Bowl Projections 2015: Predictions for Top Teams Ahead of Final CFP Poll Reveal

College football's conference championship weekend was loaded with drama, but in the end it looks like there will only be one new team in the Top Four when the 2015 College Football Playoff semifinalists are revealed. 

Clemson held off a hard-charging North Carolina team to lock up its spot atop the final CFP rankings, Alabama dispatched Florida in the SEC title game to lock up a top-two seed and idle Oklahoma had a stress-free day watching from its perch in Norman. 

However, the bottom of the picture likely received a shakeup thanks to Michigan State's 16-13 Big Ten Championship Game triumph over previously undefeated Iowa. But even if we assume the Spartans are a lock to occupy one of the final four spots, there's still plenty to ponder regarding where they should finish among that polished group. 

Fox Sports' Stewart Mandel explained: 

Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee indicated Michigan State may even have a case for the No. 2 spot: 

So before the selection committee makes its final call, here's a look at how the final CFP picture could shake out.

Breakdown and Projections

Game	Projected Matchup	Date
Orange Bowl	No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 Oklahoma	Dec. 31
Cotton Bowl	No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Michigan State	Dec. 31

Clemson in the top spot is a no-brainer. The Tigers own the longest active winning streak in college football (16 games), per ESPN Stats & Info, and they totaled a whopping 608 yards of total offense against No. 10 North Carolina. 

The lone undefeated team in the nation, Clemson took care of business week after week with impressive results to vault to the top of the pack. Although their strength of schedule ranked No. 20 overall, per TeamRankings.com, gutsy efforts against North Carolina and Florida State are too strong to ignore. 

So with the top spot squared away, it's time to turn our attention to the controversial No. 3 and No. 4 slots.

Michigan State would appear to be the logical choice for No. 4 because Iowa occupied the fourth and final spot entering the Big Ten title game, but the Spartans slayed an undefeated team while Oklahoma kicked back and watched the chaos unfold from home. 

So which team has the edge? As Mandel noted, it's nearly impossible to tell on paper: 

But based on the quality of Michigan State's wins, the Spartans feel deserving of a leap to No. 3.

For starters, Mark Dantonio's crew defeated Oregon, Michigan and Iowa. Factor in a victory over Ohio State without starting quarterback Connor Cook, and the Spartans have a tremendous case to move up two spots from No. 5. 

And while Oklahoma capped off its season in convincing fashion, wins over Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State don't scream quality the way they once did. Baylor's stock slipped by closing out the season with consecutive losses to TCU and Texas, and the Horned Frogs nearly upset Oklahoma without Trevone Boykin. 

So if Michigan State does indeed secure the No. 3 seed, that would leave the Sooners with a semifinal showdown against Clemson, while the Spartans would be poised to engage in a slugfest against Alabama in the Cotton Bowl. 

But with Heisman hopeful and human 18-wheeler Derrick Henry leading the Tide, the Spartans may actually be pining to grab the No. 4 spot and a matchup with Clemson. 

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to help this team win," Henry said, per Sallee. "Whether it's me running the ball, catching the ball, pass-blocking, I'm going to do whatever it takes."

A showdown with Deshaun Watson and Clemson would hardly be a walk in the park for Michigan State, but Alabama has the sort of defense that could make life miserable for a Spartans team that has topped 25 points once in its last four games. 

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless noted otherwise.