Bowl Projections: Oklahoma Clears Path to Playoff

With the first battle against the Texas Longhorns now in the rearview mirror, an undefeated regular season is once again in play for the Oklahoma Sooners.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Our potential College Football Playoff field thinned a bit in Week 7 as SEC East powers Georgia and Florida lost their respective conference games, leaving seven undefeated Power 5 schools in the top 10 of the AP Poll. Oklahoma likely helped itself the most this weekend, defeating Texas 34–27 in the Red River Showdown. With the first battle against the Longhorns now in the rearview mirror, an undefeated regular season is once again in play.

The Sooners jumped LSU for our final Playoff spot in this week’s bowl projections, though to no fault of the Tigers. LSU sprinted past Florida 42–28 on Saturday, keeping its undefeated season alive one month before a matchup with No. 1 Alabama. LSU would be an enticing one-loss Playoff team in most years if it loses in Tuscaloosa on Nov. 9. But the Tigers may catch a bad break if there are four undefeated Power 5 schools after the first week of December.

So where will Oklahoma, LSU and the other title contenders land after the regular season? Check out Sports Illustrated’s full slate of Bowl Projections below.

Dec. 20

Bahamas Bowl, Nassau (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MAC
Southern Miss vs. Central Michigan

Frisco Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2)
American vs. Sun Belt
Cincinnati vs. Louisiana Monroe

Dec. 21

Celebration Bowl, Atlanta (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
MEAC vs. SWAC
Florida A&M vs. Arkansas Pine-Bluff

New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. MWC
UAB vs. Air Force

Cure Bowl, Orlando (2:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
American vs. Sun Belt
Temple vs. Louisiana Lafayette

Boca Raton Bowl (3:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
MAC vs. American
Western Michigan vs. USF

Camellia Bowl, Montgomery (5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Toledo vs. Arkansas State

Las Vegas Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC)
Pac-12 vs. SEC or Big Ten or MWC
Stanford vs. San Diego State

New Orleans Bowl (9 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. Sun Belt
Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State

Dec. 23

Gasparilla Bowl, Tampa (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Conference USA vs. ACC or American
Florida Atlantic vs. Syracuse

Dec. 24

Hawai'i Bowl, Honolulu (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC or BYU vs. American
Hawaii vs. Memphis

Dec. 26

Independence Bowl, Shreveport (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Kentucky vs. Florida State

Quick Lane Bowl, Detroit (8 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Indiana vs. Virginia Tech

Dec. 27

Military Bowl, Annapolis (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
American vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Navy vs. Boston College

Pinstripe Bowl, Bronx (3:20 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Michigan State vs. Duke

Texas Bowl, Houston (6:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
Texas Tech vs. Texas A&M

Holiday Bowl, San Diego (8 p.m. ET, FS1)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Iowa vs. Arizona State

Cheez-It Bowl, Phoenix (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Arizona vs. Oklahoma State

Dec. 28

Camping World Bowl, Orlando (12 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big 12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Iowa State vs. Virginia

Dec. 30

First Responder Bowl, Dallas (12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Conference USA
Kansas State vs. Louisiana Tech

Music City Bowl, Nashville (4 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Missouri vs. Miami

Redbox Bowl, Santa Clara (4 p.m. ET, FOX)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Maryland vs. Cal

Dec. 31

Belk Bowl, Charlotte (12 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC
South Carolina vs. Louisville

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, El Paso (2 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Pac-12 vs. ACC or Notre Dame
Washington vs. North Carolina

Liberty Bowl, Memphis (3:45 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. SEC
TCU vs. Ole Miss

Arizona Bowl, Tucson (4:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN)
MWC vs. Sun Belt
Wyoming vs. Appalachian State

Alamo Bowl, San Antonio (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big 12 vs. Pac-12
Texas vs. Utah

Jan. 1

Citrus Bowl, Orlando (1 p.m. ET, ABC)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Minnesota vs. Florida

Outback Bowl, Tampa (1 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Big Ten vs. SEC
Michigan vs. Georgia

Jan. 2

Birmingham Bowl (3 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. American
North Texas vs. UCF

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
SEC vs. ACC or Big Ten or Notre Dame
Auburn vs. Nebraska

Jan. 3

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Boise (3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. MWC
Kent State vs. Nevada

Jan 4

Armed Forces Bowl, Fort Worth (11:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MWC vs. Big Ten
Army vs. SMU

Jan. 6

Mobile Alabama Bowl (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Ball State vs. Coastal Carolina

New Year's Six Bowls

Cotton Bowl Classic, Arlington (Dec. 28, noon, ESPN)
At-large vs. At-large
Penn State vs. Boise State

Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens (Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN)
ACC vs. Big Ten, SEC or Notre Dame
Pittsburgh vs. Notre Dame

Rose Bowl Game, Pasadena (Jan. 1, 5 p.m., ESPN)
Big Ten vs. Pac-12
Wisconsin vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl, New Orleans (Jan. 1, 8:45 p.m., ESPN)
SEC vs. Big 12
LSU vs. Baylor

Fiesta Bowl, Glendale (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Clemson vs. Oklahoma

Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Atlanta (Dec. 28, 4 or 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinalist vs. CFP semifinalist
Alabama vs. Ohio State

College Football Playoff National Championship, New Orleans (Jan. 13, 8 p.m., ESPN)
CFP semifinal winner vs. CFP semifinal winner