Playoff projections and other predictions for 2014

Looking for this season's Auburn? It's probably not worth your time.

The Tigers went worst to first in the Southeastern Conference last season and came up a late Jameis Winston touchdown pass short of a national championship.

Auburn was a great story, but an anomaly. In college football, the teams that contend for national championships are usually the ones expected to do so before the season.

So 2014 probably won't be as unpredictable as 2013 — but with the College Football Playoff making its debut, this season should still be plenty entertaining.

Here's a guess at how it will go:

CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS

ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE

Atlantic — Florida State

Coastal — Virginia Tech

Champion — Florida State

BIG TEN

East — Ohio State

West — Nebraska

Champion — Ohio State

BIG 12

Champion — Baylor

PAC-12

North — Oregon

South — UCLA

Champion — Oregon

SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE

East — South Carolina

West — Alabama

Champion — Alabama

AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Champion — Cincinnati

MOUNTAIN WEST

Mountain — Boise State

West — Fresno State

Champion — Boise State

CONFERENCE USA

East — Marshall

West — Texas-San Antonio

Champion— UTSA

MID-AMERICAN ATHLETIC

East — Akron

West — Toledo

Champion — Toledo

SUN BELT

Champion — Louisiana

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

NEW YEAR'S BOWLS

Fiesta Bowl — Oklahoma vs. Stanford

Cotton Bowl — Baylor vs. Boise State

Orange Bowl — Virginia Tech vs. Auburn

Peach Bowl — South Carolina vs. Michigan State

SEMIFINALS

at Sugar Bowl — No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 Ohio State

at Rose Bowl — No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Oregon

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Alabama vs. Florida State

NATIONAL CHAMPION

Florida State

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Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP