Bowl Projections 2015: Updated CFP Predictions for Week 12

The 2015 College Football Playoff picture didn't change too much at the very top, which should be reflected in the Week 12 rankings that release this evening.

Every team in the top five managed to win this past weekend, as the respective Nos. 6 and 7 Baylor and Stanford both fell and are all but out of the running for the Top Four.

Perhaps most intriguing is to see what unfolds in the Big Ten. Reigning national champion Ohio State is bracing for the hardest part of its schedule, while Iowa has made a surprising undefeated run and is likely to pose a huge challenge to the Buckeyes in the conference-title game.

Read on for some projections as to what the final CFP matchups will be and predictions for those prospective showdowns.

Orange Bowl: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Notre Dame

BRADLEY LEEB/Associated Press

Impressive as the Hawkeyes have been under steadfast coach Kirk Ferentz, they won't have enough to topple Ohio State for the Big Ten championship.

Although Iowa allows only 3.34 yards per carry, it hasn't faced a back like the Buckeyes' Ezekiel Elliott all year. Elliott is arguably the best at his position in the country and is the primary reason the oft-lethargic crystal football defenders are still undefeated.

Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com notes how selfless Elliott has been despite his immense individual impact as a ball-carrier:

Both OSU and Notre Dame have experienced turbulence under center this season yet have managed to weather it. The Buckeyes have bounced back and forth between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett, now settled on the latter. Malik Zaire was lost for Notre Dame due to injury and replaced by DeShone Kizer.

Barrett lost his starting job to Jones because of injury in last year's regular-season finale. After being suspended for the Minnesota game for a OVI arrest and acquitting himself well in his return against Illinois, the sophomore captain is going to be determined to lead OSU this time around.

Having someone like Elliott to complement him certainly helps, which Barrett is quick to recognize.

"Boy, Zeke is something else, ain't he?" said Barrett of Elliott after OSU's 28-3 win over Illinois on Saturday, per ESPN.com. "A positive run play is four yards, so when he's popping out six, eight, nine yards on first and second down, that's what you love in a running back."

Nothing has quite jelled for the Buckeyes all year despite their perfect 10-0 mark. They are simply too talented to fall short of the national title game, though.

Ohio State's defensive line is headed by top-flight NFL draft prospect Joey Bosa as an edge-rusher. Linebacker Darron Lee is instinctive, flies to the football against the run and is athletic enough to drop in coverage. The secondary is led by safety Vonn Bell and would hold up well enough to limit the splash plays from Notre Dame's premier deep-threat receiver, Will Fuller.

Having had the experience of covering Devin Smith last year every day in practice, this seasoned OSU defense would be as equipped as any to combat Fuller's explosiveness.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 20

Cotton Bowl: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Clemson

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After the most impressive shutdown of LSU stud RB Leonard Fournette, Alabama's encore in Week 11 was to stymie Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott in a dominant 31-6 victory on the road.

Derrick Henry is really starting to get rolling for the Crimson Tide as well, currently just 16 rushing yards behind Fournette for the national lead. Henry has three games of more than 200 yards in his past four contests—all against SEC foes.

Few, if any, teams appear capable of stopping Alabama at the moment. Coach Nick Saban's bunch is proving once again to be the class of the nation's most reputable conference. The only hope Clemson might have is a tremendous dual-threat signal-caller in Deshaun Watson.

Marty Smith of ESPN notes how Watson is able to hit big downfield plays in addition to the deep cast of playmakers around him:

In a second straight 10-point win over Syracuse this past Saturday, Watson attempted more than 40 passes while also running for 100 yards. He is definitely putting the Tigers on his back and willing Clemson to the regular-season finish line.

After struggling to contain athletic QBs in the recent past, Alabama seems to be past its tribulations in light of how Prescott couldn't lead Mississippi State to the end zone this past week.

A stout Tide front seven headlined by linebacker Reggie Ragland would shut down Clemson's rushing attack in a hypothetical Cotton Bowl matchup. It would force Watson to freelance to manufacture yards on the ground on his own and make the Tigers largely one-dimensional.

Those factors would be too much for Clemson to overcome and pull off an upset. This year nevertheless marks an exciting step forward for the program, who will welcome Watson back for at least one more year in 2016.

Prediction: Alabama 27, Clemson 14

Note: Stats courtesy of NCAA.com unless otherwise indicated.