Rose Bowl,
Pasadena, CA,
Rose Bowl
January 1, 2007, ABC
BCS vs. BCS (Big 10 vs. Pac 10 if available)
One thing to remember here is that the Rose Bowl doesn't have to
take a team from the Big Ten if/when it loses the Michigan/Ohio
State winner to the BCS Championship game. According to the BCS
rules, by losing the number one BCS team, the Rose Bowl would have
its choice of any of the at-large teams, which means Notre Dame is a
possibility. However, it's almost a mortal lock that the
Michigan/Ohio State loser will play here against the Pac 10
champion.
Rose Bowl Projection:
Michigan vs. USC
The loser of next week's Big Ten showdown will likely be here
against the winner of the upcoming California-USC game. However,
it's very possible a one-loss USC team makes it to the national
title game considering it has high-profile chances to make a splash
against Oregon, Cal, UCLA and Notre Dame.
Possible matchups in order of probability: 1) Michigan vs. Cal,
2) Ohio State vs. USC, 3) Ohio State vs. Cal, 4) Notre Dame vs. Cal
Fiesta Bowl,
Glendale, AZ,
Glendale Stadium
January 1, 2007, Fox
BCS vs. BCS (Big 12 Champion to play here if available)
This one could grow into the dumping ground for the BCS teams if
Texas goes to the national title game. The Fiesta, assuming it
doesn't lose Texas to the BCS Championship game, gets the last pick
of the at-large teams, which means it'll likely be Boise State. The
Big 12 champion is slotted to go here, but watch out for the
Longhorns to rocket up the standings once the computer formulas take
the entire season into account. Remember, the BCS computer formulas
don't mean anything right now; they'll change wildly once all the
games are over. Boise State will likely go here if it can just win
the rest of its games, but watch out for the regular season finale
against Nevada. Several teams will be Wolf Pack fans on November
25th hoping the Broncos get knocked out. The Cal-USC loser would
probably be the first choice, but the loser of the SEC title game,
or possibly Auburn, if Arkansas plays Florida for the title, could
be here.
Fiesta Bowl Projection:
Texas vs. Boise
State
The Longhorns will likely finish third when all is said and done,
and it's likely the human voters will keep them down by design if
Ohio State beats Michigan; few will want to see a rematch of the
24-7 Buckeye win in early September. If Michigan beats Ohio State,
Texas has a better shot. Of course, things get thrown for a loop if
Texas, the likely winner of the Big 12 North, pulls off the upset in
the Big 12 title game. Boise State makes the most sense here as an
at-large team.
Possible matchups in order of probability: 1) Nebraska vs. Boise
State, 2) Texas vs. USC, 3) Texas vs. Auburn, 4) Texas vs.
California
Orange Bowl, Miami, FL,
Dolphins Stadium
January 2, 2007, Fox
BCS vs. BCS (ACC Champion to play here if available)
Expect it to be ACC vs. Big East, but this could quickly get strange
depending on the SEC scenario. If Florida loses the SEC title game,
the Orange Bowl might make a big push to get the Gators. The ACC
representative is anyone's guess at this point with Georgia Tech,
Wake Forest, Boston College and Maryland all possibilities. The Big
East doesn't have an automatic tie-in to the title game, so the
champion could potentially go to the Fiesta Bowl, but the Orange
Bowl, depending on the national title game, should get the second or
third pick of the at-large teams (with the Rose Bowl getting the
number one choice), and it's not going to take Boise State.
Assuming Rutgers doesn't win out and go to the BCS Championship
game, the Big East champion is the likely pick. If Rutgers goes 12-0
and misses out on the title, it'll be a mortal lock to play here.
However, if West Virginia beats the Scarlet Knights, and Louisville,
Rutgers, and West Virginia all finish 11-1, the bid goes to the
highest ranked team according to the BCS standings. The guess here
is it would be Louisville. However, things might get thrown off it
Maryland wins the ACC title and West Virginia finishes as the Big
East representative, because the two already played this year with
the Mountaineers winning 45-24 on September 14th. Rematches aren't
forbidden, but they're frowned upon.
