Hoosier Huddle's 2024 Big Ten Bowl and College Football Playoff Projections (Week 4)
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Written by T.J. Inman
The Indiana Hoosiers dismantled the Charlotte 49ers and improved to 4-0 on the season. The calendar has not even turned to October and there is a whole lot of season remaining but there is now a legitimate reason for Indiana fans to begin dreaming about a bowl game. There are so many factors at play that will determine where teams get slotted: how many Big Ten teams make the expanded College Football Playoff? How does conference consolidation and the dissolution of the PAC-12 impact bowl tie-ins? How will the rest of IU’s regular season play out? Those disclaimers in place, let’s guess away and start dreaming!
College Football Playoff Projections
Georgia Bulldogs – SEC Champion
Ohio State Buckeyes – Big Ten Champion
Miami Hurricanes – ACC Champion
Utah Utes – Big 12 Champion
Texas Longhorns vs. 12. UNLV Rebels (G5 Selection)
Tennessee Volunteers vs. 11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Ole Miss Rebels vs. 10. Penn State Nittany Lions
Alabama Crimson Tide vs. 9. Oregon Ducks
Big Ten Bowl Projections
I have three Big Ten teams (Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State) in the College Football Playoff so the Big Ten’s bowl slotting process begins after those top three teams.
Citrus Bowl – USC vs. Missouri
Reliaquest Bowl – Illinois vs. Texas A&M
Duke’s Mayo Bowl – Indiana vs. Boston College
Music City Bowl – Michigan vs. Oklahoma
Independence Bowl – Nebraska vs. Iowa State
Pinstripe Bowl – Rutgers vs. Georgia Tech
Liberty Bowl – Oklahoma State vs. Maryland
Guaranteed Rate Bowl – Texas Tech vs. Iowa
Detroit Bowl – Michigan State vs. Northern Illinois
Gasparilla Bowl – Washington vs. Duke
Indiana vs. Boston College in Duke’s Mayo Bowl – January 3, 2025
I currently have the Indiana Hoosiers projected to finish the regular season at 8-4 and being selected for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina. Boston College knocked off Michigan State to improve to 3-1 on the season and they have games remaining against Western Kentucky, Virginia, UNC and Pittsburgh that should see them reach seven wins. In addition, they have toss-up games against Virginia Tech, Louisville, Syracuse and SMU. In short, Boston College does not play Clemson or Miami and they could definitely reach eight or nine victories. In this projection, IU slots ahead of Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois, Washington, Iowa, Michigan State and just behind USC and Illinois as well as the playoff teams. This Saturday’s clash against the Terrapins is a critical one for both teams for bowl eligibility as well as the conference’s pecking order. As of this week, a bowl game in Florida is also very much on the table for Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers. My only lament: the glorious Pop-Tarts Bowl does not have a Big Ten tie-in.