Bowl Predictions 2014: Projections for Selection Committee Bowl Games

With the college football season winding down, most teams know whether they're making a bowl or not. A very small amount still have aspirations of attending one of the high-profile bowls or even the College Football Playoff.

During the regular-season finale for many programs, Mississippi State lost a second game to all but seal its fate. The Bulldogs will likely miss out on a playoff spot, but they still have a lock on a selection committee bowl game thanks to a strong season.

Hoping to grab the reins from Mississippi State are TCU, Baylor and potentially Ohio State in the next week. All three have one more game to play, but the Buckeyes have the most to prove after losing J.T. Barrett for the rest of the season.

Even this late in the season, nothing is locked up for any team heading into conference championships. Prior to the weekend getting underway, here's a look at the latest projections for the selection committee bowl games.

Bowl Game	Date	Matchup	Projected Teams
Sugar Bowl	Jan. 1	Semifinal	Alabama vs. TCU
Rose Bowl	Jan. 1	Semifinal	Oregon vs. Florida State
Cotton Bowl	Jan. 1	At-Large vs. At-Large	Arizona vs. Wisconsin
Orange Bowl	Dec. 31	ACC vs. SEC/Big Ten/Notre Dame	Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State
Fiesta Bowl	Dec. 31	At-Large vs. At-Large	Ohio State vs. Boise State
Peach Bowl	Dec. 31	At-Large vs. At-Large	Baylor vs. Michigan State

Breakdown of Projections

A lot will be settled this weekend, but for now, TCU looks like the best team in the Big 12.

That's a difficult statement for some to swallow given the fact that Baylor defeated TCU earlier this season. But even with that comeback victory, the Bears have hardly been as impressive since that point.

Looking at both teams compared to each other, TCU has a more impressive strength of schedule and didn't lose to West Virginia by 14 points. Cork Gaines of Business Insider notes the crushing loss for the Bears:

"

How exactly do TCU and Baylor have "the same resume"? I dont recall TCU losing to WVU by 2 TDs.

— Cork Gaines (@CorkGaines) December 1, 2014"

However, they might trade places next week depending on how both play in their final games. The Horned Frogs face a weak Iowa State team, while the Bears have one last chance to make a statement against Kansas State.

Speaking of this weekend, the potential top three seeds will all be tested to earn a spot in the playoff. Alabama faces Missouri for the SEC title, but the two biggest games will be taking place in the ACC and Pac-12 championships.

Leading up to the ACC Championship showdown with Florida State, Georgia Tech took down SEC-rival Georgia in a massive day for the conference. Yellow Jackets coach Paul Johnson referenced the 4-0 weekend for the ACC over the SEC:

The ACC Digital Network also noted the statement day for the conference:

Sure, each of those wins were over SEC East teams, but it solidifies the ACC as a strong conference and the Jackets as the No. 2 program. If Florida State is able to take down GT, it would all but guarantee it a shot at a second straight national championship.

On the West Coast, Oregon and Arizona will be a standoff between teams with plenty of recent history. While the Ducks have been a powerhouse in the Pac-12, the Wildcats have had their number with wins in the last two games, as ESPN College Football notes:

Given their seasons, both Georgia Tech and Arizona have a great shot at making it into a selection committee bowl game. Even with a loss to FSU or Oregon, both should have a chance to represent their respective conferences on the national stage.

Baylor can still jump TCU and blowouts for Georgia Tech or Arizona would hurt their chances at a notable bowl game. Perhaps the conference championships will finally go to plan—but chaos still seems likely.

Follow @RCorySmith on Twitter.