Pac-12 Bowl Projections: USC Picked for College Football Playoff
This is the final season of the Pac-12 as we know it, and every team in the conference except Colorado and Stanford is projected to get a bowl berth by at least one of the eight experts we cite in this report.
Yes, one expert (ESPN's Kyle Bonagura) even predicted that Cal will land a postseason berth for the first time since 2019.
Last season was the last time the Rose Bowl would be played in the traditional Pac-12 vs. Big Ten format. The Rose Bowl is one of the College Football Playoff national semifinal games this season, and next season at least eight of this year’s Pac-12 teams will be members of other conferences. So we bid adieu to the Rose Bowl as we know it.
However . . .
Four of our eight experts predict that USC will earn a berth in the four-team College Football Playoff, and three of the four match the Trojans against Michigan in the Rose Bowl. That would amount to a traditional Rose Bowl matchup between the champions of the Pac-12 and Big Ten.
USC's offense and quarterback Caleb Williams were of CFP quality in the 56-28 victory over San Jose State Saturday. We'll have to see about the Trojans' defense, though.
Take a look at the eight preseason bowl projections:
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Alabama
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Florida State
Cotton Bowl – USC vs. Kansas State
Fiesta Bowl – Utah vs. Penn State
Alamo Bowl – Washington vs. TCU
Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Miami
Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Illinois
Sun Bowl – Cal vs. Pittsburgh
LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State
Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Cincinnati
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Tulane
Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. Texas Tech
Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame
Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Iowa
Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Louisville
LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State
Independence Bowl – Arizona vs. Baylor
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Alabama vs. Michigan
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl – USC vs. Boise State
Alamo Bowl – Washington vs. Oklahoma
Holiday Bowl – Utah vs. Pittsburgh
Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Purdue
Sun Bowl – UCLA vs. Louisville
LA Bowl – Oregon State vs. Air Force
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Ohio State vs. Texas
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Michigan
Cotton Bowl – USC vs. LSU
Fiesta Bowl – Oregon vs. Notre Dame
Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. TCU
Holiday Bowl – Washington vs. North Carolina State
Las Vegas Bowl – UCLA vs. Nebraska
Sun Bowl – Oregon State vs. Miami
LA Bowl – Arizona vs. San Diego State
Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Central Florida
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Action Network (Brett McMurphy)
Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Florida State
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State
Peach Bowl – Oregon vs. Tulane
Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Alabama
Alamo Bowl – USC vs. Texas
Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Las Vegas Bowl – Utah vs. Nebraska
Sun Bowl – Arizona vs. Duke
LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State
Independence Bowl – Arizona State vs. Central Florida
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Ohio State vs. Georgia
Cotton Bowl – Oregon vs. Texas
Fiesta Bowl – Utah vs. Boise State
Alamo Bowl – UCLA vs. Oklahoma
Holiday Bowl – Washington vs. Notre Dame
Las Vegas Bowl – Arizona vs. Nebraska
Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Wake Forest
LA Bowl – Oregon State vs. San Diego State
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Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Alabama
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Georgia
Cotton Bowl – Utah vs. Texas
Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Tulane
Alamo Bowl – UCLA vs. Oklahoma
Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame
Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Iowa
Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Duke
LA Bowl – Arizona vs. Boise State
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The Sporting News (Bill Bender)
Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan
Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. UT-San Antonio
Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. Kansas State
Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame
Las Vegas Bowl – UCLA vs. Michigan State
Sun Bowl – Oregon vs. Louisville
LA Bowl – Arizona State vs. Boise State
Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Oklahoma State
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Pac-12 bowl affiliations:
College Football Playoff Semifinal (January 1): If Selected
Fiesta, Orange, Cotton or Peach: If Selected
Alamo Bowl (December 28): vs. Big 12
Holiday Bowl (December 27): vs. ACC
Las Vegas Bowl (December 23): vs. SEC
Sun Bowl (December 29): vs. ACC
LA Bowl (December 16): vs. Mountain West
Independence Bowl (December 16): vs. Big 12
A Pac-12 team could also be selected for one of three ESPN-operated bowl games: Armed Forces Bowl, First Responder Bow and Gasparilla Bowl
Cover photo of Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley by Kiyoshi Mio, USA TODAY Sports
