Updated Bowl Projections 2015: Where We Stand Before Conference Title Games

The regular season is almost completely over, and all that we have left is the conference championship games. While the postseason picture can change as a result of a few title game upsets, things are largely set for the majority of bowl games and conferences out there.

There's still some shifting to be done but, based on some investigation, here's a look at how things could shake out for the months of December and January.

Bleacher Report

• The College Football Playoff semifinal games will be announced Sunday by the selection committee, while the remaining New Year's Six games and other bowls will be announced shortly thereafter.

• The committee has no reason to move the Oklahoma Sooners down from No. 3 to the No. 4 seed based on the way the Sooners are playing, but it has a history of moving Big 12 teams downward for no apparent reason. A Michigan State Spartans win in the Big Ten championship game will likely cause the committee to elevate the Spartans into the No. 3 seed and set up a semifinal against the Alabama Crimson Tide, while avoiding any controversy by sending Oklahoma away from the Cotton Bowl. This gives us plenty of storylines—a rematch between the Clemson Tigers and Oklahoma and Nick Saban vs. Mark Dantonio—a good ratings matchup and some potentially fun games.

• Even if Alabama blows the doors off the Florida Gators in Atlanta, Georgia, this week, the committee has given no indication it would move them into the No. 1 seed if Clemson remains undefeated.

Bleacher REport

• No conference has a more fluid bowl picture than the Pac-12. There are several teams at the bottom—the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils and Washington Huskies among them—that will be Power Five at-large candidates and likely flung to a destination far from the league's footprint. Then, at the top, there is considerable back-room dealing being done to sort out the fates of the USC Trojans—should they lose in the Pac-12 title game—Washington State Cougars, Utah Utes and UCLA Bruins.

• While it at first seemed unrealistic, a Holy War bowl game between the BYU Cougars and Utah is becoming more of a thing by the day. The key will be the Holiday Bowl, which is still considering the Utes, and the Foster Farms Bowl. If Utah goes to San Diego, California, the dominoes will fall and a number of destinations will change. At the moment, however, Washington State remains the likely selection by Holiday Bowl, which is excited about the prospect of hosting the Wisconsin Badgers in Southern California.

• The Bahamas Bowl pairing has already been announced between the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders and the Western Michigan Broncos. Both teams are getting their passports ready and hopefully can match the drama of last season's game, an exciting 49-48 win for the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers over the Central Michigan Chippewas.

• Of the 5-7 teams, most have a natural bowl spot to go to with the exception of the San Jose State Spartans. While a game in the West would be preferred, the Spartans may not have a choice but to go all the way to the East Coast. The Kansas State Wildcats can still get to 6-6 with a win against the West Virginia Mountaineers, but they seem penciled in for the Liberty Bowl regardless.

• The Oregon Ducks' high-flying offense against head coach Gary Patterson's TCU Horned Frogs defense? Yes please. Sign us up for the farewell tour of quarterbacks Vernon Adams and Trevone Boykin, too.

• Unless the SEC office helps the Auburn Tigers get out of the Birmingham Bowl—which they're locked into based on their record—the Memphis Tigers may have a shot at getting two wins over SEC teams this season. Nice recruiting tool for both departing coach Justin Fuente and new coach Mike Norvell.

• Speaking of the Virginia Tech Hokies, how about Frank Beamer's farewell going against another CFB great in Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott? Sign us up for that one—and the Belk Bowl appears to be all over it.

• It remains possible that the Texas A&M Aggies don't go to the Texas Bowl to face the rival Texas Tech Red Raiders, and if that happens, expect them to flip spots with the LSU Tigers. That said, the bowl folks in Houston, Texas, seem excited about this rivalry matchup between the two in-state schools.

• Yes, Arizona will get to play a bowl game in its own stadium. That's kind of cool.

• If you want to talk about a contrast in styles, check out the Pinstripe Bowl between the Indiana Hoosiers and Pittsburgh Panthers.

• Sneaky great game? Check out the Camellia Bowl between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and Northern Illinois Huskies.