The Trojans and Bruins – at least for now – are representing the Pac-12 in those bowl games in Sporting News’ Week 7 bowl projections.
No. 7 USC (6-0) averages 40.2 points per game under first-year coach Lincoln Riley, and quarterback Caleb Williams is among the Heisman frontrunners. The Trojans have stayed outside the fringe of the top four of the College Football Playoff conversation, but that could change with a victory at No. 20 Utah.
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No. 11 UCLA (6-0) accomplished that feat last week in a 42-32 victory against the Utes. The Bruins average 41.5 points per game. Chip Kelly’s offense is back, and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson is getting into the Heisman conversation. A bye week precedes a Week 8 matchup at No. 12 Oregon.
Right now we have USC in the Rose Bowl against No. 5 Michigan and UCLA in the Cotton Bowl against Coastal Carolina. That is good news for the Pac-12, at least until the Trojans and Bruins head to the Big Ten.
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The College Football Playoff semifinals will be on Dec. 31 this season. Those semifinals will be played at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta and the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. The College Football Playoff championship game is on Jan. 9 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Week 7 College Football Bowl Projections
College football New Year’s Day Six picks
College Football Playoff championship pick
