Diehard G6 bowl projections: College GameDay is headed to Boise and the Broncos are our playoff pick

College GameDay is coming to Boise. Oregon State visits The Blue this week for the Pac-12 clinch game, and Boise State (8-1, 5-0) has won eight straight — the last with Max Cutforth throwing four touchdowns after Maddux Madsen went down.

Diehard projects the Broncos as the G6's College Football Playoff representative.

New Mexico (8-1, 5-0 Mountain West) is the only other G6 team in the conversation, but the Lobos are not in the CFP Rankings despite holding the No. 22 spot in the AP poll. Coach Jason Eck: "We can control our outcome of winning the conference title."

This week's board features 19 bowl games plus the CFP, with 33 G6 teams on the slate. Eight matchups are new. Troy falls off the board after a 41-17 loss at Louisiana Tech, and the Gasparilla Bowl is projected to be filled by SEC and ACC teams with no American conference slot available.

Matchups worth circling

Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana Tech (New Orleans Bowl, New Orleans, Dec. 23)

Jacksonville State (7-2, 5-0 CUSA) has won six straight and is heading toward a CUSA title collision with Liberty. Louisiana Tech (7-2, 5-0 Sun Belt West) has won six of its own and leads the West Division outright.

UAB vs. UNLV (Frisco Bowl, Frisco, TX, Dec. 23)

UAB (5-4, 3-2 American) beat Charlotte 23-12 last week and is one win from bowl eligibility with three games remaining — at Temple, UTSA and at North Texas. The Blazers are 5-0 at home. UNLV is 5-4 and 3-2 in the Mountain West.

James Madison vs. Clemson (TransPerfect San Juan Bowl, San Juan, Dec. 16)

James Madison (8-2, 5-2) dropped two games after a 7-0 start and won last week. The TransPerfect San Juan Bowl is the most lucrative bowl deal in Sun Belt history and the conference's first primary tie-in against an autonomy conference opponent.

UTSA vs. New Mexico (New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, Dec. 24)

UTSA (7-2, 4-1 American) lost its first conference game last week, while New Mexico (8-1, 5-0 Mountain West) has not lost since the opener at Oklahoma. If neither wins the G6 auto-bid, this becomes a potential matchup of conference champions on Christmas Eve in Albuquerque.

Memphis vs. North Carolina (Fenway Bowl, Boston, Dec. 26)

Memphis (7-2, 4-1 American) is tied for second in the American with UTSA behind North Texas. Getting a shot at Bill Belichick's Tar Heels would be a nice consolation prize if the Tigers don't win the American.

The full board

College Football Playoff: Boise State (Pac-12 champion, G6 auto-bid) — ESPN College GameDay in Boise for Oregon State this week.

Date | Bowl | City | TV | Tie-In | Projection | Analysis

Dec. 15 | Salute to Veterans | Montgomery, AL | ESPN | Sun Belt vs. MAC | South Alabama vs. Miami (Ohio) | South Alabama (4-5) gets a de facto home game, 170 miles from Mobile. Miami (Ohio) is 5-4 and 3-2 in the MAC. Jaguars need two more wins.

Dec. 15 | Frisco Classic | Frisco, TX | ESPN | G6 vs. G6 | Texas State vs. Tulsa | Texas State (5-4, 3-2 Pac-12) is on the coaching carousel watch list per CBS Sports. Tulsa is 5-4 and 2-3 in the American.

Dec. 16 | TransPerfect San Juan | San Juan, PR | ESPN | Sun Belt vs. ACC | James Madison vs. Clemson | James Madison (8-2) gets the Sun Belt's marquee bowl slot against an ACC opponent.

Dec. 18 | Boca Raton | Boca Raton, FL | ESPN | G6 vs. G6 | Ohio vs. Georgia Southern | Ohio (7-2, 5-0 MAC) leads the conference outright on a six-game winning streak. Georgia Southern (5-4, 4-1 Sun Belt East) has won three straight.

