Bowl Projections 2019: Predictions for CFP Championship and Biggest Matchups

When Oklahoma lost at Kansas State on Oct. 26, it became clear the Sooners may need some help to get into the College Football Playoff this season.

They needed both Utah and Oregon to suffer a loss. The Ducks lost at Arizona State on Nov. 23 and then beat Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night, effectively ending the Utes' hopes of reaching the CFP.

But Oklahoma still needs two things to happen in order to make the playoff. It needs to beat Baylor in the Big 12 Championship Game and for Georgia to lose LSU in the SEC Championship Game. It would also help if Wisconsin loses to Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Here's a look at projections for the New Year's Six bowl games, followed by predictions for the College Football Playoff.

New Year's Six Matchup Predictions

Peach Bowl: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Clemson

Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Penn State

Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Baylor

Orange Bowl: Virginia vs. Florida

Cotton Bowl: Memphis vs. Alabama

College Football Playoff Predictions

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Oklahoma

Jay LaPrete/Associated Press

This should be an intriguing matchup, as the Buckeyes and Sooners both have high-powered offenses. So, there will likely be a lot of points scored when these teams face off in a CFP semifinal.

Ohio State and Oklahoma both rank in the top five in total offense in the country. The Sooners are No. 1 with 564.3 total yards per game, while the Buckeyes are fifth at 534.3. And both are led by a dynamic, exciting quarterback—Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Ohio State's Justin Fields.

Although the Sooners have the nation's No. 1 offense, the Buckeyes have the No. 1 defense (232.3 total yards allowed per game). And that's part of the reason why Ohio State will continue its unbeaten season and reach the CFP National Championship for the first time since the 2014 season.

No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Clemson

Vasha Hunt/Associated Press

There's not much better than a matchup of two undefeated conference champions in the College Football Playoff semifinals with a spot in the national championship game on the line.

LSU and Clemson will have made it here in different ways. LSU had to navigate a difficult schedule that featured games against Alabama, Auburn, Florida and Texas, among others. Meanwhile, Clemson didn't play a game against a team that is currently ranked during the regular season.

Despite that, it will still be a close game when these two teams face off, as Clemson is talented on both sides of the ball. However, it won't be enough to beat LSU, which will make its first national championship game appearance in the playoff era.

No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 LSU

This is the matchup that most college football fans will want to see. The Buckeyes and Tigers have been dominant in the two most difficult conferences in the country. Now, they'll go head-to-head to see who is better.

Both teams are filled with stars. LSU has quarterback Joe Burrow, the likely Heisman Trophy winner, leading its offense. Ohio State has edge-rusher Chase Young, a future top NFL draft pick, bolstering its defense. And those are only two of the top players who will be on the field for this matchup.

So, which team comes away with the national title? It's going to be a back-and-forth, competitive game, but Ohio State will prove it's the slightly better team, winning its first national title since the 2014 season.