Statesman bowl projections: Boise State could see familiar face in Las Vegas
The Mountain West could have a challenge on its hands this bowl season: eight bowl-eligible teams and only five guaranteed spots.
Fortunately for the conference, more spots likely will become available.
And fortunately for the Boise State football team, the Broncos won’t have any trouble finding a bowl berth.
We’re starting our weekly bowl projections this week. A few things to keep in mind:
▪ The highest-ranked champion of a Group of Five conference gets an automatic New Year’s Six bid. That spot is in the Cotton Bowl this year. The American Athletic Conference champion is the favorite with Cincinnati at No. 17, Memphis at No. 18 and Boise State at No. 21 this week.
▪ The first selection from the Mountain West goes to the Las Vegas Bowl. The Cheez-It Bowl gets the second pick if the Pac-12 or Big 12 fails to fill its spot. We’re projecting the Pac-12 will be short.
▪ The Famous Idaho Potato and New Mexico bowls choose next in collaboration with the conference. The Hawaii Bowl also fits in this group but the Mountain West gave its spot to BYU this year in exchange for a spot in the Armed Forces Bowl. We’re projecting that ESPN, as the owner of both events, will invite Hawaii to the Hawaii Bowl and put the displaced American team elsewhere, perhaps in Armed Forces.
▪ The Arizona Bowl chooses last. The Mountain West also has a backup deal with the Redbox Bowl (unlikely to open) and a relationship with the Frisco Bowl.
This week’s projection for Boise State would have the Broncos battling the Oregon State Beavers in the Las Vegas Bowl. Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith was Boise State’s quarterbacks coach in 2012-13.
New Year’s Six
Fiesta, Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal): Ohio State vs. Clemson
Peach, Dec. 28 (CFP semifinal): LSU vs. Alabama
Rose, Jan. 1 (Pac-12 vs. Big Ten): Utah vs. Minnesota
Sugar, Jan. 1 (Big 12 vs. SEC): Oklahoma vs. Georgia
Orange, Dec. 30 (ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame): Virginia vs. Florida
Cotton, Dec. 28 (Group of Five vs. at-large): Cincinnati vs. Penn State
Mountain West
Las Vegas, Dec. 21 (MW vs. Pac-12): Boise State vs. Oregon State
Cheez-It, Dec. 27 (Pac-12/MW vs. Big 12): Air Force vs. Iowa State
Famous Idaho Potato, Jan. 3 (MW vs. MAC): Utah State vs. Miami (Ohio)
New Mexico, Dec. 21 (MW vs. C-USA): San Diego State vs. Marshall
Hawaii, Dec. 24 (American vs. BYU): Hawaii vs. BYU
Armed Forces, Jan. 4 (MW vs. Big Ten/at-large): Fresno State vs. Toledo
Arizona, Dec. 31 (MW vs. Sun Belt): Wyoming vs. Georgia Southern
Elsewhere: Nevada could be placed in a non-Mountain West bowl.
