Bowl projections and analysis after another round of upsets

  • Covers the Pac-12.
  • Joined ESPN in 2014.
  • Attended Washington State University.

  • Senior college football writer
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

The fun continued in a wild college football season this past weekend, with five top-12 teams losing, which meant more shakeups in our bowl matchups, from the College Football Playoff on down.

In addition to predicting the matchups for every single bowl game, Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura provide analysis on their playoff picks, most intriguing bowl matchup, fast-rising teams that could make a New Year’s Six push and teams that helped or hurt their cause the most.

All times Eastern

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College Football Playoff

CFP National Championship Presented by AT&T
Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)
Jan. 10, 8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Georgia
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Georgia

CFP Semifinal at Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Cincinnati
Schlabach: Georgia vs. Penn State

CFP Semifinal at Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
Dec. 31, 3:30 or 7:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App
Bonagura: Georgia vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Iowa

Playoff breakdown

Bonagura: The only thing that remains clear is that Alabama and Georgia are the top two teams. Both of them turned in dominant wins against top-12 opponents (Alabama beat Ole Miss, 42-21; Georgia beat Arkansas, 37-0) and appear to have a healthy gap over the next tier of teams. There is a solid argument for Georgia at No. 1, but let’s stick with Alabama until the Crimson Tide give us a reason for a recalibration.

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