We're now seven weeks through the college football season, and with it, we're starting to get a clearer picture of not just "who's good" and "who isn't" but what it all means for the big picture of the sport.
So with seven weeks behind us, let's take a look at the bowl and playoff picture heading into Week 8, with projections from five experts
College Football Playoff:
Cotton Bowl, December 31st (Arlington, Texas): No. 3 Cincinnati vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Orange Bowl, December 31st (Miami, FL): No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Georgia
Other New Year's Six Games:
Peach Bowl, December 30th (Atlanta, GA): Wake Forest vs. Michigan State
Fiesta Bowl, January 1st (Glendale, AZ): Michigan vs. Kentucky
Rose Bowl, January 1st (Pasadena, CA): Penn State vs. Utah
Sugar Bowl, January 1st (New Orleans, LA): Alabama vs. Oklahoma State
College Football Playoff:
Cotton Bowl, December 31st (Arlington, Texas): No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Alabama
Orange Bowl, December 31st (Miami, FL): No. 3 Georgia vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Other New Year's Six Games:
Peach Bowl, December 30th (Atlanta, GA): Notre Dame vs. NC State
Fiesta Bowl, January 1st (Glendale, AZ): Michigan vs. Cincinnati
Rose Bowl, January 1st (Pasadena, CA): Penn State vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl, January 1st (New Orleans, LA): Oklahoma State vs. Kentucky
College Football Playoff:
Cotton Bowl, December 31st (Arlington, Texas): No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Orange Bowl, December 31st (Miami, FL): No. 4 Cincinnati vs. No. 1 Georgia
Other New Year's Six Games:
Peach Bowl, December 30th (Atlanta, GA): Kentucky vs. Iowa
Fiesta Bowl, January 1st (Glendale, AZ): Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame
Rose Bowl, January 1st (Pasadena, CA): Michigan vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl, January 1st (New Orleans, LA): Alabama vs. Oklahoma State
College Football Playoff:
Cotton Bowl, December 31st (Arlington, Texas): No. 3. Cincinnati vs. No. 2 Alabama
Orange Bowl, December 31st (Miami, FL): No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 1 Georgia
Other New Year's Six Games:
Peach Bowl, December 30th (Atlanta, GA): Wake Forest vs. Michigan State
Fiesta Bowl, January 1st (Glendale, AZ): Coastal Carolina vs. Oklahoma State
Rose Bowl, January 1st (Pasadena, CA): Ohio State vs. Utah
Sugar Bowl, January 1st (New Orleans, LA): Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma
College Football Playoff:
Cotton Bowl, December 31st (Arlington, Texas): No. 4 Cincinnati vs. No. 1 Georgia
Orange Bowl, December 31st (Miami, FL): No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Other New Year's Six Games:
Peach Bowl, December 30th (Atlanta, GA): Penn State vs. NC State
Fiesta Bowl, January 1st (Glendale, AZ): Notre Dame vs. Michigan
Rose Bowl, January 1st (Pasadena, CA): Iowa vs. Oregon
Sugar Bowl, January 1st (New Orleans, LA): Alabama vs. Oklahoma State
A few thoughts in reaction to these projections.
First off, Iowa's loss completely opens up the playoff picture. Last week, four of five experts had Iowa in the College Football Playoff. With the Hawkeyes loss, we now have a bunch of different projections for the playoff.
All five experts have Georgia in the playoff (not surprising) and with Oklahoma's sudden emergence with Caleb Williams, they are projected in four of these five rankings as well. Ohio State has now made a return to these rankings, showing up in four of the five, while one expert has Michigan in representing the Big Ten (Hail to the Victors!). Cincinnati gets the fourth spot in three of these rankings, and Alabama two.
Then there is the rest of the New Year's Six picture, and boy oh boy is it shaky.
There is essentially no consensus anywhere, as this week's results have really shaken things. The most consistent projections are Oklahoma State representing the Big 12 at the Sugar Bowl in four of the five projections, and Oregon representing the Pac-12 in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl in four of five as well. For the first time, we see Utah as a potential Pac-12 champ, as they continue to rise in recent weeks.
Otherwise, it's all over the place. As an example, take Michigan. One expert has them in the playoff, three in the Fiesta and one in the Rose Bowl, while Penn State is in the Peach in one, Rose in another and out altogether.
Oh, and it's still good to be a Kentucky fan. Even after Saturday's loss to Georgia, three different experts have them in the New Year's Six.
Will it be the Peach (Atlanta), Fiesta (Arizona) or Sugar (New Orleans).
Just keep winning Cats fans, and you'll find out soon.