2021 College Football Bowl Projections: Brett McMurphy’s Predictions With Projected Spreads After Week 3
Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: The BYU Cougars.
College Football Bowl Projections Entering Week 4
This has probably been a confusing stretch for BYU. Two weeks ago, the Cougars received and accepted an invitation to join the Big 12. Then last week, BYU clinched the Pac-12’s South Division championship.
Well, not officially, anyway.
However, BYU opened the season 3-0 with wins over the Pac-12 South’s Arizona, Utah and Arizona State. Yes, BYU is an FBS Independent and is technically ineligible to win the Pac-12, but the Cougars could crash a New Year’s Six bowl.
Look at the remainder of the Cougars’ schedule, and there's a possibility of an 11-0 BYU visiting USC in the regular-season finale. If so, win or lose vs. USC, I’m projecting the Cougars earn a New Year’s Six bowl bid. (Before you ask, BYU fans, I don’t think the College Football Playoff selection committee would put 12-0 BYU in the playoff … and don’t shoot the messenger).
As far as the rest of my Week 3 bowl projections — like BYU, you likely will be confused if you’re expecting them to resemble last week’s projections.
My College Football Playoff field remains the same (Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and Oklahoma), but there are a few changes: BYU vs. Cincinnati in the Fiesta Bowl, Clemson vs. Penn State in the Peach Bowl, and Florida vs. Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.
I don’t want to reveal any more spoilers, so check out the rest of this week’s bowl projections.
And, as always, each projection includes the projected point spread for each game based on Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson’s updated college football betting power ratings.
2021 College Football Bowl Projections
College Football Playoff National Championship
Monday, Jan. 10 ⋅ Indianapolis, IN
Projection: Alabama vs. Georgia
Action Spread: Alabama -4.5
College Football Playoff Semifinals
Capital One Orange Bowl
Friday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Miami Gardens, FL
Projection: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Oklahoma
Action Spread: Alabama -9.5
Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Friday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Arlington, TX
Projection: No. 2 Oregon vs. No. 3 Georgia
Action Spread: Georgia -11.5
New Year's Six Bowls
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 1 ⋅ New Orleans, LA
Projection: Iowa State vs. Texas A&M
Action Spread: Texas A&M -3
Rose Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 1 ⋅ Pasadena, CA
Projection: UCLA vs. Iowa
Action Spread: Iowa -1.5
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 1 ⋅ Glendale, AZ
Projection: BYU vs. Cincinnati*
Action Spread: Cincinnati -10.5
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 30 ⋅ Atlanta, GA
Projection: Clemson vs. Penn State
Action Spread: Penn State -3.5
Other Bowls
Texas Bowl
Tuesday, Jan. 4 ⋅ Houston, TX
Projection: TCU vs. Arkansas
Action Spread: TCU -1
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 1 ⋅ Orlando, FL
Projection: Ohio State vs. Florida
Action Spread: Ohio State -4
Outback Bowl
Saturday, Jan. 1 ⋅ Tampa, FL
Projection: Wisconsin vs. LSU
Action Spread: Wisconsin -5
Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl
Friday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Tucson, AZ
Projection: Western Michigan vs. San Diego State
Action Spread: Pick'em
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
Friday, Dec. 31 ⋅ Jacksonville, FL
Projection: North Carolina vs. Auburn
Action Spread: Auburn -1.5
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Friday, Dec. 31 ⋅ El Paso, TX
Projection: Boston College vs. Utah
Action Spread: Utah -9
TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 30 ⋅ Nashville, TN
Projection: Michigan State vs. Missouri
Action Spread: Michigan State -3.5
Duke's Mayo Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 30 ⋅ Charlotte, NC
Projection: Pitt vs. Ole Miss
Action Spread: Ole Miss -6.5
Las Vegas Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 30 ⋅ Las Vegas, NV
Projection: Michigan vs. Stanford
Action Spread: Michigan -10.5
Valero Alamo Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 29 ⋅ San Antonio, TX
Projection: Kansas State vs. USC
Action Spread: USC -8.5
Cheez-It Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 29 ⋅ Orlando, FL
Projection: Notre Dame vs. Texas
Action Spread: Texas -2
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 29 ⋅ Bronx, NY
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Rutgers
Action Spread: Virginia Tech -10
Fenway Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 29 ⋅ Boston, MA
Projection: Virginia vs. UCF
Action Spread: UCF -3.5
SDCCU Holiday Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 28 ⋅ San Diego, CA
Projection: Wake Forest vs. Arizona State
Action Spread: Arizona State -3.5
Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 28 ⋅ Phoenix, AZ
Projection: Minnesota vs. Baylor
Action Spread: Minnesota -0.5
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 28 ⋅ Memphis, TN
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Kentucky
Action Spread: Oklahoma State -4.5
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 28 ⋅ Dallas, TX
Projection: Nevada vs. Central Michigan
Action Spread: Nevada -11.5
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 28 ⋅ Birmingham, AL
Projection: Mississippi State vs. Miami
Action Spread: Miami -2.5
Military Bowl
Monday, Dec. 27 ⋅ Annapolis, MD
Projection: NC State vs. Memphis
Action Spread: NC State -9
Quick Lane Bowl
Monday, Dec. 27 ⋅ Detroit, MI
Projection: Indiana vs. Toledo
Action Spread: Indiana -6
Camellia Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 25 ⋅ Montgomery, AL
Projection: Wyoming vs. Florida Atlantic
Action Spread: Wyoming -4
EasyPost Hawaii Bowl
Friday, Dec. 24 ⋅ Honolulu, HI
Projection: Boise State vs. SMU
Action Spread: Boise State -3.5
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 23 ⋅ Tampa, FL
Projection: Maryland vs. Texas Tech
Action Spread: Maryland -2.5
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 22 ⋅ Fort Worth, TX
Projection: West Virginia vs. Louisville
Action Spread: West Virginia -5
Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 21 ⋅ Frisco, TX
Projection: Purdue vs. Houston
Action Spread: Purdue -3
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 21 ⋅ Boise, ID
Projection: Buffalo vs. Utah State
Action Spread: Buffalo -0.5
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Monday, Dec. 20 ⋅ Myrtle Beach, SC
Projection: Coastal Carolina vs. Western Kentucky
Action Spread: Coastal Carolina -8
R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ New Orleans, LA
Projection: UAB vs. Louisiana
Action Spread: Louisiana -5
Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ Inglewood, CA
Projection: Oregon State vs. Fresno State
Action Spread: Oregon State -1.5
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ Shreveport, LA
Projection: Army vs. San Jose State
Action Spread: Pick'em
LendingTree Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ Mobile, AL
Projection: Liberty vs. Troy
Action Spread: Liberty -5
New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ Albuquerque, NM
Projection: New Mexico vs. Kent State
Action Spread: Kent State -5
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 18 ⋅ Boca Raton, FL
Projection: Marshall vs. Appalachian State
Action Spread: Appalachian State -5.5
Cure Bowl
Friday, Dec. 17 ⋅ Orlando, FL
Projection: East Carolina vs. South Alabama
Action Spread: East Carolina -4.5
Bahamas Bowl
Friday, Dec. 17 ⋅ Nassau, Bahamas
Projection: Louisiana Tech vs. Ball State
Action Spread: Ball State -5
* The highest-rated champion from the Group of Five conferences (American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt) will be selected to play in the Fiesta Bowl.
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