As bowl season approaches, ESPN has updated its College Football Power Index Top 25, which now includes predictions for which final four team will ultimately win the national championship in Houston next month. As FSU went undefeated, they became the first Power Five champion to finish the season without losing, which infuriated people throughout the Sunshine State and beyond.
In a few weeks, the Seminoles, who are also undervalued by ESPN’s FPI rankings, will have the opportunity to defeat SEC runner-up Georgia 14-0 in the Orange Bowl, one of the most anticipated games of bowl season outside of the Playoffs.As the top seed in the playoffs, Michigan will take on SEC champion Alabama in the Rose Bowl. A week later in Houston, the winner of that matchup faces the Washington-Texas victor for the championship.
Louisville fell one spot behind Arizona in ESPN’s FPI update for bowl season, which came after the Cardinals’ dismal performance against FSU in the ACC Championship Game. For Louisville, first-year coach Jeff Brohm’s season was ended by back-to-back losses to end the regular season. In spite of the setback, Louisville still has a chance to defeat USC in the Holiday Bowl in a few weeks.
Leading Clemson to a perfect November record, Dabo Swinney and the Tigers ended the regular season with a commanding victory over South Carolina, finishing inside the FPI’s top 20. And according to ESPN’s FPI update, they remained in place following FSU’s victory over Louisville in the ACC championship.
This season, the defense improved significantly, and quarterback Cade Klubnik overcame early setbacks. But Clemson’s rushing attack set the stage for a scorching final stretch of the campaign. To cap it off, the Tigers take on Kentucky in the Gator Bowl.
Along with an unexpected early-season loss to Florida, Tennessee’s performance in key games this season, particularly against Alabama and Georgia, has cost the Volunteers a chance to duplicate 2022’s success under Josh Heupel. But if the Volunteers defeat Iowa, the Big Ten runner-up, in bowl season, they have a chance to place among the top 20. That’s one of the most exciting postseason games that isn’t one of the New Year’s Six.
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