Rounding up bowl projections for Buckeyes after Week 6
COLUMBUS — Ohio State is 5-0. The Buckeyes are ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25. But they received just one first-place vote in this week’s poll, and major bowl projections still aren’t sold on the scarlet and gray as a College Football Playoff team.
Lettermen Row rounded up those projections after Ohio State’s 37-17 win over previously undefeated Maryland in Week 6.
Let’s dive in.
On3: Peach Bowl vs. Louisville
Could Ohio State be headed back to Atlanta for the Peach Bowl? On3’s Andy Staples thinks so, at least at the moment. But this time, the Peach Bowl isn’t part of the College Football Playoff. Staples’ projection pits the Buckeyes against a currently undefeated Louisville team that has thrived in its first year under head coach Jeff Brohm. Ohio State faced Brohm when he was the lead man at Purdue. This matchup would have a different, Big Ten-ACC flavor. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series against Louisville, 2-0, but both of those games took place in the early ’90s and were decided by one score. Staples noted that this projection will go to the wayside if Ohio State defeats Penn State on Oct. 21 in the ‘Shoe.
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. Oklahoma
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Michigan
ESPN (Bonagura): Orange Bowl vs. UNC
First off, it’s important to mention that ESPN once again rolls out the weekly bowl projections of both Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach.
They’re both sticking with their Orange Bowl projections from last week, but this time they’re each penciling in North Carolina as the Buckeyes’ opponent in Hard Rock Stadium. Ohio State-UNC has been a popular projection early this season, including this week. The No. 12 Tar Heels are off to a 5-0 start and have rattled off three straight decisive wins over Minnesota, Pittsburgh and, most recently, Syracuse. That stretch followed a nail-biting, double-overtime victory against Appalachian State. Led by first-round NFL Draft prospect Drake Maye, UNC might just find itself in the ACC Championship this season. It helps that the Heels don’t have to play conference front runner FSU.
“It’s fair to consider that Florida State might not be as good as Ohio State, Penn State or Oklahoma, but the Seminoles have the easiest (but still not easy) path to remaining undefeated, which is why they move up in the No. 4 spot.”
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Washington
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Florida State
ESPN (Schlabach): Orange Bowl vs. UNC
Schlabach noted that he considered Ohio State for the final CFP spot. But, like Bonagura, he went with FSU at No. 4.
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CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Washington
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Florida State
Action Network: Peach Bowl vs. Texas
Action Network’s Brett McMurphy has Ohio State playing Texas in the Peach Bowl. As mentioned above, the Peach Bowl isn’t part of this year’s CFP, so obviously the Buckeyes wouldn’t prefer this destination — that said, this head-to-head would be a pleasure for college football fans everywhere. It’s also preview of the scheduled home-and-home series Ohio State and Texas have down for 2025 and 2026. A postseason meeting between the blue blood programs this year would notably feature Kyle McCord against Quinn Ewers, who shared a quarterback room together at Ohio State during the 2021 season.
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida State
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Oregon
CBS Sports: Orange Bowl vs. UNC
Another Ohio State-UNC Orange Bowl projection, this one from Jerry Palm of CBS Sports. Keep in mind, the Buckeyes lead the all-time series versus UNC, 3-1. They haven’t played since 1975, though, and the Heels’ lone win in the teams’ head-to-head history occurred in 1965.
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida State
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Texas
Athlon Sports: Orange Bowl vs. UNC
Make it three different outlets on this list with an Ohio State-UNC Orange Bowl projection. Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports joins the mix.
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida State
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Texas
College Football News: Cotton Bowl vs. Oklahoma
Oklahoma has asserted itself in the New Year’s Six discussion after taking down then-No. 3 Texas in a thrilling Red River Showdown over the weekend. The Sooners catapulted to No. 5 in the AP Top 25 and are being entertained as a potential CFP team. The staff at College Football News sees Oklahoma falling short of that goal and instead ending up in the Cotton Bowl against Ohio State. The Buckeyes haven’t taken part in the Cotton Bowl since their 24-7 win over USC in 2017. Before that, their last appearance in the bowl game came in 1987 — they capped the 1986 season with a 28-12 win against Texas A&M.
CFP Picks…
- Rose Bowl: Michigan vs. Florida State
- Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Texas
