Bowl Projections 2022: Latest Predictions for CFP Final and Most Dangerous Teams

Entering conference championship weekend, the College Football Playoff picture is quite straightforward. That's because there are four teams that should control their own CFP destiny and can secure a berth by winning a conference title.

Georgia and Michigan are heading to the College Football Playoff no matter what happens this weekend. The Bulldogs should win the SEC championship, and the Wolverines are likely to win the Big Ten title. But even if they somehow don't, they're both undefeated to this point and have already built strong cases for CFP inclusion.

TCU may be in the same position. The Horned Frogs are also undefeated as they look to capture the Big 12 championship. It will be interesting to see if the selection committee still includes them in the Playoff if they lose, but TCU can prevent that conversation from even happening with a win.

USC's CFP status is simple: Win the Pac-12 championship and get in, or lose and miss out. So the Trojans' season is on the line this weekend.

Here's everything else to know about the College Football Playoff situation with conference championships soon to be awarded.

CFP and New Year's Six Projections

Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 19: CFP logo helmet during the College Football Playoff press conference and media roundtable on November 19, 2022, at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Peach Bowl (CFP semifinal): No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 USC

Fiesta Bowl (CFP semifinal): No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 TCU

CFP National Championship: No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 2 Michigan

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Washington

Cotton Bowl: Penn State vs. Tulane

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Kansas State

Orange Bowl: Clemson vs. Tennessee

Utah Could Keep Pac-12 out of CFP Again

AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

Utah quarterback Cameron Rising (7) throws a pass against Southern California during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Utah is the only team that has defeated USC this season. On Oct. 15, the Utes defeated the Trojans 43-42 in Salt Lake City, winning on Cameron Rising's run for a two-point conversion with 48 seconds to go.

The Pac-12 hasn't had a team reach the College Football Playoff since Washington in the 2016 season. Even if Utah wins the conference title, its three-loss record would keep it out of the CFP and send it to the Rose Bowl. So the Utes are just trying to deny USC a Playoff berth on Friday night.

The Trojans have been rolling of late, as they closed out the regular season with impressive victories against UCLA and Notre Dame. USC sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams is also the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy because of his stellar play that has guided the team to success.

But Utah is likely going to give USC a tough game. The Utes have already beaten the Trojans once, and it's quite possible they could do so again.

Can Kansas State Knock TCU out of Playoff?

AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez

TCU cornerback Josh Newton (24) and safety Namdi Obiazor (4) try to stop Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn (22) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Richard W. Rodriguez)

The Big 12 Championship Game also features a regular-season rematch. Among TCU's 12 wins this season was a home victory against Kansas State on Oct. 22. The Horned Frogs came from behind to defeat the Wildcats 38-28 that time, and now the two teams are set to meet again.

Kansas State held an 18-point lead midway through the second quarter in its previous matchup against TCU, so the Wildcats have proved they can have success against the Horned Frogs. But TCU reeled off 28 unanswered points in that victory as it found a way to win (like it has every time it has taken the field this season).

The Horned Frogs have played plenty of close games, and quite a few of them could have gone the other way. So it's not a given that they're going to storm past the Wildcats to win the Big 12 title on Saturday.

Although Kansas State has lost three games this season, it closed out the regular season with three straight victories. There's a chance it will keep that momentum going and pull off an upset against TCU.

Ohio State Hoping to Still Get CFP Berth

Ben Jackson/Getty Images

COLUMBUS, OHIO - NOVEMBER 26: Head coach Ryan Day of the Ohio State Buckeyes watches a replay during the fourth quarter of a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium on November 26, 2022 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images)

If USC loses in the Pac-12 Championship Game, it will open the door for a team not playing on conference championship weekend to get into the College Football Playoff. A TCU loss in the Big 12 Championship Game may also do that.

That's what Ohio State is hoping for. Because if the CFP selection committee has to pick a team to put in over either the Horned Frogs or Trojans, there's a good chance it will be the Buckeyes.

Ohio State won its first 11 games of the season before losing 45-23 to Michigan this past Saturday. The Buckeyes controlled their own Playoff destiny heading into that matchup. But they fell, and now don't even get to play in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Still, Ohio State's only loss of the season came against the No. 2 team in the country, and it notched a pair of quality wins over Notre Dame and Penn State. So the Buckeyes could still make it to the CFP if things fall the right way.