Bowl Projections: Pac-12 Teams Don't Yet Know Who They'll Face

The Pac-12 probably knows very well where their teams are playing Sunday morning, and the invites should be coming sometime this afternoon. What's a mystery to most of these guys is which teams they'll face.

Let's break it down bowl-by-bowl.

Rose Bowl (Pac-12 #1 vs. Big 10 #1)

Pac-12 team: Oregon Ducks

Opponent: Wisconsin Badgers

This one is clinched. More on this game later.

Fiesta Bowl (Pac-12 at-large vs. Big 12 champ)

Projection: Stanford Cardinal (small chance of the Sugar or Alamo Bowl), but all signs point to Andrew Luck's swan song in college football being in Tempe.

Opponent projection: Most likely the Oklahoma St. Cowboys (if Alabama is in the BCS title game) or Kansas St. Wildcats (if Oklahoma State makes the title game). Small chance for the Michigan Wolverines too if Okie State gets picked and the Fiesta is interested in Rose Bowl-lite.

Alamo Bowl (Pac-12 #2 vs. Big 12 #3)

Projection: Washington Huskies. If Stanford isn't somehow screwed, UW is headed to San Antonio.

Opponent: Here's where the loops begin.

If Kansas State gets picked as a BCS at-large (which could happen since the Wildcats look poised to finish in the top four), the Cotton will have their pick of Baylor or Oklahoma. I'd guess the Bears would go to Dallas because of the Robert Griffin III factor, meaning Oklahoma heads to San Antonio.

If Kansas State goes to the Cotton Bowl, then the Alamo Bowl will probably pick up Baylor over Oklahoma, because seriously, who wants to watch that Sooners team right now.

Holiday Bowl (Pac-12 #3 vs. Big 12 #5)

Projection: California Golden Bears. Pretty much a done deal if Washington takes the Alamo.

Opponent: More loops!

If Kansas State gets picked as a BCS at-large, then the Cotton and Alamo Bowls will have Oklahoma/Baylor in some order. The Insight Bowl has their pick of Texas/Missouri/Texas A&M/Iowa State, and I'd guess they'd go with the Horns. The Holiday Bowl should then pick up Missouri, who finished with four victories out of five.

If Kansas State does not get picked, then KSU/Baylor/Oklahoma will be the first three teams picked for the Cotton/Alamo/Insight, meaning Texas is headed back to the Holiday Bowl.

Sun Bowl (Pac-12 #4 vs. ACC #4)

Projection: Utah Utes. The leftover from the Cal/Washington/Utah triumvirate of the best average the Pac-12 has to offer.

Opponent: Georgia Tech. Virginia Tech goes first, Clemson goes second, Florida State goes third. Then you have your choice of the Yellow Jackets or Virginia, who just recently rediscovered their football program.

Maaco Bowl (Pac-12 #5 vs. MWC #1)

Projection: Arizona St. Sun Devils. Oh, poor ASU. You get to spend a week for free in Vegas and get bulldozed on national TV. Poor you.

Opponent: Boise St. in almost every scenario, unless Boise somehow gets picked for the BCS. TCU seems destined for Poinsettia, meaning Boise can take out their frustrations on the Sun Devils for quarter after quarter.

Kraft Fight Hunger (Pac-12 #6 vs. Army*)

Projection: UCLA Bruins.

Opponent: Illinois likely in the battle of teams swinging katanas in pitch blackness. Can this game also be played in pitch black?