CBS Sports updates College Football Playoff, full Bowl predictions ahead of Week 4

Through three weeks of the regular season, the College Football Playoff race is as open as ever. Conference play is about to begin across the country, with a few key matchups coming up this weekend. Before another Saturday slate occurs, CBS Sports updated its CFP and bowl projections.

When it comes to the College Football Playoff, there were no huge upsets that occurred in Week 3. Florida was able to get a huge win against Tennessee, continuing an impressive home win streak against the Volunteers. Billy Napier desperately needed to beat a rival this season and checked a massive box at the Swamp.

Elsewhere, a ton of top teams were still facing off against nonconference opponents. The schedule is about to ramp up and the College Football Playoff picture could become a lot clearer in the coming weeks.

1. Georgia

Following their win against South Carolina, the back-to-back national championship are still likely the favorites to win it all. Not everything has been perfect, though — at least compared to the past two years.

Kirby Smart is still figuring out some kinks with his team but has nine more regular season games to get Georgia to play at an elite level. Without there really being a standout, best team in the country, the Bulldogs still hold onto the top spot.

2. Michigan

Michigan has slept walked through the first three weeks of the regular season, even without head coach Jim Harbaugh. But with Harbaugh coming back from suspension and a Big Ten opponent finally on the schedule, the Wolverines are truly seeing their campaign begin.

They will be hoping to make a third consecutive College Football Playoff but to this point, there have been no wins. Michigan expects to be in the race toward the end of the season and wants to compete for a national championship.

3. Texas

The final score indicates Texas won comfortably against Wyoming but the game was tied in the fourth quarter. Either way, Steve Sarkisian is going to take a win over the Cowboys after defeating a Big 12 rival, Texas Tech, during Week 1.

Conference play will begin for the Longhorns on Saturday, facing off against Baylor. Folks in Austin will be looking to add to the College Football Playoff resume along the way and hear their name called on Selection Sunday in early December.

4. Florida State

Florida State survived against Boston College in the program’s conference opener. In what would have been a devastating loss for head coach Mike Norvell, the Seminoles found a way to continue an undefeated start to the season.

If Florida State is going to keep its top-four status moving forward, it will have to get a win on the road against Clemson on Saturday. An early morning kick is scheduled for what is a monster game in terms of the ACC and College Football Playoff race.

Fiesta Bowl: Washington vs. Tulane

If Tulane were to make the Fiesta Bowl, it would mark the second consecutive New Year’s Six bowl game for the program. Washington would be another Pac-12 opponent too, with the Green Wave taking down USC last season.

Washington is playing as well as anybody in the country, recently blowing out Michigan State in East Lansing. Kalen DeBoer will be aiming for the College Football Playoff but for now, is projected to make the NY6.

Orange Bowl: North Carolina vs. Ohio State

If North Carolina and Ohio State were to meet up in the Orange Bowl, it would mark the first matchup between the two since 1975. Facing unfamiliar foes is what the bowl season is all about, especially in the New Year’s Six.

Heading into Week 4, both teams are undefeated and looking to win their conference. CBS Sports projects there to be a stumble along the way somewhere for the ACC and Big Ten programs eventually, placing them in the Orange Bowl.

Peach Bowl: Alabama vs. Penn State

Alabama has never gone three years without a national championship in the Nick Saban era. But with how the quarterback situation sits at the moment, the Crimson Tide are going to feel lucky to wind up in the Peach Bowl at the moment.

However, facing Penn State would bring back an unusual rivalry. The two programs have plenty of history with one another, facing off for 10 consecutive seasons from 1981 to 1990. Another chapter could take place around the New Year.

Cotton Bowl: USC vs. LSU

Arlington, TX would be the site of the LSU-USC matchup, a preview of the 2024 season opener for both programs. That game will be played in Las Vegas but will give Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly an early look at each other if CBS Sports’ projection becomes true.

At this point of the season, LSU and USC will still be hoping to make the College Football Playoff. Both have a difficult schedule ahead of them in the SEC West and Pac-12, respectively. A slip-up or two and the Cotton Bowl could win up being the postseason destination.

Remaining bowl game projections

SATURDAY, Dec. 16
Bahamas Bowl: FIU vs. Eastern Michigan
Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium (Nassau, Bahamas)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Liberty vs. Appalachian State
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Cure Bowl: Army vs. Marshall
Exploria Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

New Mexico Bowl: San Diego State vs. UTSA
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

LA Bowl: Colorado vs. Fresno State
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl: Kansas vs. Washington State
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

MONDAY, Dec. 18
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Troy vs. Toledo
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

TUESDAY, Dec. 19
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: SMU vs. Oklahoma State
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

THURSDAY, Dec. 21
RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl: West Virginia vs. Coastal Carolina
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
8 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

FRIDAY, Dec. 22
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl: Florida vs. South Alabama
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
6:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

SATURDAY, Dec. 23
Birmingham Bowl: Baylor vs. South Carolina
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Noon, ABC and the ESPN App

Camellia Bowl: Rice vs. James Madison
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: Texas Tech vs. UNLV
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
3:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Wyoming
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

68 Ventures Bowl: Middle Tennessee State vs. Georgia Southern
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
7 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl: Iowa vs. Utah
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
7:30 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl: Boise State vs. FAU
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
10:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

TUESDAY, Dec. 26
Quick Lane Bowl: Michigan State vs. Miami (OH)
Ford Field (Detroit)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Louisiana vs. Western Kentucky
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Guaranteed Rate Bowl: BYU vs. Purdue
Chase Field (Phoenix)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 27
Military Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Memphis
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Duke vs. Kentucky
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
5:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Holiday Bowl: Syracuse vs. UCLA
Petco Park (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox

TaxAct Texas Bowl: TCU vs. Texas A&M
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

THURSDAY, Dec. 28

Wasabi Fenway Bowl: Boston College vs. Navy
Fenway Park (Boston)
11 a.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl: Maryland vs. Louisville
Yankee Stadium (New York)
2:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Pop-Tarts Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Kansas State
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:45 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

Valero Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Oregon
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9:15 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

FRIDAY, Dec. 29
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. Mississippi State
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon, ESPN and the ESPN App

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: NC State vs. Oregon State
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS

AutoZone Liberty Bowl: UCF vs. Auburn
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
3:30 p.m., ESPN and the ESPN App

SATURDAY, Dec. 30
TransPerfect Music City Bowl: Minnesota vs. Missouri
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
2 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl: Air Force vs. Ohio
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m.

MONDAY, Jan. 1
ReliaQuest Bowl: Clemson vs. Ole Miss
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN2 and the ESPN App

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m., ABC and the ESPN App

A huge slate of games is set to take place during Week 4. There will be plenty of College Football Playoff implications on the line with matchups occurring across the entire country. By this time next week, the projects could look completely different.