College Football Bowl Projections for Week 7: Brett McMurphy’s Predictions With Projected Spreads

College Football Bowl Projections for Week 7: Brett McMurphy’s Predictions With Projected Spreads article feature image
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Logan Hannigan-Downs/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images. Pictured: USC defensive back Calen Bullock.

Week 7 College Football Bowl Projections

After weeks of constant taunting and ridicule — and that was from my immediate family and close friends — I have finally decided to no longer project two teams each from the SEC and Big Ten to make the College Football Playoff.

I’m still projecting SEC heavyweights Alabama and Georgia to both make the playoff — although the Crimson Tide must survive a trip to Rocky Top on Saturday. I’m just not as confident about two Big Ten teams making it. Ohio State, absolutely. Michigan, no.

Previously, I thought an 11-1 Michigan (with its only loss to Ohio State) would have a good chance for the No. 4 seed because the other power leagues would not provide an undefeated or one-loss conference champion. However, near the midpoint of the season, there are several legitimate possibilities for an undefeated or one-loss Power Five champ, including Clemson or NC State from the ACC; USC, UCLA or Oregon from the Pac-12; and TCU or Oklahoma State from the Big 12.

Right now, Clemson is my pick to join the three behemoths — Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State — in the College Football Playoff.

At this time, I am no longer projecting an all-SEC and Big Ten final four. Please respect my decision. I will have no further comment at this time. Well, until next week’s bowl projections.

Quick update from last week’s projections. The conflict between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Las Vegas Bowl I wrote about has been resolved, so the Las Vegas Bowl will be played as originally scheduled.

Here are my bowl projections, including the projected point spread based on Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson’s current college football betting power ratings.

Updated 2022 College Football Betting Power Ratings

CFP National Championship Prediction

  • CFP National Championship

    Monday, Jan. 9
    Los Angeles, CA

    Ohio State

    -1.5

    Alabama


College Football Playoff Semifinals Projections

  • Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 31
    Atlanta, GA

    Alabama

    -7.5

    Clemson

  • Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 31
    Glendale, AZ

    Ohio State

    -2.5

    Georgia


New Year's Six Bowl Games

  • Rose Bowl

    Monday, Jan. 2
    Pasadena, CA

    UCLA

    Michigan

    -8
  • Goodyear Cotton Bowl

    Monday, Jan. 2
    Arlington, TX

    USC

    PK

    Cincinnati

    PK
  • Allstate Sugar Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 31
    New Orleans, LA

    Oklahoma State

    Tennessee

    -3.5
  • Capital One Orange Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 30
    Miami, FL

    NC State

    Ole Miss

    -4.5

Projections for All Other Bowls

  • Citrus Bowl

    Monday, Jan. 2
    Orlando, FL

    Penn State

    Mississippi State

    -1.5
  • ReliaQuest Bowl

    Monday, Jan. 2
    Tampa, FL

    Kentucky

    -2.5

    Illinois

  • Music City Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 31
    Nashville, TN

    Maryland

    -2.5

    Florida

  • Arizona Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 30
    Tucson, AZ

    Eastern Michigan

    San Diego State

    -8
  • TaxSlayer Gator Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 30
    Jacksonville, FL

    North Carolina

    Arkansas

    -2
  • Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 30
    El Paso, TX

    Syracuse

    Washington

    -5
  • Duke's Mayo Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 30
    Charlotte, NC

    Purdue

    PK

    Pittsburgh

    PK
  • Valero Alamo Bowl

    Thursday, Dec. 29
    San Antonio, TX

    TCU

    PK

    Oregon

    PK
  • Cheez-It Bowl

    Thursday, Dec. 29
    Orlando, FL

    Notre Dame

    Texas

    -4
  • Pinstripe Bowl

    Thursday, Dec. 29
    Bronx, NY

    Minnesota

    Florida State

    -1.5
  • TaxAct Texas Bowl

    Wednesday, Dec. 28
    Houston, TX

    Kansas

    Texas A&M

    -6.5
  • Holiday Bowl

    Wednesday, Dec. 28
    San Diego, CA

    Wake Forest

    -4

    Oregon State

  • AutoZone Liberty Bowl

    Wednesday, Dec. 28
    Memphis, TN

    Baylor

    -8.5

    Auburn

  • Military Bowl

    Wednesday, Dec. 28
    Annapolis, MD

    Duke

    UCF

    -10
  • Guaranteed Rate Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 27
    Phoenix, AZ

    Wisconsin

    Kansas State

    -2.5
  • Camellia Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 27
    Montgomery, AL

    UAB

    -1

    Appalachian State

  • Birmingham Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 27
    Birmingham, AL

    South Carolina

    -7.5

    Georgia Tech

  • First Responder Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 27
    Dallas, TX

    Texas Tech

    -6.5

    Nebraska

  • Quick Lane Bowl

    Monday, Dec. 26
    Detroit, MI

    Michigan State

    -16

    Ball State

  • EasyPost Hawai'i Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 24
    Honolulu, HI

    San Jose State

    -5

    Western Kentucky

  • Gasparilla Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 23
    Tampa, FL

    Miami

    -7.5

    Rutgers

  • Independence Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 23
    Shreveport, LA

    Tulane

    -10

    Indiana

  • Armed Forces Bowl

    Thursday, Dec. 22
    Fort Worth, TX

    Oklahoma

    -8

    Air Force

  • New Orleans Bowl

    Wednesday, Dec. 21
    New Orleans, LA

    UTSA

    -2

    Coastal Carolina

  • Boca Raton Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 20
    Boca Raton, FL

    BYU

    -4

    SMU

  • Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

    Tuesday, Dec. 20
    Boise, ID

    Buffalo

    UNLV

    -3
  • Myrtle Beach Bowl

    Monday, Dec. 19
    Conway, SC

    East Carolina

    -4.5

    Toledo

  • Frisco Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Frisco, TX

    Houston

    -18

    UTEP

  • Las Vegas Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Las Vegas, NV

    LSU

    Utah

    -3
  • LendingTree Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Mobile, AL

    Ohio

    South Alabama

    -14.5
  • Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Los Angeles, CA

    Washington State

    PK

    Boise State

    PK
  • New Mexico Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Albuquerque, NM

    Wyoming

    North Texas

    -1
  • Wasabi Fenway Bowl

    Saturday, Dec. 17
    Boston, MA

    Louisville

    -7.5

    Memphis

  • Duluth Trading Cure Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 16
    Orlando, FL

    Troy

    -8.5

    Rice

  • Bahamas Bowl

    Friday, Dec. 16
    Nassau, Bahamas

    Miami (OH)

    -6.5

    Louisiana Tech

  • TBA Bowl**

    TBD
    TBD

    Liberty

    Marshall

    -4

* 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 Cotton Bowl if it does not qualify for College Football Playoff.

**ESPN will create a bowl this fall to replace the San Francisco Bowl if it is not played.

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