Throughout the season, The Blade will compile bowl projections for Toledo, Ohio State, and Michigan. Here is a look at the bowl picture after the schedule of games ending Oct. 2.
TOLEDO
■ Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Bahamas vs. Alabama-Birmingham (Nassau)
■ Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Idaho Potato vs. Boise State
■ Jerry Palm, CBS: Idaho Potato vs. Utah State (Boise)
■ Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Arizona vs. San Diego State (Tucson)
■ College Football News: Lending Tree vs. South Alabama (Mobile, Ala.)
■ Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Quick Lane vs. Indiana
A Famous Idaho Potato Bowl appearance against Utah State would be a rematch of the 2012 edition of the bowl, which Utah State won 41-15 over the Rockets. Toledo has only played in the Potato Bowl once. Their most frequented bowl has been the Quick Lane (formerly Motor City and Little Caesars). Not only does Action Network have Toledo against Indiana, but it projects the Rockets would be a half-point favorite over the Hooisers, who many considered the second-best team behind Ohio State in the Big Ten East to begin the season.
OHIO STATE
■ Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Peach vs. Oklahoma State (Atlanta)
■ Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Peach vs. Wake Forest
■ Jerry Palm, CBS: Fiesta vs. Cincinnati (Glendale, Ariz.)
■ Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Rose vs. Oregon (Pasadena, Calif.)
■ College Football News: College Football Playoff semifinal at Cotton Bowl vs. Georgia
■ Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Citrus Bowl vs. Kentucky (Orlando)
Ohio State's bowl projections are still all over — from the playoff to the Citrus Bowl. The Oct. 30 game against Penn State might help clear things up and, according to ESPN's Football Power Index, Ohio State is a clear favorite in that one. The gauntlet of No. 11 Michigan State at home and at No. 9 Michigan to finish the regular season awaits. Still, Ohio State has a chance at the CFP. Popular prediction website FiveThirtyEight gives OSU a 22-percent chance to make the playoff (tied for fifth-best with Cincinnati) and six percent chance to win it all (fourth best). It will be interesting to see where the Buckeyes land when the first CFP rankings come out Nov. 2.
MICHIGAN
■ Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Citrus vs. Arkansas (Orlando)
■ Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Citrus vs. Kentucky
■ Jerry Palm, CBS: Outback vs. Florida (Tampa)
■ Brad Crawford, 247 Sports: Citrus vs. Arkansas
■ College Football News: Citrus vs. Florida
■ Brett McMurphy, Action Network: Peach vs. North Carolina State (Atlanta)
This week marked the first time Michigan was pegged for a New Year's Six bowl, with Action Network slotting the Wolverines in the Peach Bowl against N.C. State. For now, the Citrus Bowl seems like the favorite, and that isn't surprising considering Michigan's recent bowl history. Since 1998 (the Wolverines' last 20 bowl games), Michigan has been to Orlando five times — most of any bowl in that span. That would also mean a matchup with the Southeastern Conference, against which Michigan is 8-8 all-time in bowl games, but 1-5 in the past six.
First Published October 5, 2021, 1:54 p.m.
