Bowl Predictions 2015: Projections and Odds for CFP Final and Top Matchups
College football's regular-season schedule is nearing completion, with the College Football Playoff games all set. The Orange Bowl and Cotton Bowl, acting as this year's semifinal games, will include the champions of the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten.
But there will also be four other games played on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day to keep college football fans busy in the Fiesta, Sugar, Peach and Rose Bowls. Here are the latest odds and projections for the six games.
Opening odds for the bowl games come courtesy of Odds Shark:
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
| Orange Bowl* | Oklahoma vs. Clemson | Thursday, Dec. 31, 4 p.m. | OU -3.5 | Clemson |
| Cotton Bowl* | Michigan State vs. Alabama | Thursday, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. | Alabama -10 | Alabama |
| Peach Bowl | Houston vs. Florida State | Thursday, Dec. 31, 12 p.m. | FSU -6.5 | Florida State |
| Fiesta Bowl | Notre Dame vs. Ohio State | Friday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. | OSU -5 | Ohio State |
| Rose Bowl | Iowa vs. Stanford | Friday, Jan. 1, 5 p.m. | STAN -6.5 | Stanford |
| Sugar Bowl | Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss | Friday, Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. | MISS -7 | Ole Miss |
RJ Bell of Pregame.com took a look at the current championship odds for the teams competing in the playoff:
In Miami, the Orange Bowl will be a rematch of last year's Russell Athletic Bowl, with No. 1 Clemson taking on No. 4 Oklahoma. The Sooners will be hoping for a different result than last year, when Clemson defeated them 40-6.
A win for Oklahoma would be fitting, as ESPN Stats & Info pointed out:
Oklahoma will carry one of the best offenses in the nation into the game, averaging 45 points per contest, but it will be playing a Clemson team that is just as potent, with only seven points fewer per week.
The game will feature two of the top quarterbacks in the nation in Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Clemson's Deshaun Watson, both of whom are up for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
It's sure to be one heck of a matchup for Matt Hinton, formerly of Grantland:
In what will likely be a shootout, the game will come down to which team is capable of making the crucial stop. Throughout this season, Clemson has allowed almost 400 fewer yards than Oklahoma on defense. While it isn't much over an entire season, if Clemson could limit Oklahoma's offense just enough, it's through to the championship game.
The Cotton Bowl will also feature a top quarterback in Michigan State's Connor Cook, but he will line up against an Alabama defense that has been one of the most relentless units in the nation.
While Cook is a first-round prospect in the upcoming NFL draft, the rest of his offense is not much to worry about. The Spartans offense is ranked 53rd in passing and 79th in rushing, which shouldn't provide much of a challenge for Alabama's defense.
ESPN College Football looked at just how good the Crimson Tide have been since their Week 3 loss to Ole Miss:
On the offensive side of the ball, the Crimson Tide have a Heisman candidate in Derrick Henry who has been on fire lately. In his past seven games, Henry has run for over 200 yards four times and is just 14 yards away from 2,000 total rushing yards this season.
With Henry controlling the game, Alabama should win comfortably and make its way to the CFP National Championship Game.
Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
