A look at bowl projections for UW Huskies and WSU Cougars

With the stretch run of the college football season just around the corner, it’s an ideal time to start looking at potential bowl destinations for the UW Huskies and WSU Cougars.

So, below is a compilation of where various bowl projections have the Huskies and Cougars landing.

UW Huskies just shy of top 25 in latest AP college football poll

One thing to keep in mind: Even though the old Pac-12 collapsed and its teams are now scattered across four different conferences, the bowl tie-ins for those 12 teams remain the same for one more season. The Pac-12 bowl tie-ins include the Alamo Bowl, the Las Vegas Bowl, the Holiday Bowl, the Sun Bowl and the LA Bowl.

UW Huskies

Record: 6-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten

The Huskies became bowl-eligible by hitting the six-win mark with a 42-25 victory over then No. 23-ranked Illinois on Saturday. Washington’s only two losses this season have to a pair of Big Ten powers No. 1 Ohio State and No. 21 Michigan.

Washington should be favored against each of its next three opponents – Wisconsin (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten), Purdue (2-6, 0-5) and UCLA (3-5, 3-2). If the Huskies take care of business during that stretch, they would be 9-2 heading into their Nov. 29 regular-season finale at home against No. 6 Oregon (7-1, 4-1).

Big Ten standings

With a pair of conference losses, the Huskies are almost surely out of contention for a trip to the Big Ten championship game. But if the Dawgs were to run the table and finish 10-2, they would likely at least be in the conversation for one of the final at-large spots in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

However, none of the bowl projections below have the Huskies reaching the CFP.

• ALAMO BOWL vs. No. 22 HOUSTON (7-1 overall, 4-1 Big 12)

Dec. 30 at Alamodome (San Antonio)
Predicted by: ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura

• LAS VEGAS BOWL vs. NEBRASKA (6-2 overall, 3-2 Big Ten)

Dec. 31 at Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
Predicted by: USA TODAY’s Erick Smith

• LAS VEGAS BOWL vs. IOWA (6-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten)

Dec. 31 at Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
Predicted by: On3’s Brett McMurphy

• HOLIDAY BOWL vs. PITTSBURGH (6-2 overall, 4-1 ACC)

Jan. 2 at Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
Predicted by: Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan

• LA BOWL vs. BOISE STATE (6-2 overall, 4-0 Mountain West)

Dec. 13 at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Predicted by: ESPN’s Mark Schlabach

• LA BOWL vs. SAN DIEGO STATE (6-1 overall, 3-0 Mountain West)

Dec. 13 at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Predicted by: CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford

• RATE BOWL vs. BAYLOR (4-4 overall, 2-3 Big 12)

Dec. 26 at Chase Field (Phoenix)
Predicted by: Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer

WSU Cougars

Record: 4-4

The new-look Cougars suffered a stunning blowout loss to North Texas back in mid-September, but have rebounded relatively well under first-year head coach Jimmy Rogers. Earlier this month, Washington State took a pair of ranked teams down the wire on the road, falling 24-21 to then-No. 4 Ole Miss and 22-20 to then-No. 18 Virginia.

The Cougars now sit at 4-4, needing to win two of their final four games to earn bowl eligibility. Washington State should be favored in at least three of those four games, as they face struggling Pac-12 rival Oregon State (1-7) twice and they have a home game against Louisiana Tech (4-3). The Cougs’ toughest remaining matchup is a cross-country trip to face James Madison (7-1) in Virginia on Nov. 22.

• SUN BOWL vs. SMU (5-3 overall, 3-1 ACC)

Dec. 31 at Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
Predicted by: Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer

• SUN BOWL vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (5-3 overall, 3-1 MAC)

Dec. 31 at Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
Predicted by: CBS Sports’ Brad Crawford

• LA BOWL vs. BOISE STATE (6-2 overall, 4-0 Mountain West)

Dec. 13 at SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
Predicted by: ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura

• ARIZONA BOWL vs. FRESNO STATE (5-3 overall, 2-2 Mountain West)

Dec. 27 at Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Ariz.)
Predicted by: ESPN’s Mark Schlabach

• NEW MEXICO BOWL vs. NEW MEXICO (5-3 overall, 2-2 Mountain West)

Dec. 27 at University Stadium (Albuquerque, N.M.)
Predicted by: On3’s Brett McMurphy

• FRISCO BOWL vs. SAN DIEGO STATE (6-1 overall, 3-0 Mountain West)

Dec. 23 at Ford Center (Frisco, Texas)
Predicted by: USA TODAY’s Erick Smith

• FRISCO BOWL vs. APPALACHIAN STATE (4-4 overall, 1-3 Sun Belt)

Dec. 23 at Ford Center (Frisco, Texas)
Predicted by: Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan

Brock breaks down UW Huskies QB Demond Williams Jr.’s NFL prospects

Related

Vita Vea not a Seahawks fit, but what about for their rivals?Big Ten: No league title game if football moves to 24-team playoffUW Huskies announce their new football play-by-play voiceWhere UW Huskies rank in Big Ten preseason media pollUW, WSU won’t play in men’s basketball this season, per reportReport: UW Huskies land transfer from another Big Ten school