Cal, CFP Bowl Projections: Clemson Climbs into 12-Team Playoff

All nine sites we cite put Cal in a bowl game, with the LA Bowl and Independence Bowl being the most likely at the moment

Clemson coach Dabo Swinney accompanies his team onto the field / Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

All nine of the experts we cited predict that Cal will be in a postseason bowl game, but they differ on which one. The LA Bowl and the Independence Bowl are the most popular destinations for the Golden Bears this week. Remember schools that were in the Pac-12 in 2023 will be placed in Pac-12-affiliated bowl games this year. (Pac-12-affiliated bowls are listed at the end of this report.)

Regarding the College Football Playoff, Clemson is making an impact as seven of the nine sites put the Tigers in the 12-team playoff, and one even has Clemson getting a first-round bye as one of the top four seeds. That 59-35 victory over North Carolina State (which was a bigger blowout than the score suggests) must have impressed some people.

Here are this week's projections from nine experts on the 12 teams that will be in the College Football Playoff and Cal's predicted bowl destination:

ESPN (Kyle Bonagura)

Cal bowl

Las Vegas Bowl – Cal vs. South Carolina

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Texas

No. 2 – Ohio State

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 -- Utah

First round

No. 5 -- Georgia

No. 6 -- Alabama

No. 7 – Tennessee

No. 8 – Mississippi

No. 9 – Oregon

No. 10 – Penn State

No. 11 – Michigan

No. 12 – James Madison

.

ESPN (Mark Schlabach)

Cal bowl

LA Bowl – Cal vs. Boise State

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Texas

No. 2 – Ohio State

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 -- Utah

First round

No. 5 -- Georgia

No. 6 – Tennessee

No. 7 – Alabama

No. 8 – Mississippi

No. 9 – Penn State

No. 10 – Oregon

No. 11 – Clemson

No. 12 -- UNLV

.

CBS Sports (Jerry Palm)

Cal bowl

LA Bowl – Cal vs. UNLV

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Georgia

No. 2 – Ohio State

No. 3 – Utah

No. 4 -- Miami

First round

No. 5 – Texas

No. 6 – Alabama

No. 7 – Oregon

No. 8 – Iowa State

No. 9 – Penn State

No. 10 – Michigan

No. 11 – Clemson

No. 12 – Boise State

.

USA Today (Erick Smith)

Cal bowl

Independence Bowl – Cal vs. Army

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

Georgia

Ohio State

Utah

Miami

First round

Texas

Alabama

Oregon

Tennessee

Clemson

Penn State

Iowa State

James Madison

.

Action Network (Brett McMurphy)

Cal bowl

LA Bowl – Cal vs. Boise State

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Georgia

No. 2 – Ohio State

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 -- Utah

First round

No. 5 – Texas

No. 6 – Alabama

No. 7 – Tennessee

No. 8 – Mississippi

No. 9 – Oregon

No. 10 – Penn State

No. 11 – Clemson

No. 12 -- UNLV

.

Athlon Sports (Steven Lassan)

Cal bowl

LA Bowl – Cal vs. UNLV

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Texas

No. 2 – Ohio State

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 – Utah

First round

No. 5 – Georgia

No. 6 – Tennessee

No. 7 – Mississippi

No. 8 – Alabama

No. 9 – Oregon

No. 10 – Penn State

No. 11 – Missouri

No. 12 – Boise State

.

College Football News

Cal bowl

Independence Bowl – Cal vs. TCU

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Ohio State

No. 2 – Georgia

No. 3 – Clemson

No. 4 -- Utah

First round

No. 5 – Alabama

No. 6 – Texas

No. 7 – Miami

No. 8 – Mississippi

No. 9 – Michigan

No. 10 – Tennessee

No. 11 – Penn State

No. 12 – Boise State

.

247 Sports (Brad Crawford)

Cal bowl

Sun Bowl – Cal vs. Oregon State

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Ohio State

No. 2 – Texas

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 -- BYU

First round

No. 5 – Georgia

No. 6 – Mississippi

No. 7 – Oregon

No. 8 – Tennessee

No. 9 – Penn State

No. 10 – Alabama

No. 11 – Clemson

No. 12 – James Madison

.

Bleacher Report (David Kenyon)

Cal bowl

Independence Bowl – Cal vs. Army

College Football Playoff

First-round byes

No. 1 – Georgia

No. 2 – Oregon

No. 3 – Miami

No. 4 – Utah

First round

No. 5 – Texas

No. 6 – Ohio State

No. 7 – Mississippi

No. 8 – Alabama

No. 9 – Tennessee

No. 10 – Penn State

No. 11 – Clemson

No. 12 – Boise State

.

2024 pecking order of Pac-12-affliated bowls, which applies to teams that were in the Pac-12 in 2023

College Football Playoff

Alamo Bowl (December 28, San Antonio)

Holiday Bowl (December 27, San Diego)

Las Vegas Bowl (December 27, Allegiant Stadium)

Sun Bowl (December 31, El Paso, Texas)

LA Bowl (December 18, SoFi Stadium)

ESPN bowl pool

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