Bowl Projection:
Georgia Tech vs. Louisville
Don't completely dismiss the possibility of the number two SEC team
playing here, and the Orange Bowl might jump all over Florida if it
loses the SEC Championship game. Georgia Tech appears to be the best
ACC team, by a slim margin, and assuming West Virginia wins at home
against Rutgers, and Pittsburgh loses to both Louisville and West
Virginia, it'll be between the Cardinals and the Mountaineers for
who gets the spot.
Possible matchups in order of probability: 1) Georgia Tech vs.
Florida, 2) Boston College vs. Louisville, 3) Georgia Tech vs. West
Virginia, 4) Boston College vs. West Virginia, 5) Georgia Tech vs.
Rutgers, 6) The ACC champion vs. Arkansas or Auburn
Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, LA,
Louisiana Superdome
January 3, 2007, Fox
BCS vs. BCS (SEC Champion to play here if available)
This one's easy unless the SEC champion plays for the national
title. If the Sugar Bowl loses the SEC champion to the BCS
championship game, it would get the second pick of the at-large
teams after the Rose Bowl, which will lose either Ohio State or
Michigan, and would jump all over Notre Dame, if eligible, and would
try to get another SEC team in. If Rutgers ends up playing for the
national title, the Sugar still gets the number two pick. The Irish
might not finish in the top eight of the final BCS standings if they
lose to USC, but all they have to do is finish with nine wins and in
the top 14 to be eligible. If they're not eligible, expect the Sugar
to pick the Big East champion.
Bowl Projection:
Notre Dame vs. Auburn
The pick here is that Florida will win out, avenge the loss to
Auburn in the SEC Championship game, and will end up in the national
title game. Since that's a projection, the other likely scenario is
a Gator-Irish matchup in the Sugar Bowl. If Auburn or Arkansas wins
the SEC title game, Florida will probably go to the Orange Bowl.
Possible matchups in order of probability: 1) Notre Dame vs.
Florida, 2) Notre Dame vs. Arkansas, 3) Notre Dame vs. Auburn, 4)
Big East champion vs. Florida
BCS Championship Game,
Glendale, AZ,
Glendale Stadium
January 8, 2007, Fox
BCS No. 1 vs. BCS No. 2
As long as Ohio State doesn't gag at Northwestern and Michigan
doesn't chock at Indiana, the winner of next week's showdown is in
the national championship game no matter what. What are the chances
for a rematch? If Michigan beat Ohio State, none. If Ohio State
blows out Michigan, none. However, if OSU wins on a late field goal,
many would want to see what would happen in the game was played on a
neutral field. If there's some sort of major controversy at the end,
there might be a rematch. More than likely, the pollsters will want
to see someone else play the Big Ten champion, and the field is wide
open.
USC has a great shot to get in if it blows out Cal, Oregon, UCLA and
Notre Dame. Texas will fly up the charts once all the BCS computer
formulas are done, but few want to see a Buckeye-Longhorn rematch.
Rutgers is the nice story at the moment, and if it beats Cincinnati
and Syracuse and then beats West Virginia in Morgantown to finish
12-0, watch the East Coast media make a major push for the Scarlet
Knights to be in. However, when all is said and done, it appears to
be Florida's spot to lose.
Bowl Projection:
Ohio State vs. Florida
Assuming Rutgers loses to West Virginia, if Florida wins
the SEC championship game, that will mean it beat Tennessee at
Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida State at
Florida State, and either Arkansas or Auburn in the national title
game. Fourth in the BCS standings after last week, the Gators will
likely move behind Michigan into the two spot now that Louisville
lost. Once again, watch out for Texas. Fifth going into this week,
it'll likely finish no lower than third if it wins out and with a
win in the Big 12 Championship.
Possible matchups in order of probability: 1)
Michigan vs. Florida, 2) Ohio State vs.
Texas, 3) Michigan vs. Texas, 4) Ohio State vs. USC, 5) Michigan vs.
USC, 6) Ohio State vs. California, 7) Ohio State vs. Auburn, 8) Ohio
State vs. Rutgers, 9) Michigan vs. Rutgers, 10) Ohio State vs.
Michigan
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