Bowl projections and a CFP predictor for Texas football

Sitting atop the Big 12 with two games remaining in the regular season, No. 7 Texas will head to a bowl game regardless of the outcome of the remainder of the games.

Depending on which expert you ask, that could include a trip to the Sugar Bowl as part of the College Football Playoff, with the winner advancing to the national championship game. Others say Texas won't even be amongst the first two left out of the CFP and will play a selection committee bowl game against another at-large opponent.

Here's a breakdown of bowl predictions we're seeing after Texas' 29-26 victory over TCU.

CFP predictor: Texas to Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia

CBS Sports' Jerry Palm has Texas as a No. 4 seed in the Sugar Bowl against a top-ranked Georgia. With Michigan and Florida in the Rose Bowl, Palm predicts Pac-12 teams like Oregon and Washington will be on the outside looking in and a second Big Ten team, Ohio State, will do the same.

Both Pac-12 teams could likely face one another in their conference championship and Michigan and Ohio State will do so at the end of the regular season, leaving two of those teams with one loss like Texas. All bets are off if Texas' résumé features a second loss.

Palm doesn't list a national championship game prediction. The next CFP poll drops Tuesday evening.

A Texas vs. Washington bowl rematch?

The Athletic's panel predicts that even with the Big 12 championship, Texas won't get an invite to the CFP. Instead, they say the Longhorns would face a rematch against Washington.

The two teams faced off at the Alamo Bowl last year, with No. 8 Washington beating No. 25 Texas 27-20. The panel predicts the two will meet again at the Cotton Bowl.

Multiple Cotton Bowl predictions for Texas football

ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach agree: the Longhorns will head north on Interstate 35 for another game at the Cotton Bowl. Bonguara predicts Texas will face Ohio State, while Schlabach suggests Missouri will be their opponent.

Over on 24/7Sports, Brad Crawford also predicts Texas will head to the Cotton Bowl, albeit against Ole Miss. Crawford highlights the Longhorns' big win Alabama is a key ingredient on their résumé, but notes the Big 12's quality of teams continues to make conference wins less valuable in the team's bid for a spot in the CFP.

Crawford notes his projection isn't "the fault of the Longhorns, but it's certainly something the selection committee will consider when final votes are cast should Texas win out."

Bleacher Report agrees with Crawford's prediction with a forecast for a Texas vs. Ole Miss Cotton Bowl, too.