BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Auburn wide receiver Ricardo Louis (5) stands on the field after a 34-31 loss to Florida State in the BCS National Championship Game Monday, Jan. 6, 2014, in Pasadena, Calif. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Auburn is a trendy pick this preseason to possibly make a run to the national championship game for the second time in three years.

Ralph D. Russo, the Associated Press' national college football reporter, is the latest to jump on board with the Tigers in his early bowl projections. The veteran writer has Auburn in the College Football Playoff facing Notre Dame in a semifinal game at the Cotton Bowl.

Russo also has the Tigers knocking off the Irish to advance to the National Championship against Ohio State, the defending champs.

RELATED: Tracking Auburn in early top 10 rankings

In other preseason prognostication news, Phil Steele ranks Auburn 14th in his preseason power rankings released this week in his preseason magazine. He projects Auburn to the Citrus Bowl to face Nebraska.

Steele's magazine is available now on iPhone and iPad via the iTunes store.

Russo's bowl projections includes 12 SEC teams, which would tie last season's NCAA record for most teams from a single conference. A record 40 bowl games will be played between Dec. 19 and Jan. 2.

AP's SEC bowl predictions

Independence Bowl

Miami vs. Florida

Texas Bowl

Texas A&M vs. Texas

Birmingham Bowl

Memphis vs. Mississippi State

Belk Bowl

North Carolina State vs. Missouri

Music City Bowl

Georgia Tech vs. Tennessee

Peach Bowl

Alabama vs. Clemson

College Football Playoff semifinal at Cotton Bowl

Notre Dame vs. Auburn

College Football Playoff semifinal at Orange Bowl

Ohio State vs. Baylor

Outback Bowl

Nebraska vs. Arkansas

Citrus Bowl

Wisconsin vs. LSU

Sugar Bowl

Georgia vs. TCU

TaxSlayer Bowl

Minnesota vs. South Carolina

Liberty Bowl

Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss

College Football Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona

Ohio State vs. Auburn