Pac-12 Bowl Projections: USC Picked for College Football Playoff

This is the final season of the Pac-12 as we know it, and every team in the conference except Colorado and Stanford is projected to get a bowl berth by at least one of the eight experts we cite in this report.

Yes, one expert (ESPN's Kyle Bonagura) even predicted that Cal will land a postseason berth for the first time since 2019.

Last season was the last time the Rose Bowl would be played in the traditional Pac-12 vs. Big Ten format. The Rose Bowl is one of the College Football Playoff national semifinal games this season, and next season at least eight of this year’s Pac-12 teams will be members of other conferences. So we bid adieu to the Rose Bowl as we know it.

However . . .

Four of our eight experts predict that USC will earn a berth in the four-team College Football Playoff, and three of the four match the Trojans against Michigan in the Rose Bowl. That would amount to a traditional Rose Bowl matchup between the champions of the Pac-12 and Big Ten.

USC's offense and quarterback Caleb Williams were of CFP quality in the 56-28 victory over San Jose State Saturday. We'll have to see about the Trojans' defense, though.

Take a look at the eight preseason bowl projections:

ESPN (Kyle Bonagura)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Alabama

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Florida State

Cotton Bowl – USC vs. Kansas State

Fiesta Bowl – Utah vs. Penn State

Alamo Bowl – Washington vs. TCU

Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Miami

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Illinois

Sun Bowl – Cal vs. Pittsburgh

LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State

Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Cincinnati

ESPN (Mark Schlabach)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Tulane

Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. Texas Tech

Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Iowa

Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Louisville

LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State

Independence Bowl – Arizona vs. Baylor

CBS Sports (Jerry Palm)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Alabama vs. Michigan

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl – USC vs. Boise State

Alamo Bowl – Washington vs. Oklahoma

Holiday Bowl – Utah vs. Pittsburgh

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Purdue

Sun Bowl – UCLA vs. Louisville

LA Bowl – Oregon State vs. Air Force

247 Sports (Brad Crawford)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Ohio State vs. Texas

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Michigan

Cotton Bowl – USC vs. LSU

Fiesta Bowl – Oregon vs. Notre Dame

Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. TCU

Holiday Bowl – Washington vs. North Carolina State

Las Vegas Bowl – UCLA vs. Nebraska

Sun Bowl – Oregon State vs. Miami

LA Bowl – Arizona vs. San Diego State

Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Central Florida

Action Network (Brett McMurphy)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Florida State

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State

Peach Bowl – Oregon vs. Tulane

Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Alabama

Alamo Bowl – USC vs. Texas

Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh

Las Vegas Bowl – Utah vs. Nebraska

Sun Bowl – Arizona vs. Duke

LA Bowl – UCLA vs. Boise State

Independence Bowl – Arizona State vs. Central Florida

College Football News

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Ohio State vs. Georgia

Cotton Bowl – Oregon vs. Texas

Fiesta Bowl – Utah vs. Boise State

Alamo Bowl – UCLA vs. Oklahoma

Holiday Bowl – Washington vs. Notre Dame

Las Vegas Bowl – Arizona vs. Nebraska

Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Wake Forest

LA Bowl – Oregon State vs. San Diego State

Athlon Sports (Steven Lassan)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Michigan vs. Alabama

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Georgia

Cotton Bowl – Utah vs. Texas

Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. Tulane

Alamo Bowl – UCLA vs. Oklahoma

Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame

Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon vs. Iowa

Sun Bowl – Washington State vs. Duke

LA Bowl – Arizona vs. Boise State

The Sporting News (Bill Bender)

Rose Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – USC vs. Michigan

Sugar Bowl (national CFP semifinals) – Georgia vs. Ohio State

Fiesta Bowl – Washington vs. UT-San Antonio

Alamo Bowl – Utah vs. Kansas State

Holiday Bowl – Oregon State vs. Notre Dame

Las Vegas Bowl – UCLA vs. Michigan State

Sun Bowl – Oregon vs. Louisville

LA Bowl – Arizona State vs. Boise State

Independence Bowl – Washington State vs. Oklahoma State

Pac-12 bowl affiliations:

College Football Playoff Semifinal (January 1): If Selected

Fiesta, Orange, Cotton or Peach: If Selected

Alamo Bowl (December 28): vs. Big 12

Holiday Bowl (December 27): vs. ACC

Las Vegas Bowl (December 23): vs. SEC

Sun Bowl (December 29): vs. ACC

LA Bowl (December 16): vs. Mountain West

Independence Bowl (December 16): vs. Big 12

A Pac-12 team could also be selected for one of three ESPN-operated bowl games: Armed Forces Bowl, First Responder Bow and Gasparilla Bowl

Cover photo of Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley by Kiyoshi Mio, USA TODAY Sports