A few tweaks to the bowl projections this week. I am still projecting TCU to finish ahead of Boise State and to sneak into the national championship game with an Auburn loss to Alabama on Nov. 26. I still have faith the BCS will take an undefeated Boise State over an at-large team from a power conference. Because TCU would be in the national championship game, the Rose Bowl is not required to take a non-AQ team.
As for conference champions: Despite a loss to Southern Miss, I still have UCF as the Conference USA champion. I dropped Houston out this week because it closes with two tough games -- at Southern Miss and at Texas Tech. I still have Northern Illinois winning the MAC, and there are now openings for Toledo and Miami (Ohio) to get in, mainly because the Pac-10 will not fill all of its slots. As for the Sun Belt, FIU is the new favorite to win the league for the first time.
Bowl Projections:
BCS National Championship Game: Oregon vs. TCU
Allstate Sugar: Auburn vs. Boise State
Kraft Fight Hunger: Boston College vs. Nevada
GoDaddy.com: Temple vs. Troy
AutoZone Liberty: UCF vs. Kentucky
Hyundai Sun: Maryland vs. Toledo
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces: SMU vs. Army
Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman: Georgia Tech vs. Southern Miss
AdvoCare V100 Independence: Clemson vs. Air Force
Little Caesars: ULM vs. Northern Illinois
Sheraton Hawaii: Tulsa vs. Hawaii*
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia: San Diego State vs. Navy*
MAACO Las Vegas: Utah vs. Tennessee
Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg: Connecticut vs. East Carolina
R+L Carriers New Orleans: UTEP vs. FIU
uDrove Humanitarian: Ohio vs. Fresno State
New Mexico: BYU vs. Miami (Ohio)
*Indicates school already accepted bowl bid.