College Football Bowl Predictions: Who's in the Top Games After Iron Bowl?
The Iron Bowl may feature just two teams, but its result could rock the college football landscape.
When Auburn and Alabama clash on Friday, it could have huge implications for the national-title picture.
If the Tigers get the win, not much will change.
But if the Crimson Tide can use that home-field advantage to take down Cam Newton and company, there will be a logjam at the top.
If the Tigers go down, what will happen?
Could Boise State sneak into the BCS title game or could Auburn still get in with an SEC championship game win?
Let's see how the winner of the Iron Bowl effects college football's 10 biggest bowls.
10. If Auburn Wins: Chick-Fil-A Bowl
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The Chick-fil-A Bowl, played on Dec. 31 in Atlanta, features the No. 2 ACC team and the No. 3, 4 or 5 SEC team.
If Auburn wins (and wins the SEC title game), this game should feature either North Carolina State or Florida State taking on Mississippi State or South Carolina.
I think the Gamecocks find themselves in a different bowl and Florida State heads to the Champs Sports Bowl.
Projection: NC State vs. Mississippi State
10. If Alabama Wins: Chick-Fil-A Bowl
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An Alabama win certainly changes things up a bit.
In that scenario, South Carolina would be knocked down a peg to take on North Carolina State in this ACC-SEC showdown.
Projection: NC State vs. South Carolina
9. If Auburn Wins: Outback Bowl
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Played on Jan. 1 in Tampa, the Outback Bowl features the third team from the Big Ten and the third, fourth or fifth team from the SEC.
If the Tigers win the Iron Bowl, this game should feature the fourth-best Big Ten team, which will benefit from having two teams crack the BCS.
In that scenario, this game will most likely feature Iowa taking on either South Carolina or Arkansas.
Projection: Iowa vs. South Carolina
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
9. If Alabama Wins: Outback Bowl
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Being that the Outback Bowl generally has its choosing of which SEC team it wants, this bowl game won't change that much no matter who wins the Iron Bowl.
I think fans of Iowa would like to see the Hawkeyes face the Gamecocks or the Razorbacks.
But in this case, I'll go with Ryan Mallett and three-loss Arkansas heading to the Outback.
Projection: Iowa vs. Arkansas
8. If Auburn Wins: Capital One Bowl
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The Capital One Bowl, played Jan. 1 in Orlando, is another Big Ten-SEC matchup, this time featuring the No. 2 team from both conferences.
Since Ohio State and Wisconsin will be in the BCS, Michigan State is the odd team out. The Spartans are a virtual lock for this spot.
They should face Alabama, which will end up here if it loses to Auburn.
Projection: Michigan State vs. Alabama
8. If Alabama Wins: Capital One Bowl
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Different result, same story.
With two SEC schools locked into the BCS, a win over Auburn doesn't change anything for the Crimson Tide.
Projection: Michigan State vs. Alabama
7. If Auburn Wins: Gator Bowl
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The Gator Bowl, played on Jan. 1 in Jacksonville, features the Big Ten No. 4 or 5 team and the SEC No. 6 team.
This one's pretty cut and dry.
The Big Ten should be represented by Penn State and the SEC should be represented by one of the country's most disappointing schools, Florida.
Projection: Penn State vs. Florida
7. If Alabama Wins: Gator Bowl
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It's old school vs. new school once again.
It's Joe Paterno vs. Urban Meyer.
Projection: Penn State vs. Florida
6. If Auburn Wins: Cotton Bowl
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The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, played in Arlington, Texas, features the No. 2 Big 12 team and a No. 3, 4 or 5 school from the SEC (West, that is).
This game should feature the loser of the season-ending Oklahoma-Oklahoma State showdown, and either Arkansas or LSU, depending on the result of that game.
The Iron Bowl doesn't have much impact on this one.
Projection: Oklahoma State vs. Arkansas
6. If Alabama Wins: Cotton Bowl
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Let's go with the opposite result of both games for this one.
