as of this week for Pac12 teams.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl: USC Vs. Cincinnati
Monday, Jan. 2, 12:00 p.m. CT, Arlington, TX
This year's Cotton Bowl doesn't land inside the CFP and is between two at-large bids. The committee decides where the at-larges fall according to geography and matchup intrigue. Cincinnati has landed in the Cotton Bowl each of the last two seasons to lauded praise, so why not a third trip?
USC just lost their first game under Lincoln Riley and has a cakewalk of a schedule ahead. Their only tough tests standing in front of them is against cross-town rival UCLA later on and of course the Pac-12 Championship. Whoever wins between USC and UCLA likely will get a spot in the conference title game and a close loss there won't send them spiraling out of NY6 contention.
Instead of sending USC across the country to fill the Orange Bowl at-large bid, Arlington is a happy medium.
Matchup as it stands today: #11 Oklahoma State vs. #21 Cincinnati
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Rose Bowl: Michigan Vs. Oregon
Monday, Jan. 2, 4:00 p.m. CT, Pasadena, CA
The Granddaddy of Them All features the highest-ranked Big Ten team if not the champion (in this case, not) and the highest-ranked Pac-12 team if not the champion (in this case, is). Michigan is playing arguably the best football in the country behind a vaunted run game led by star Blake Corum. However, the Wolverines travel to Columbus for The Game and have to handle an Ohio State team they beat last year with revenge on the mind.
Oregon on the other hand has the most clear path to the Pac-12 Championship game. Should they win at home in Week 8 against UCLA, they handle Utah at home as well. Overreactions to a Week 1 blowout at the hands of Georgia still loom large, but Oregon is the best team in the Pac-12.
This would also be one of the best matchups of the season and a lot better than the matchup as it would stand today (below):
Matchup as it stands today: #16 Penn State Vs. #9 UCLA