Week 1 bowl projections: Which teams could we see play in the postseason? — SkimNews
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- UMass snapped its 16-game losing streak with a 37-21 win over Rutgers, earning a spot in this week's bowl projection list.
- LSU opened the Lane Kiffin era with a 51-10 rout of Clemson, landing the Tigers in the playoff quarterfinals in the analysts' first projections.
- The 12-team College Football Playoff grants automatic bids to Power 4 conference champions plus the highest-ranked Group of 6 team, with seven at-large spots and a guaranteed berth for Notre Dame if it finishes in the top 12.
- ESPN analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach diverge on the title game matchup: Bonagura projects Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, while Schlabach has Ohio State vs. Georgia.
- The four highest-ranked CFP teams receive first-round byes, while seeds 5-8 host first-round games at their campus sites on December 18-19.
- Bowl season runs from the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 12 to the CFP National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on January 25.
Why it matters: The two ESPN analysts already agree on Ohio State in the title game after just one week of data—but disagree on the opponent, illustrating how thin Week 1 evidence is shaping wildly different championship paths. Bonagura and Schlabach will rewrite every matchup weekly through December 6, meaning each week's upsets directly redraw the entire postseason map for fans and bettors tracking the field.
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