Hoosier Huddle's Bowl Projections-October 6

Written by T.J. Inman

After six weeks of full college football action, the Indiana Hoosiers are one of two teams that have clinched bowl eligibility. Do not adjust your screen, you read that correctly. The Indiana Hoosiers are 6-0 and join the Miami Hurricanes as the only teams to reach six wins and gain bowl eligibility. Curt Cignetti and his Indiana Hoosiers have much bigger things in mind than just reaching a bowl game but goal number one is always to reach six victories and go bowling and IU’s win in Evanston accomplished that feat. 

College Football Playoff Projections

  1. Texas Longhorns – SEC Champion

  2. Ohio State Buckeyes – Big Ten Champion

  3. Miami Hurricanes – ACC Champion

  4. Iowa State Cyclones – Big 12 Champion

  5. Georgia Bulldogs vs. 12. Boise State Broncos (G5 Selection)

  6. Clemson Tigers vs. 11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

  7. Oregon Ducks vs. 10. Alabama Crimson Tide

  8. Ole Miss Rebels vs. 9. Penn State Nittany Lions

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 – Indiana vs. Texas A&M

Reliaquest Bowl – Nebraska vs. Missouri

Duke’s Mayo Bowl – Syracuse vs. Rutgers

Music City Bowl – Michigan vs. Oklahoma

Independence Bowl – Illinois vs. Utah

Pinstripe Bowl – Wisconsin vs. Georgia Tech

Liberty Bowl – Cincinnati vs. Maryland

Guaranteed Rate Bowl – Arizona State vs. Iowa

Detroit Bowl – Michigan State vs. Northern Illinois 

Indiana vs. Texas A&M in Cheez-it Citrus Bowl

I currently have the Indiana Hoosiers projected to finish the regular season at 9-3 and being selected for the Citrus Bowl against Texas A&M. The Hoosiers benefit from losses by USC and Rutgers that drop them below IU in the pecking order. Upcoming matchups against Nebraska, Michigan and Washington (each currently 2-1 in the Big Ten) will go a very long way towards determining which bowl game each of those teams will end up in. Other bowl games to consider for IU fans are the Music City Bowl, the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and the Reliaquest Bowl but a 10-2 or 11-1 record brings the College Football Playoff into play.