The nation's top three teams are heading in different directions for the holidays.
No. 1 Nebraska can clinch an Orange Bowl berth by beating Oklahoma on Friday. The Cornhuskers would play No. 5 Miami, provided the Hurricanes beat Boston College.No. 2 Penn State already has booked reservations in Pasadena, where the Lions will meet No. 12 Oregon in the Rose Bowl. The Lions finish their regular season Saturday against Michigan State.
No. 3 Alabama will be Sugar Bowl-bound if it beats No. 4 Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game Dec. 3. The loser plays No. 14 Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl.
Several teams remain in the running to play the SEC champion in New Orleans. If Alabama is there, the Tide will probably play No. 7 Florida State. But the Seminoles won't play Florida in the Sugar because the teams meet Saturday in Tallahassee, and nobody wants a rematch.
The leading candidates to play Florida in the Sugar are Notre Dame and No. 13 Virginia. The Irish might get the bid with a win over No. 17 Southern Cal. If Notre Dame loses, Virginia could go with a victory over North Carolina State.
Texas Tech can go to the Cotton Bowl with a win over Texas Christian. The other spot could be filled by Notre Dame, Virginia or Southern Cal.
Several bowl berths were filled Saturday, but many others won't be settled until next weekend.
Oregon gained its first Rose Bowl bid in 37 years by beating Oregon State 17-13, and No. 10 Colorado State locked up a Holiday Bowl trip with a 44-42 victory over Fresno State. Colorado State will play No. 20 Michigan, which lost to Ohio State 22-6 Saturday.
Wisconsin earned a berth in the Hall of Fame Bowl by beating Illinois 19-13. The Badgers will play an Atlantic Coast Conference team, probably Duke or North Carolina State.
The Liberty Bowl is matching Illinois against East Carolina.
UNLV, which defeated Nevada 32-27 to win the Big West, plays Mid-American champion Central Michigan in the Las Vegas Bowl.
No. 6 Colorado is headed for the Fiesta Bowl, where it could play Florida State, Virginia or Southern Cal.
Other potential bowl matchups: Gator (Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech); Carquest (South Carolina vs. Syracuse, West Virginia or Boston College); Peach (North Carolina vs. Mississippi State); Independence (Duke or Virginia-N.C. State loser vs. Georgia, South Carolina, West Virginia or Indiana); Aloha (Kansas State vs. Boston College or Syracuse); Freedom (Utah vs. Arizona or Washington State); Copper (Oklahoma vs. BYU); Sun (Texas-Baylor winner vs. Virginia-N.C. State winner or Southern Cal); Alamo (Washington State vs. Texas-Baylor loser).