Western Michigan is the highest ranked group of five conference champion, so they automatically qualified for the Cotton Bowl. There are no other tie ins for the Cotton Bowl, which makes them near last on the pecking order for New Year’s Six Bowl Games. They can go in a lot of different directions here, but going with the Pac-12 runner up in Colorado will be one of the best options left.
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Penn State won the Big Ten and will get a spot in the Rose Bowl. USC will take a spot in the “Granddaddy of them all” after a great finish and because of Washington being in the CFP.
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Oklahoma surged back from a rough start and won the Big 12 earning their spot in this game. The SEC spot is open because Alabama is playing in the CFP. No teams stepped up and took hold of the second-best team in the SEC title. The Sugar Bowl will select Auburn, at an 8-4 record, because they will be the highest ranked team by the selection committee. Tennessee lost to Vanderbilt in the last game of the regular season, LSU struggled down the stretch and Florida brought a knife to a gun fight against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Auburn lost to Alabama in the last week of the regular season, making them the most eligible team.
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Florida State gets the ACC tie-in to this game because Clemson is in the CFP. They were also aided by the fact that Louisville lost their two last games of the season. Michigan will take the other spot in the Orange Bowl as the Big Ten shares a tie-in for this bowl game with the Big 12 and SEC. Michigan is the team that everyone wants, but the Orange Bowl will get because of tie-ins and the Rose Bowl inviting the Big Ten Champion, Penn State Nittany Lions.
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