SEATTLE — The University of Washington football team is currently in the top 4 of the College Football Playoff rankings, but that isn't where most experts believe the team will finish the 2023 regular season.
In most of the latest national bowl projections, college football analysts see the Huskies losing to the Oregon Ducks and falling outside the 4-team field that makes up the current College Football Playoff format.
Despite being the higher-ranked team currently, the No. 3 Huskies are a 9.5-point underdog to the No. 5 Ducks (per FanDuel Sportsbook) in Friday's Pacific-12 Conference Championship Game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The scenario for earning a CFP spot is pretty straightforward: win and in. The Huskies will at least maintain their No. 3 ranking with a win Friday and qualify for the Playoff for the second time in school history (2016). With a loss, however, the Huskies are almost certain to end up in one of the four other so-called New Year's Six games.
Here's where the Huskies are projected to play by nationwide outlets:
Brett McMurphy, Action Network: VRBO Fiesta Bowl vs. Alabama
Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: College Football Playoff vs. Michigan
Mark Schlabach, ESPN: Fiesta Bowl vs. Penn State
Steven Lassan, Athlon Sports: Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic vs. Alabama
Brad Crawford, 24/7 Sports: College Football Playoff vs. Michigan
Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: Cotton Bowl vs. Alabama
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