This week’s top four

My projection of the four teams for the College Football Playoff and the four other New Year’s bowls.

The top four teams, as ranked by the 12-person selection committee, will be placed in the Orange and Cotton Bowls and meet on Dec. 31. The winners will meet on Jan. 11 in Glendale, Ariz. for the national title.

College Football playoffs

Orange: No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 LSU

Cotton: No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Ohio State

Here’s the SEC’s dream scenario: 10-1 LSU (the Tigers had a game with McNeese State canceled earlier this year), an 11-1 Big XII Champion and 11-1 Notre Dame. Which way will the committee go?

You already know my guess.

New Year’s bowls

Sugar: Florida (SEC) vs. Baylor (Big 12)

Rose: Iowa (Big Ten) vs. Stanford (Pac-12)

Fiesta: Utah (at large) vs. Houston (Group of 5)

Peach: Oklahoma State (at large) vs. Notre Dame (at large)

Season-long reminder: The Sugar and Rose bowls, which were playoff games last year, are “contract” bowls this year. The SEC and Big 12 are the only conferences that can play in the Sugar and the Rose is only open to Big Ten and Pac-12 teams. Those four teams will still be placed into those games based on the CFP selection committee rankings.

Also, the highest-rated champion from the “Group of 5” conferences is guaranteed one spot. Memphis (13), Temple (22), Toledo (23) and Houston (25) were ranked last week but only Temple and Houston won this week.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 4:56 PM with the headline "This week’s top four."