Bowl Predictions 2015: CFP Projections Heading into Week 13

It's the time of year in the college football season where one loss can end a team's chance at a national championship.

Ask the Ohio State Buckeyes, who went into Week 12 undefeated and left with a loss to the No. 6 Michigan State Spartans—their first ranked opponent all season. Barring a monumental collapse from a few other teams, the loss ended Ohio State's shot at a second straight national title.

The loss could pave the way for the Iowa Hawkeyes to creep into the next installment of the College Football Playoff rankings, which will be announced at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Here is a look at the CFP projections and some Week 13 matchups that could shake up the Top Four once again.

Rank	Team	Previous Rank	Next Opponent
1	Clemson Tigers (11-0)	1	@ South Carolina Gamecocks
2	Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1)	2	@ Auburn Tigers
3	Iowa Hawkeyes (11-0)	5	@ Nebraska Cornhuskers
4	Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-1)	4	@ No. 13 Stanford Cardinal

Notre Dame Needs Big Win to Stay in CFP Hunt

If these predictions hold true, the Irish did not hurt themselves in Week 12 with a narrow victory over the 3-8 Boston College Eagles, but they will be jumped by the undefeated Hawkeyes.

It wouldn't be the first time that has happened since the rankings were released, as the one-loss Alabama Crimson Tide passed the undefeated Buckeyes two weeks ago after an impressive win over the then-No. 2 LSU Tigers.

The Eagles have one of the best defenses in the nation, allowing just 14.8 points per game, but they also are winless in ACC play, and a 19-16 Irish victory is not going to impress many.

In fact, ESPN college football analyst Danny Kanell thinks it will drop the Irish out of the playoff picture altogether.

A win over the No. 13 Stanford Cardinal will go a long way in solidifying Notre Dame's spot. Of course, a loss will give the Irish two defeats on the season and leave them with no shot at the national championship.

The Irish have looked rather pedestrian the past few weeks, but the fact remains they have a win over the No. 25 Temple Owls, have not played an FCS team and their only loss was by two points on the road to the No. 1 Clemson Tigers.

However, the party will come crashing down against a Cardinal offense that is averaging a Pac-12-high 40.1 points per game during conference play. 

In four road games this year, Notre Dame is allowing 25.3 points per contest, but only 18.9 in home or neutral games. 

This will be the last week in the CFP for the Irish after the Stanford offense rolls and picks up its 10th win of the season.

Stanford wins, 38-24.

Oklahoma Knocking on the CFP Door

If not for a head-scratching loss to the Texas Longhorns, the Oklahoma Sooners would be controlling their own destiny in search of another national championship. 

However, the loss happened, and now the Sooners will need a win over the No. 9 Oklahoma State Cowboys to keep their chances alive.

A victory would give the Sooners the Big 12 regular-season title, but they still will be battling it out with Iowa, Notre Dame, Michigan State and others for a spot in the CFP.

The Cowboys suffered their first loss of the season in Week 12 to the No. 7 Baylor Bears and are certainly a worthy opponent for Oklahoma. 

However, the Sooners are just too hot on offense right now for the Cowboys. When scoring 30 points—as they did in a Week 12 victory against the No. 15 TCU Horned Frogs—is considered a down game, you know the offense is clicking.

If they pull out a victory, the Sooners finish with one loss and a conference title and have as good a shot as any other one-loss team to claim the fourth spot.

The Cowboys have struggled with high-powered offenses this year (allowing 53 points to the Texas Tech Red Raiders and 45 to Baylor), and they even allowed the lowly Iowa State Cyclones to score 31 points in a Week 11 victory.

Per Bryan Fischer of Bleacher Report, high-powered offenses haven't been an issue for the Sooners:

Oklahoma will win a shootout, and the playoff picture will become even more muddled with a good possibility of nine teams with one or zero losses at season's end.

Let the madness begin.

Oklahoma wins, 52-45.