2016 Bowl Projections: Rebels, Badgers and Hurricanes Are Favorites to Meet in Orlando After Six Weeks
After six weeks of play, here are updated projections for the 71st Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl from around the college football media.
Mark Schlabach (ESPN): Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss
Brett McMurphy(ESPN): Iowa vs. LSU
Jerry Palm (CBSSports.com): Virginia Tech vs. Ole Miss
Bill Bender (Sporting News): Wisconsin vs. Ole Miss
College Football News: Miami vs. Florida
Jason Kirk (SB Nation): Penn State vs. Ole Miss
Brant Parsons (Orlando Sentinel): Miami vs. Florida
Ole Miss is projected to make a return trip to The City Beautiful with Wisconsin and Miami on the other side of the matchup. Both Mark Schlabach (ESPN) and Bill Bender (Sporting News) project the Rebels and Badgers to clash in December. The game would be the first meeting between the programs; however, Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst made his head coaching bowl debut against Hugh Freeze’s Ole Miss squad in the 2012 BBVA Compass Bowl. Chryst’s Pitt Panthers lost to Freeze’s Rebels 38-17.
Other projected opponents for the Rebels this week include Virginia Tech and Penn State. Virginia Tech is the second ACC school to appear in the projections this week. If the Orange Bowl selects a Big Ten team for their bowl this season the ACC’s highest non-playoff team would be available for bid. The Hokies and Rebels have split their two previous meetings while the Nittany Lions and Rebels have never met on the gridiron.
Brant Parsons (Orlando Sentinel) and CollegeFootballNews.com both project Miami and Florida to meet in Camping World Stadium. The cross-state rivals have met just twice since 2004 with each team each earning a win. The Hurricanes hold a slight advantage in the all-time series, 29-26, including wins in seven of the last eight.
ESPN’s Brett McMurphy has a rematch of the 2005 game with Iowa and LSU returning to Orlando. Iowa has not returned since their “walk-off” victory, while LSU is looking for their first victory in the bowl since their 1979 win over Wake Forest.