Sure, why not?
It would be a rematch of the 2003 national championship game.
Projection: Oklahoma vs. LSU
5. If Auburn Wins: Fiesta Bowl
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The Fiesta Bowl, played Jan. 1 in Glendale, Ariz., will feature the No. 1 teams from the Big 12 and Big East conferences.
Alabama and Auburn could tie and it would have no effect on this game.
Pittsburgh's basically a sure-in and will be the team that steals an undeserved BCS spot away from a much better football team.
The Panthers should face Oklahoma State or Nebraska depending on what happens between the Cowboys and Sooners.
Projection: Nebraska vs. Pittsburgh
5. If Alabama Wins: Fiesta Bowl
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I went with Nebraska if Auburn wins, but it really doesn't matter much.
I'll say that Oklahoma State will be the Big 12's BCS representative in this scenario.
Why? Because I can.
Projection: Pittsburgh vs. Oklahoma State
4. If Auburn Wins: Orange Bowl
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The Discover Orange Bowl, played in Miami, will be a matchup between the ACC's No. 1 team and a BCS at-large school.
Virginia Tech has rolled to its ninth straight win following an 0-2 start and is as close to a sure thing as they come for this game.
Whether Alabama or Auburn wins shouldn't effect this matchup.
It should feature the Hokies taking on the second BCS team from the Big Ten conference.
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State
4. If Alabama Wins: Orange Bowl
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It'll be a battle of dual-threat quarterbacks.
Virginia Tech's Tyrod Taylor will take on Ohio State's Terrelle Pryor.
Projection: Virginia Tech vs. Ohio State
3. If Auburn Wins: Rose Bowl
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The Rose Bowl, played in Pasadena, Calif., will feature the Big Ten's No. 1 team against the Pac-10 No. 1 or a BCS at-large bid.
If Auburn wins the Iron Bowl and wins out, here is where the BCS gets a few more haters from Idaho.
As long as Oregon stays undefeated as well, those two teams will face off.
In that case, Boise State would get the shaft...again.
Projection: Wisconsin vs. Boise State
3. If Alabama Wins: Rose Bowl
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If Auburn goes down against Alabama, that opens the door for a non-automatic qualifying school to possibly make it to the BCS national championship.
In that scenario, Stanford would be the one that benefits with a spot in the Rose Bowl.
Projection: Stanford vs. Wisconsin
2. If Auburn Wins: Allstate Sugar Bowl
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The Sugar Bowl, played Jan. 4 in New Orleans, features the No.1 team from the SEC and a BCS at-large school.
If Auburn takes care of Alabama in the Iron Bowl, this is where the SEC's No. 2 school, LSU, will end up.
No matter which SEC school is here though, this is where TCU will come Jan. 4 if Oregon and Boise State stay undefeated.
Projection: LSU vs. TCU
2. If Alabama Wins: Allstate Sugar Bowl
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If Alabama wins, I don't see Auburn making it back into the top two of the BCS rankings, even if they win the SEC championship game.
The Tigers will have to settle for this consolation prize, a matchup against the Horned Frogs.
Projection: Auburn vs. TCU
1. If Auburn Wins: BCS National Championship
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The BCS national championship game is the granddaddy of them all, a matchup between the top two teams in the BCS standings.
If Auburn wins (and takes down South Carolina the following week), this is where the Tiger will be without a doubt.
So who will they face?
Well, the Oregon Ducks of course.
Projection: Auburn vs. Oregon
1. If Alabama Wins: BCS National Championship
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If Auburn loses to the Crimson Tide, fans of smaller schools better get ready.
This could be one of the rare times when a non-automatic qualifying schools will be given a shot at a national championship.
We should see a rematch of last year's epic game between Oregon and Boise State.
I don't know about you, but I'm all for it, too.
Projection: Oregon vs. Boise State
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
