the Gekko File: P12 Bowl Projections

So, everyone is doing bowl projections, but I'm the only one with the Gekko File. Thus their projections are wrong and mine is what you want to rely upon. First, a recap of the Bowl Lineup.

#1 - Rose Bowl vs Big 10 #1, Pasadena, Jan. 1
#2 - Alamo Bowl vs. Big 12 #3, San Antonio, Dec. 29.
#3 - Holiday Bowl vs. Big 12 #5, San Diego, Dec. 27.
#4 - Sun Bowl vs. ACC #4, El Paso, Dec. 31.
#5 - Las Vegas vs. MWC #1, Las Vegas, Dec. 22
#6 - Kraft Fight Hunger vs. Navy, San Francisco, Dec. 29.
#7 - New Mexico Bowl vs. MWC, Albuquerque, Dec. 15

And, my projected final P12 standings:

Oregon 9-0
USC 6-3
UCLA 6-3
Washington 6-3
Stanford 6-3
OSU 6-3
Utah 4-5
Arizona 4-5
Arizona St 4-5

That's right, I am forecasting 9 bowl eligible PAC12 teams. The big games that have to break in this scenario are UCLA beating Stanford, Cal upsetting Oregon State (to save Tedford's job), Utah beating Arizona and Arizona beating Arizona State. I'm sure someone will check my math (I admit it - I'm doing all of this in my head in front of this keyboard), but if those games go that way and the favorites win the others, we will have nine bowl eligible teams. Those teams will be spread around the P12 bowls as follows:

NCG: Oregon

Rose Bowl: <none>

Alamo Bowl: USC

Holiday Bowl: UCLA

Sun Bowl: UW

Vegas Bowl: Stanford

Fight Hunger Bowl: OSU

New Mexico Bowl: Arizona (when in doubt, go for the high flying offense)

I suspect at least one of Utah or Arizona State will still end up in a bowl (e.g. the Military Bowl) where there is availability. Note that I'm not 100% on Oregon ending up in the NCG. Like a few other members, I'm a big believer that beating the same team twice, when that team is a good team, is a very difficult feat in the same season. If USC somehow pulls out the conference championship, go ahead and slot Oregon into the Rose Bowl where they will crush Nebraska. Either way, get your purple duffel and travelin' shoes out. It's gonna be a Husky roadtrip during the holiday break!