Bowl Projections 2015: Predictions, Updated College Football Playoff Outlook

The second edition of the College Football Playoff is well down the road, as the first such rankings for the postseason picture won't be released until November 3.

It's still, nevertheless, far enough into the season to gauge which programs have a chance to participate in the marquee bowl games. Three such contests comprise the CFP, but numerous other quality teams are going to take the field before then in high-stakes showdowns.

Check out some updated projections and predictions for the best bowl games, including the College Football Playoff. 

Game	Matchup	Early Prediction
Rose Bowl	USC vs. Michigan	Michigan wins, 20-16
Sugar Bowl	Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma	Ole Miss wins, 27-21
Peach Bowl	Texas A&M vs. Utah	Texas A&M wins, 38-35
Fiesta Bowl	Baylor vs. Alabama	Alabama wins, 31-28
Cotton Bowl/CFP Semifinal	TCU vs. Clemson	TCU wins, 34-24
Orange Bowl/CFP Semifinal	Ohio State vs. LSU	Ohio State wins, 23-17

CFP Projections and Predictions

TCU 34, Clemson 24

Ron Jenkins/Associated Press

These two teams field the two quarterbacks who have, perhaps, the best chance of capturing the Heisman Trophy at the moment in TCU's Trevone Boykin and Clemson's Deshaun Watson.

Given Boykin's superior experience and the agonizingly close call the Horned Frogs experienced when they were frozen out of the inaugural College Football Playoff, TCU deserves the edge here.

Horned Frogs receiver Josh Doctson is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the country. The Tigers had a similar difference-maker in Mike Williams, who unfortunately suffered a neck injury in the season opener and is unlikely to play the rest of the year, per The Post and Courier's Aaron Brenner.

Clemson's defense is no joke—it forced Notre Dame into three second-half turnovers in a 24-22 victory. Sloppy conditions played a part, so did the Tigers players, who've managed to put together a productive unit that lost 2015 NFL first-round draft picks Vic Beasley and Stephone Anthony in the front seven.

But had Notre Dame not given the ball away so often late, perhaps Clemson wouldn't still hold an undefeated record and would be dealing with the aftermath of a defeat in Death Valley. It stands to reason under more suitable conditions, Boykin and Co. could give the Tigers some serious problems.

That's not to disrespect what Watson can do. He'd be able to capitalize on TCU's young defense that has seen 13 players make their first college starts this year.

"Teaching the game plan on Sunday — for SMU and Texas Tech — it was like they were in a cloud," said TCU coach Gary Patterson after a 50-7 win over Texas, per the Star-Telegram's Carlos Mendez. "It's like, 'It's simple, fellas.' But this Sunday it was like, 'Got it.'"

Further reason for hope is on the horizon for the Horned Frogs defense, as they've returned three seniors on the defensive line recently.

Boykin has already thrown 19 touchdowns to only three interceptions. With a capable senior ball-carrier in Aaron Green to complement him, it's difficult to envision TCU being a one-and-done if it does beat Baylor in its regular-season finale and qualify for the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State 23, LSU 17

As cool as the duel between Boykin and Watson would be, this scenario infers that Ohio State will remain atop the rankings, with LSU getting in and having a mortal lock Heisman winner in Leonard Fournette.

The battle for bragging rights between Fournette and Buckeyes star running back Ezekiel Elliott would set one of the most electrifying scenes in recent college football history. With all the emphasis on quarterbacks in the modern game, Fournette and Elliott are two transcendent talents in the backfield.

If not for Fournette's SEC record of three consecutive 200-yard rushing games, perhaps the Tigers would already have a blemish on their record. It's a near certainty OSU would have lost at Indiana last week without Elliott's three touchdown runs of 55, 65 and 75 yards.

ESPN's Mike Greenberg believes that trio of explosive bursts to paydirt contribute to Elliott being better than Fournette and the other top-tier back in the country in Georgia's Nick Chubb:

LSU has managed to remain respectable on defense despite the departure of longtime coordinator John Chavis for Texas A&M. Thanks to numerous returning starters from last year's national championship team, Ohio State is stout on defense as well.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller provides an idea of just how loaded coach Urban Meyer's team is across the board:

What swings this hypothetical game  for the Buckeyes is Cardale Jones. The former third-string QB, who's struggled to get out in front of J.T. Barrett as the team's starter this year, came in for Barrett last year to win the Big Ten title game and two playoff games to lead OSU to college football's pinnacle.

Experience goes a long way here again. To be frank and objective, it'd actually be fun, to a degree, to see Fournette fall short. Imagine how angry he might run in 2016. With his NFL draft eligibility on the horizon and a loss to fuel him to work at his craft, Fournette would figure to be driven as ever to deliver a national title to Baton Rouge.