The transformation from of predictions for the college football regular season before and after Week 1 is like the adjustment from staring at an impressionist painting up close and far feet away. The view changes with a better perspective. We’ve seen every team take the field. What you might have thought for the last seven months gets thrown out the window very quickly.
Which brings us to what happened last week. Texas was the nation’s No. 1 team in the opinion of many experts, but didn’t look the part against Ohio State. While last week’s edition of our bowl projections didn’t have Texas in the top four, there’s greater concern about its future prospects. On the opposite side, the Buckeyes have moved into a favorites role after showcasing an outstanding defense and with expected growth of quarterback Julian Sayin.
Texas and Ohio State weren’t the only adjustments this week. Optimism around Alabama tumbled and so did the Crimson Tide from the forecasted College Football Playoff field. Moving to the field were Miami – off it’s impressive outing against Notre Dame – and Tulane, who now looks to be the clear favorit in the Group of Five.
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For those that might be feeling consternation or be overly optimistic at this stage, there’s still 14 weeks left to go. That view we are seeing now is sure to change with even more perspective.
Note: Legacy Pac-12 schools in other conferences will fulfill existing Pac-12 bowl agreements through the 2025 season.