Ohio State left out of CFP in Action Network's early bowl projections for 2023 season
COLUMBUS — In beating Ohio State back-to-back seasons and winning two straight Big Ten championships, Michigan has revived the rivalry of The Game. The Wolverines also proved that their first run to the College Football Playoff wasn’t a one-off.
Bowl projections are taking that into account. At least that’s the case for Brett McMurphy’s Action Network “never-too-early” 2023 bowl projections.
McMurphy has Michigan in the CFP for the third consecutive year. Ohio State, meanwhile, is on the outside looking in, albeit still in a New Year’s Six bowl.
He has the Buckeyes facing off against Clemson in the Orange Bowl.
Ohio State and Clemson have played five times, with four of those matchups occurring in the last decade. The Tigers lead the series, 4-1, but Ohio State got the last laugh: The Buckeyes defeated Trevor Lawrence and Dabo Swinney, 49-28, in the Sugar Bowl CFP semifinals during the 2020 season. In the process, Ohio State avenged its heartbreaking Fiesta Bowl CFP semifinals loss to Clemson from the season prior.
Still, the Buckeyes’ Sugar Bowl triumph remains their lone CFP victory under head coach Ryan Day, who has made the Playoff three of his first four full seasons as head coach. After its breakthrough against Clemson, Ohio State went on to lose the national title game to an uber-talented Alabama team at the end of the COVID-19-shortened season.
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Last year, of course, Ohio State was a 50-yard field goal away from knocking off eventual back-to-back national champion Georgia in the Peach Bowl CFP semifinals.
But that potential upset victory remains a “what if” in the Ohio State timeline.
Back to McMurphy’s projections, though.
New Year’s Six bowls (Action Network projections)
Rose Bowl (CFP): Michigan vs. Florida State
Sugar Bowl (CFP): Georgia vs. Washington
Peach Bowl: LSU vs. Penn State
Fiesta Bowl: Oregon vs. Tulane
Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Alabama
Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Ohio State
Other bowls with Big Ten teams (Action Network projections)
Citrus Bowl: Tennessee vs. Wisconsin
Music City Bowl: Arkansas vs. Illinois
Pinstripe Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Iowa
Guaranteed Rate Bowl: Maryland vs. Baylor
First Responder Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Michigan State
Quick Lane Bowl: Minnesota vs. Central Michigan
Las Vegas Bowl: Utah vs. Nebraska
Outlook
Ohio State has a lot to prove in 2023. With a big question mark on the offensive line and a starter under center yet to be named, the Buckeyes still have work to do before they can do that. But the talent remains rich in Columbus. After all, Ohio State could have six first-round picks in 2024.
The Game will likely be the game that decides Ohio State’s CFP fate. It looked that way last year until USC lost in the Pac-12 title game, and Day’s squad backed its way into the four-team field. It’s hard to believe the Buckeyes will get that lucky two years in a row. So, naturally, Nov. 25 is the date to circle.
