College football bowl predictions for Week 7: Playoff, New Year's picks

As we move into the month of October, we also approach the midway portion of the 2023 college football season, and as division and conference races are heating up across the country, so does the competition for playoff spots as the selection committee prepares to release its first official top 25 rankings in the near future.

The next few weeks are crucial for teams at the top of their respective conferences to start playing their best football and impress the committee. Where do things stand in the most important postseason games as of right now?

Fiesta Bowl

Prediction: Tulane vs. Washington

Tulane remains the favorite of the Group of Five teams to qualify for one of the New Year's Six bowls after Fresno State, which was undefeated and ranked last week, lost unexpectedly to Wyoming. The Green Wave boasts a "better" loss, at home to Ole Miss, so provided they can win out should make the NY6.

Washington is playing some of the best offense in college football and, along with Oregon, is one of the two Pac-12 teams that can contend for the College Football Playoff. If the Huskies win out, they're in the final four, but aside from that, a New Year's Six bid is practically inevitable.

Orange Bowl

Prediction: North Carolina vs. Ohio State

An intriguing matchup between the Tar Heels' expert passing attack with quarterback Drake Maye going against Ohio State's secondary which has struggled in recent postseason games.

We project the Buckeyes will lose to Michigan again and miss out on the playoff, but should easily qualify for a New Year's bowl against a UNC team we think finishes near the top of the ACC, but not be champion.

Peach Bowl

Prediction: Alabama vs. Penn State

We predict Alabama will play for, but not win, the SEC championship, and with other conference champions projected to make the playoff, would keep the Tide from earning an at-large bid to the semifinal.

Penn State will, in our estimation, lose to either Ohio State or Michigan, which would keep it from the Big Ten title game, but should finish with one loss, setting up an interesting SEC vs. Big Ten matchup that pits PSU's expert pass rush against Alabama's questionable line protections.

Cotton Bowl

Prediction: Oregon vs. Texas

Texas has no more room for error in the College Football Playoff race after the loss to Oklahoma. It has to win out and then win the Big 12 conference title, likely in a rematch against the Sooners. Oregon is our pick to defeat Washington this weekend, putting the Ducks in the driver's seat for the Pac-12 title over the other favorite, USC, which is not playing championship football on defense right now.

Rose Bowl

College Football Playoff Semifinal Game

Prediction: Oklahoma vs. Michigan

We project Michigan will finish the season undefeated as Big Ten champions at No. 2 in the CFP rankings, and qualify for a third-straight playoff berth thanks to its No. 1 ranked scoring defense, punishing run stop, and diverse offensive attack. But can the Wolverines notch their first-ever playoff victory?

Oklahoma is our favorite to win the Big 12 championship and finish No. 3 behind a vastly-improved defense that complements the Sooner's productive air attack behind quarterback Dillon Gabriel. OU is also looking for its first CFP win, after making the semifinal after making four playoffs in the past.

Sugar Bowl

College Football Playoff Semifinal Game

Prediction: Georgia vs. Florida State

Facing the biggest test of its early season, Georgia looked like the national champs again, working behind Carson Beck's 400 yard effort and a strong defensive performance against then-undefeated Kentucky. We predict the Bulldogs will finish as undefeated SEC champions and not move from the No. 1 position.

Aside from a test against Duke and possibly the Miami game, the Seminoles have a path to finishing undefeated and ACC champions and stay within the top four down the stretch.

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