Dec. 21 | Myrtle Beach | Conway, SC | ESPN | American/CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt | ECU vs. Louisiana | ECU (5-4, 3-2 American) is back in the bowl picture after beating South Florida. Louisiana (6-3, 3-2 Sun Belt) is unbeaten at home this season.

Dec. 21 | Idaho Potato | Boise, ID | ESPN | MAC vs. MWC | Toledo vs. Wyoming | Toledo (7-2, 4-1 MAC) and Wyoming (6-3, 5-1 Mountain West) are both near the top of their conference standings.

Dec. 22 | Puerto Rico | Bayamon, PR | ESPN | G6 vs. G6 | MTSU vs. App State | Middle Tennessee (5-4, 3-2 CUSA) and App State (5-4, 2-3 Sun Belt) both need one more win to clinch eligibility.

Dec. 22 | Cure | Orlando, FL | ESPN | G6 vs. G6 | FAU vs. Marshall | FAU (6-3, 3-2 American) and Marshall (5-4, 2-3 Sun Belt) would be a matchup of former CUSA rivals in Orlando.

Dec. 23 | New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | ESPN | CUSA vs. Sun Belt | Jacksonville State vs. Louisiana Tech | Jacksonville State (7-2, 5-0 CUSA) and Louisiana Tech (7-2, 5-0 Sun Belt West) are both on six-game winning streaks.

Dec. 23 | Armed Forces | Fort Worth, TX | ESPN | American vs. CUSA | Army vs. Liberty | Liberty (8-1, 5-0 CUSA) has won eight straight. Army is 5-4 and 4-2 in the American.

Dec. 23 | Poinsettia | San Diego, CA | CW | Pac-12 vs. former Pac-12 | Oregon State vs. Arizona State | The new Pac-12 against a former league rival that left for the Big 12. Oregon State is 5-4 and 3-2 in conference.

Dec. 23 | Frisco Bowl | Frisco, TX | ESPN | G6 vs. G6 | UAB vs. UNLV | UAB (5-4, 3-2 American) needs one more win. UNLV is 5-4 and 3-2 in the Mountain West.

Dec. 24 | Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | ESPN | Pac-12 vs. MWC | Fresno State vs. Air Force | Fresno State (5-4, 2-3 Pac-12) and Air Force (7-2, 3-2 Mountain West) in Honolulu on Christmas Eve.

Dec. 24 | New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | ESPN | American vs. MWC | UTSA vs. New Mexico | Could be conference champion vs. conference champion if neither wins the G6 auto-bid. UTSA is 7-2 and 4-1. New Mexico is 8-1 and 5-0.

Dec. 26 | Fenway | Boston, MA | ESPN | American vs. ACC | Memphis vs. North Carolina | Memphis (7-2, 4-1 American) is tied for second in the American with UTSA behind North Texas. Facing UNC in Bill Belichick's return to Boston would be delicious.

Dec. 26 | 68 Ventures | Mobile, AL | ESPN | CUSA/MAC/Sun Belt | Delaware vs. Buffalo | Delaware (4-5, 2-3 CUSA) needs two more wins. Buffalo (6-3, 4-1 MAC) is on a four-game winning streak.

Dec. 28 | Military | Annapolis, MD | ESPN | American vs. ACC | South Florida vs. Pitt | South Florida (6-3, 2-3 American) gets a shot at an ACC opponent.

Jan. 2 | First Responder | Dallas, TX | ABC | American vs. Big 12 | North Texas vs. Baylor | North Texas (7-2, 5-0 American) leads the conference outright. Dallas is 40 miles from Denton.

Jan. 2 | Arizona | Tucson, AZ | CW | MAC vs. MWC | Western Michigan vs. NDSU | North Dakota State (7-2, 4-2 Mountain West) and Western Michigan (6-3, 4-1 MAC) wrap things up in the final non-playoff game.

Diehard Bowl Projections update weekly through the end of the regular season.