Very good chance P12 gets 3 teams in CFP bowls

[GoBeers]

While there are a few mentions of Colorado going to the Cotton Bowl in the Rose Bowl thread, I think there's a good chance the P12 will get a team into the CFP at-large bowls this year. If UW is somehow jumped and goes to the Rose, the P12 could even get 2 teams into the at-large bowls.

Unlike in pre- CFP era, the at-large bowls do not have the latitude to chose who they want - the committee votes and teams in the top 11 (or top 10 if VTech beats Clemson) would be included.

Now consider USC is ranked #11 and #10 Oklahoma State lost so you'd have to think USC moves to #10. Florida State (#12) did not play, so no way they jump USC. So basically USC should qualify for one of the big bowls no matter what.

The question is how far CU falls. Could CU hold onto #11 (essentially by beating out Ok St and Fla State)? I think there's a decent argument for that. Not guaranteed, but not all that out of the question. Maybe 50/50?

Now, here's whats interesting - the Rose Bowl gets to chose whomever they want. They don't have to follow the CFP rankings. The are partners with the Pac 12 and the networks so they might ask for input. What if Larry Scott, assuming that USC would make a CFP at-large bowl no matter what, pushes on the Rose to take the Buffs? It would be good for the entire conference. The Rose Bowl is a contractual sellout anyway, so having USC in it doesn't sell more tickets. And it doesn't sell any hotels or create tourism. Furthermore, a 9-3 USC doesn't exactly create a buzz at the Rose Bowl since they've been there so many times.... and so many times as a zero or one loss team.

CU would still have a great buzz factor for the Rose Bowl and USC in the Cotton (or Orange, but way less likely due to geography) would mean the P12 would be triple dipping in the CFP bowl series. What's not to like? Why wouldn't Scott and the conference officials push for this?

I'd also add that Clemson losing to VTech would make this even more appealing to the P12 as a whole - again I see no way USC falls below #10, but VATech crashing the party means the #11 team would be out.

 

[slider]

Penn state is basically a lock for the Cotton bowl

 

[AeroBuff99]

Just to clarify, the cotton is the only one the committee picks, the rest are through contractual obligation. So it basically congress down to the Big loser, us and USC for that slot. The higher of us and USC goes to the Rose, and the lower goes to either the Alamo or Cotton (if ranked higher than the Big loser). Michigan is headed to the Orange to play FSU assuming Clemson wins. OU vs Auburn in the Sugar. Rose is TBD and Cotton is WMU vs TBD.

If Clemson loses than they go to the Cotton and VT goes to the Orange. With the Big game being close though I don't think the Pac gets more than two in the NY6.

 

[bpc5180]

Would love a New Year's Day game. Cotton or Alamo is a wash, both would be good for our Tx recruiting. Rose bowl would be epic.

 

[GoBeers]

Just to clarify, the cotton is the only one the committee picks, the rest are through contractual obligation. So it basically congress down to the Big loser, us and USC for that slot. The higher of us and USC goes to the Rose, and the lower goes to either the Alamo or Cotton (if ranked higher than the Big loser). Michigan is headed to the Orange to play FSU assuming Clemson wins. OU vs Auburn in the Sugar. Rose is TBD and Cotton is WMU vs TBD.

If Clemson loses than they go to the Cotton and VT goes to the Orange. With the Big game being close though I don't think the Pac gets more than two in the NY6.

Ugh, I forgot about the wack BigTen/SEC tie in to the Orange. Then of course there is the SEC getting #2 into the Sugar and ACC getting #2 into the Orange even if not in top 11. The committee chooses at large teams for the Peach and Fiesta, but only when they don't host the playoff semis (which is this season). It would make more sense if they assigned the semis differently so that the rotation was always one contract bowl (orange, rose, sugar) and one at-large bowl. That way every year would have 2 at large bowls for the committee to assign.

So USC @ #10 when OkSt drops. Penn State likely goes to the Rose. Michigan to the Orange vs FSU as you say. So Wisconsin would be going to the Cotton vs W. Mich if they hold on to #9. Any way both USC and CU would end up ahead of Wisconsin?

Rose Bowl can still choose CU over USC regardless of the committee rankings.