Memphis football bowl projections: Tigers are Cotton Bowl favorites ahead of AAC championship game

Headed into the last week of the college football season, Memphis controls its path to receiving the best bowl bid in school history.

If the Tigers (11-1, 7-1 AAC) defeat Cincinnati (10-2, 7-1) again Saturday in the AAC championship game (2:30 p.m., ABC), they will head to Texas for the Cotton Bowl. Memphis already beat Cincinnati last Friday to clinch the AAC West.

Memphis remains projected for the Cotton Bowl by nearly every outlet. The Tigers' most popular opponents according to projections? Florida and Alabama, two schools Memphis has not faced in almost 30 years.

The highest-ranked at-large Power Five team would be selected to play in the Cotton Bowl against the highest-ranked Group of Five team in the College Football Playoff rankings, which is currently Memphis. However, a loss to Cincinnati means the Bearcats or Boise State could jump into the Cotton Bowl.

This week's CFP rankings will be released at 6 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN, and the final rankings will be revealed on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m on ESPN. After that, the CFP semifinals and New Year's Six bowl pairings will be announced. The remaining bowls will be announced that Sunday afternoon.

Here's a look at this week's projections. (Note: This story will be updated as more bowl projections are published.)

Memphis' bowl projections

ESPN: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida, Cotton Bowl vs. Alabama (Dec. 28)

CBS Sports: Cotton Bowl vs. Utah

Associated Press: Cotton Bowl vs. Alabama

Sporting News: Cotton Bowl vs. Baylor

247Sports: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida

Banner Society: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida

WatchStadium: Cotton Bowl vs. Alabama

College Football News: Gasparilla Bowl vs. Florida Atlantic (Dec. 23)

Sports Illustrated: Cotton Bowl vs. Baylor

Bleacher Report: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida

USA Today: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida

Action Network: Cotton Bowl vs. Florida

The Athletic: Cotton Bowl vs. Wisconsin

AAC 2019-20 bowl game schedule

Frisco Bowl: Dec. 20 vs. at-large (Frisco, Texas)

Cure Bowl: Dec. 21 vs. Sun Belt (Orlando, Florida)

Boca Raton Bowl: Dec. 21 vs. C-USA/MAC (Boca Raton, Florida)

Gasparilla Bowl: Dec. 23 vs. C-USA (Tampa, Florida)

Hawaii Bowl: Dec. 24 vs. BYU or Mountain West (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Military Bowl: Dec. 27 vs. ACC (Annapolis, Maryland)

Birmingham Bowl: Jan. 2 vs. SEC (Birmingham, Alabama)

Cotton Bowl*: Dec. 28 vs. at-large team (Arlington, Texas)

Secondary bowl tie-ins: Independence Bowl (Dec. 26), Liberty Bowl (Dec. 31)

*The highest-ranked Group of Five team at the end of the regular season earns a spot in the Cotton Bowl.

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You can reach Tigers football beat writer Evan Barnes on Twitter (@Evan_B) or by email at evan.barnes@commercialappeal.com