Bowl projections: Mizzou eyeing NY6 bid; what about K-State and KU?

Posted: Nov 20, 2023 / 03:41 PM CST

Updated: Nov 21, 2023 / 09:50 AM CST

NOTE: All rankings in this article are referencing the CFP rankings that were released on Nov. 14. Unlike the AP which releases rankings every Sunday, the CFP reveals theirs every Tuesday night. However, the final rankings prior to Bowl selection will be released on Sunday, Dec. 3.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No. 9 Missouri’s game-winning kick against Florida has them in a great position to make their first ever New Year’s Six bowl.

The College Football Playoff put it into existence at the start of the 2014-2015 season.

The last time the Tigers made a bowl of this caliber was the year prior to the CFP’s berth when they took down Oklahoma State 41-31 in the Cotton Bowl.

Missouri Tigers

All Mizzou has to do is beat a struggling Arkansas team on Saturday for the final regular season game, and they should be locked into one of the four bowls just outside CFP contention.

This season, those bowl games that the Tigers could be in line for include the Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and Peach Bowl.

Right now the biggest sports media projections have them falling in either the Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl or the Cotton Bowl. The Peach Bowl has been clamored about the most since ESPN and CBS Sports both see them heading to Atlanta for that game.

Their projected opponents for the three bowls mentioned include Tulane, Washington and Penn State.

Maybe the most interesting projection comes from USA Today. That publication predicts Mizzou to face Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

The full projections from ESPN, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, USA Today and Fansided can all be seen at the bottom of this story.

Kansas Jayhawks

No. 21 Kansas State and No. 25 Kansas on the other hand are well on the outside of NY6 bowl contention.

The 7-4 Jayhawks got bounced out of their Big 12 championship odds after their loss in the Sunflower Showdown.

Next up KU travels to Cincinnati before they enter the postseason and begin bowl prep.

Kansas’ bowl projections have them landing in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl (Phoenix, Arizona), the Texas Bowl in Houston or Memphis’ Liberty Bowl.

Their opponents are being predicted as Northwestern, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Maryland, Wisconsin or Auburn.

Kansas State Wildcats

The 8-3 Wildcats are in a three-way tie for second place with No. 14 Oklahoma and No. 23 Oklahoma State, all with 6-2 conference records.

The two Big 12 losses K-State has are to the Cowboys and No. 7 Texas.

The confusing Big 12 rules have tried and failed a couple of times to clarify exactly what happens in the event all three win their final regular season games, and 7-1 Texas loses its contest resulting in a four-way tie.

What we do know, however, in a four-way tie situation the Wildcats will not be considered for an opportunity at the conference crown.