It remains to be determined who will be coaching USC in its bowl game in a month or so, but the Trojans will be in the postseason one way or another and athletic director Mike Bohn has made it clear he wants a marquee matchup.

"I communicated this with the football team on Sunday night, I told the bowls, 'Bring us the best team you can. The USC Trojans want to play the best team.' That's what we want to do," Bohn told TrojanSports.com this week.

USC will of course be watching closely when Utah hosts Colorado on Saturday, as a Utes stumble would provide the Trojans a back door into the Pac-12 championship game and a shot at the Rose Bowl.

That's a longshot, but it's a scenario that remains in play for another day at least.

But here is a look at the most realistic bowl destinations for USC, including both a roundup of national projections as well as our own thoughts.

When: Jan. 1

Where: Pasadena, Calif.

Vs.: Big Ten

How USC gets in: Utah has to lose its regular-season finale Saturday to Colorado, and the Trojans would then need to win the Pac-12 Championship Game over Oregon. Plain and simple -- and unlikely.

Chances: Significant longshot.

When: Dec. 31

Where: San Antonio, Texas

Vs.: Big 12

How USC gets in: Again, this too is pretty clear. The Alamo Bowl is taking one of three Pac-12 teams -- Utah, Oregon or USC. For it to be the Trojans, one of two scenarios has to unfold. 1.) The Utes would need to get into the College Football Playoff by winning the Pac-12 Championship Game and the selection committee slotting them in that final spot over other compelling candidates, thus leaving the Rose Bowl to take Oregon. The Alamo Bowl has the top pick of Pac-12 teams after the New Year's Six bowls, and USC would then be the choice for this game. 2.) Another scenario would be if Oregon won the Pac-12 Championship Game to clinch the Rose Bowl berth and Utah was still selected for a New Year's Six bowl, heading to the Cotton Bowl as the top remaining at-large team.

Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Kansas State are all potential Alamo Bowl choices from the Big 12 entering the final week of the regular season, depending on whether Oklahoma or Baylor can sneak into the College Football Playoff. The Sugar Bowl gets the top pick from the Big 12 otherwise, and the Cotton Bowl could also snatch a Big 12 team before the Alamo Bowl gets its pick.

Chances: Very possible due to the two aforementioned paths.

Where: Dec. 27

When: San Diego

Vs.: Big Ten

How USC gets in: After the New Year's Six bowl matchups are set, the Holiday Bowl gets the second pick of Pac-12 teams behind the Alamo Bowl. So that means USC likely lands here if Utah does not make the CFP and ends up in the Rose Bowl, with Oregon then going to the Alamo Bowl (assuming logically that the Ducks remain the pick over the Trojans in the pecking order). The Holiday Bowl then gets the third pick among Big Ten teams after the New Year's Six bowls, picking behind the Citrus and Outback bowls. If Ohio State makes the CFP, the Cotton Bowl could select the next Big Ten team before the Citrus and Outback bowls get their picks. That means four out of Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin or Iowa could all be selected before the Holiday Bowl gets its pick. Michigan, Wisconsin or Iowa seem likely here.

Chances. Again, it all depends on whether Utah makes the CFP or loses in the Pac-12 Championship Game and still earns a New Year's Six invite into the Cotton Bowl. If not, then this would be the logical landing spot for the Trojans.

Again, this all hinges on Utah's CFP case. Oregon's loss to Arizona State last week not only dashed the Ducks' hopes for a CFP berth, but it weakened Utah's as a potential Utes win over Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game would carry a little less weight. If Utah wins the Pac-12 Championship, and if LSU beats Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, it should come down to a decision between the Utes and the Big 12 champion. That could be a 1-loss Oklahoma or Baylor team that beats the other in the conference championship game. Would Oklahoma (No. 6 in the current CFP rankings) beating Baylor (No. 7) be enough to leapfrog Utah (No. 5) beating Oregon (No. 13) in that scenario?

There are too many variables to bank on a Utah playoff berth (i.e. a potential loss to Oregon, or a committee decision not in their favor, or Georgia beating LSU). The alternative is the winner of Utah-Oregon lands in the Rose Bowl, and the loser likely packs its bags for San Antonio and the Alamo Bowl. We did mention another scenario, where if Utah lost in the conference title game it could still be picked for the Cotton Bowl, which gets the final choice among New Year's Six obwls to pair an at-large team from any conference vs. the top Group of Five team. But a two-loss Utah team at that point may not be the top choice in that scenario (a 10-2 Florida team could be a prime candidate).

Therefore, the current TrojanSports.com prediction for USC is The Holiday Bowl.