alma mater. The Cardinals upset Notre Dame 33-20 at home, then laid an egg the next week in a 38-21 loss at Pittsburgh. They’re good enough to bounce back and challenge for a spot in the ACC championship game and perhaps a New Year’s Six bowl game, especially if North Carolina and Duke both lose once more.
Tuesday, Dec. 26
Quick Lane Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Illinois vs. Toledo
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Ohio
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: UCF vs. Fresno State
Schlabach: Texas State vs. New Mexico State
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Nebraska vs. BYU
Schlabach: Minnesota vs. Kansas
Wednesday, Dec. 27
Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Boston College vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Memphis
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Miami vs. Kentucky
Schlabach: Clemson vs. Florida
Holiday Bowl
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Bonagura: Duke vs. UCLA
Schlabach: Miami vs. Oregon State
TaxAct Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kansas vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: West Virginia vs. Missouri
Thursday, Dec. 28
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: NC State vs. SMU
Schlabach: Syracuse vs. SMU
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Clemson vs. Minnesota
Schlabach: Boston College vs. Rutgers
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma State
Schlabach: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma State
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. Utah
Friday, Dec. 29
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Notre Dame vs. Florida
Schlabach: Duke vs. Texas A&M
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Syracuse vs. USC
Schlabach: NC State vs. Colorado
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Missouri
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Kentucky
Saturday, Dec. 30
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Maryland vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Maryland vs. Tennessee
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m.
Bonagura: Northern Illinois vs. Utah State
Schlabach: Miami (Ohio) vs. Boise State
Monday, Jan. 1
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN2 and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Wisconsin vs. LSU
Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. LSU
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Iowa vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: Iowa vs. Ole Miss
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