When you're in the bowl-projection business, it is essential to balance two competing instincts: the instinct to project the bowl schedule as it would look now, and the instinct to project the bowl schedule as it is likely to look after the season.

The No. 12 Clemson Tigers and No. 15 South Carolina Gamecocks will try to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive when they square off in a rivalry game on Saturday afternoon during the Week 14 college football schedule.

That leaves just three more bowl spots among 12 other teams. It could mark the first time in several years bowls won’t need to elevate the 5-7 team with the best Academic Progress Rate (APR) to fill out the field. Unfortunately, that means multiple eligible teams could get left out of the postseason.