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In SB Nation's Jason Kirk's latest bowl projections, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are slated to play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Oklahoma State.
The Golden Gophers are not bowl eligible yet as they are 5-3 overall this season, 1-3 in the Big Ten, but they need only one win in their next four games to secure a spot in the postseason. They play Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska and Michigan State.
Minnesota is one of seven Big Ten teams projected for a bowl game. Nebraska leads the way for the conference, projected to play in the Rose Bowl against Oregon State.
Kirk's National Championship projects the Alabama Crimson Tide to face-off with the Oregon Ducks, snubbing undefeateds Kansas State and Notre Dame, who will instead play in the Fiesta Bowl. Rounding out the BCS games, Georgia faces Louisville in the Sugar Bowl and Florida State plays Boise State in the Orange Bowl.
The complete bowl projections are as follows:
| Bowl | Date | Matchup | Team | Team | |
| BCS National Championship | 1/7/2013 | BCS 1 vs. BCS 2 | Alabama | Oregon | |
| Fiesta | 1/3/2013 | Big 12 1 vs. At-large 1 | Kansas State | Notre Dame | |
| Sugar | 1/2/2013 | SEC 1 vs. At-large 2 | Georgia | Louisville | |
| Orange | 1/1/2013 | ACC 1 vs. At-large 3 | Florida State | Boise State | |
| Rose | 1/1/2013 | Pac-12 1 vs. Big Ten 1 | Oregon State | Nebraska | |
| GoDaddy.com | 1/6/2013 | MAC vs. Sun Belt 2 | Toledo | WKU | |
| BBVA Compass | 1/5/2013 | SEC 8/9 vs. Big East 5/C-USA | Vanderbilt | SMU | |
| Cotton | 1/4/2013 | Big 12 2 vs. SEC | Oklahoma | Florida | |
| Heart of Dallas | 1/1/2013 | Big Ten 7 vs. C-USA | Iowa | UCF | |
| Outback | 1/1/2013 | Big Ten 3 vs. SEC | Michigan | South Carolina | |
| Gator | 1/1/2013 | Big Ten 4/5 vs. SEC 6 | Northwestern | Mississippi State | |
| Capital One | 1/1/2013 | Big Ten 2 vs. SEC 2 | Wisconsin | LSU | |
| Sun | 12/31/2012 | ACC 4 vs. Pac-12 4 | Stanford | Miami | |
| Music City | 12/31/2012 | ACC 6 vs. SEC 7 | Ole Miss | Maryland | |
| Liberty | 12/31/2012 | C-USA 1 vs. Big East/SEC 8/9 | Tulsa | Tennessee | |
| Chick-fil-A | 12/31/2012 | ACC 2 vs. SEC 5 | Clemson | Texas A&M | |
| Pinstripe | 12/29/2012 | Big 12 7 vs. Big East 4 | Iowa State | Ohio* | |
| Kraft Fight Hunger | 12/29/2012 | Pac-12 6 vs. Navy | Arizona State | Navy | |
| Buffalo Wild Wings | 12/29/2012 | Big 12 4 vs. Big Ten 4/5 | Texas | Michigan State | |
| Armed Forces | 12/29/2012 | MWC vs. C-USA | New Mexico | Houston | |
| Alamo | 12/29/2012 | Big 12 3 vs. Pac-12 2 | USC | Texas Tech | |
| Russell Athletic | 12/28/2012 | Big East 2 vs. ACC 3 | Cincinnati | N.C. State | |
| Meineke Car Care | 12/28/2012 | Big 12 6 vs. Big Ten 6 | Oklahoma State | Minnesota | |
| Independence | 12/28/2012 | SEC 10 vs. ACC 7 | Duke | ULL* | |
| Military | 12/27/2012 | ACC 8 vs. Army | Ball State* | Utah State* | |
| Holiday | 12/27/2012 | Pac-12 3 vs. Big 12 5 | Arizona | West Virginia | |
| Belk | 12/27/2012 | Big East 3 vs. ACC 5 | Rutgers | Virginia Tech | |
| Little Caesars | 12/26/2012 | MAC vs. Big Ten 8 | Kent State | MTSU* | |
| Hawaii | 12/24/2012 | MWC/WAC vs. C-USA | Nevada | ECU | |
| New Orleans | 12/22/2012 | Sun Belt 1 vs. C-USA | ULM | San Jose State* | |
| Las Vegas | 12/22/2012 | MWC 1 vs. Pac-12 5 | Fresno State | UCLA | |
| Beef O'Brady's | 12/21/2012 | Big East 6 vs. C-USA | Bowling Green* | Arkansas State* | |
| Poinsettia | 12/20/2012 | MWC 2 vs. BYU | San Diego State | BYU | |
| New Mexico | 12/15/2012 | MWC 4/5 vs. Pac-12 7/WAC | Air Force | Washington | |
| Famous Idaho Potato | 12/15/2012 | MAC 3 vs. WAC | Northern Illinois | Louisiana Tech |