2013: Post Week 8 Bowl Projections

Talk about a wild week in college football. Ranked SEC teams were dropping like flies to unranked foes because "the SEC is so deep." Yes, that's the narrative that we'll continue to pimp because that's the narrative ESPN continues to feed us. The SEC is just that good. One of their better teams can lose to an unranked squad like Vanderbilt because they're just that deep. /wink wink nudge nudge

Welcome to reality, Southeastern Conference.

Remember when Clemson wouldn't lose just because they're Clemson? K.

Of greater concern is how dominant Florida State looked. Did you watch the game? I didn't. Jameis Winston is insane. I'm a believer in FSU after watching that carpet bombing in Death Valley.  The BCS is also a believer, ranking them second in the nation over Oregon and Ohio State. So I was wrong on Florida State.

Regarding Oregon, I still think they're going to lose a game. When Oregon plays a team with an actual defense and a style of offense that keeps the ball out of their hands, they struggle. Oregon plays two teams like that this year: Stanford and UCLA (and they might play UCLA twice). Teams who try to run with Oregon will only find sadness and melancholy at the end of the day. Teams who control the pace and play defense can beat the Ducks. It's going to happen.

If Oregon were to go undefeated their strength of schedule would probably put them at #2, ahead of an undefeated Florida State. But I don't see that happening so...

The loser is Ohio State. I still have the Buckeyes going undefeated but they're the loser in this scenario. Florida State isn't likely to lose a game so they're going to Pasadena for the BCS Championship. Hell, even if Oregon and Florida State lost a game I would still put Oregon above Ohio State after looking at the back end of their schedule. Oregon plays a ranked UCLA, Stanford and Oregon State. Ohio State plays a ranked...Michigan. And I don't even think Michigan will be ranked come November 30th.

If you put down 50 large at the Bellagio because I somehow convinced you that Ohio State was going to play in the BCS Championship...I'm sorry. No refunds.

Naturally, that means Ohio State will be playing in the Rose Bowl and everyone will be knocked down a slot. With Minnesota's win last week I now have them bowl eligible because they're going to upset someone at home. And Northwestern. Oh God Northwestern. Here's you:

It's tragic, really. So many people (like myself) had Northwestern as a dark horse for the West. Hell, at one point I actually expected them to win it. Then the injuries came. Looking back it's impressive how injury free the Wildcats were in 2012. Now their top two skill players are hurt and they seemingly have no answer. The rest of the Big Ten smells blood at this point, Northwestern. You're not going to surprise anyone anymore. Also, the back end of their schedule is brutal...but I still have them making a bowl. Albeit in Detroit.

PS: Don't wear Armani in Detroit, Northwestern fans, your shit will get jacked.

The Rules:

• Bowl Eligible Teams: Michigan State, Michigan, Ohio State.
• The best teams don't always go to the best games. In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors. Some bowl games also have the "two loss-rule."
• The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Orange Bowl; 4) Sugar Bowl; 5) Fiesta Bowl. If a Big Ten or Pac-10 team qualifies for the BCS Championship Game, the Rose Bowl will not be required to take a non-automatic qualifier.
• The Outback Bowl only takes teams from the SEC East and Auburn.
• Penn State is not bowl eligible until 2016.
• I base these projections upon what I believe will be the final conference standings. The game by game method is rather unscientific: who would win the matchup 9 times out of 10? Naturally, that means I can't predict insane upsets.
• It's very rare for a conference championship game loser to make a BCS Bowl. In the history of the BCS only three conference championship game losers have made BCS games: 2003 Oklahoma, 2008 Alabama and 2009 Florida. Thanks to user Incipient_Senescence for doing the research on this one.

The Projections:

Disagree? That's what the comments are for.