Week 8 College Football Bowl Projections: Brett McMurphy’s Updated Predictions With Projected Spreads

Because James Madison is in its second year transitioning from FCS to FBS, the Dukes’ bowl hopes are simple: they must hope there aren’t 82 teams that win at least six games.

If there are 82 teams with at least six wins to fill the 41 bowls, then the Dukes’ bowl hopes are done. Kaput.

James Madison, currently 6-0, could finish 12-0 as the nation’s only unbeaten team, but it’s ineligible for the College Football Playoff rankings. The Dukes also can’t be considered for a New Year’s Six bowl as the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion since they’re ineligible for the Sun Belt title.

Because it’s the second year of the Dukes’ two-year transition, JMU needs help to get to a bowl. And I think they’ll get it.

In my Week 8 bowl projections, I’m including James Madison because I’m projecting only 79 teams to reach the six-win mark. Obviously, this is only my projection and we could end up with more than 82 teams with six wins or fall short — it’s impossible to say at this point.

So, you’re saying there’s a chance?

While I have James Madison in my projections for the first time this season, I also have a new final four in the College Football Playoff with Washington joining Georgia, Michigan and Florida State.

Besides James Madison, there are seven other teams joining my projections this week: Colorado State, Houston, Illinois, Navy, New Mexico State, TCU and Virginia Tech.

Here are my Week 8 projections — and each projection includes the projected point spread for each bowl based on Action Network senior writer Collin Wilson’s updated college football betting power ratings.

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