College football bowl projections reshaped by wave of upsets
A series of surprise defeats in Week 7 has upended the college football postseason picture, prompting new bowl and playoff projections across the SEC and other conferences.
Week 7 delivered a cascade of upsets that have dramatically altered the college football postseason outlook. Texas, which entered the week unbeaten and ranked No. 1, fell to Florida, while top-ranked Georgia was upset by Auburn and Alabama lost at Tennessee. The results have forced analysts to revise bowl line-ups and CFP scenarios, with the SEC now projected to send multiple three-loss teams to a possible 24-team playoff as early as the 2027 season.
Projected final SEC records after the upheaval include Georgia, Tennessee and Ole Miss at 10-2, and Alabama, Kentucky, LSU, Texas and Florida each at 9-3. The conference’s tiebreaker for the championship game remains uncertain, and several SEC programs are expected to appeal to the selection committee for playoff consideration.
"We are rebuilding the Tigers into a national power," coach Alex Golesh said after Auburn’s road win at Georgia.
Bowl match-ups have also been re-imagined, with potential pairings such as Jackson State vs. South Carolina State, Virginia vs. Texas A&M in the Gasparilla Bowl, and a projected College Football Playoff quarterfinal featuring Alabama against Miami. The projected semifinals pit Miami against Indiana in the Orange Bowl and Ole Miss against Georgia in the Cotton Bowl.
In the Big Ten, Penn State’s recent loss to Michigan left the Nittany Lions 0-4 in conference play, while Ohio State’s quarterback Julian Sayin is expected to miss several weeks, prompting concerns about the Buckeyes’ CFP chances.
The article also highlighted individual team narratives, such as South Carolina’s resurgence under coach Shane Beamer, Utah’s unbeaten run keeping it in CFP contention, and the ongoing challenges for programs like Oklahoma State and Missouri as they chase playoff berths.
"Ryan Day said Julian Sayin is out for several weeks," reflecting the uncertainty surrounding Ohio State’s quarterback situation.
Overall, the mid-season turbulence has created a fluid bowl landscape, with many teams eyeing the newly discussed 24-team playoff format as a potential solution to the crowded SEC field.