So where will your favorite team go bowling? We at MrSEC have our own thoughts on that matter and you can find them below.
But first, let’s establish a couple of ground rules. First, we’re going to go with the favorite in tomorrow’s SEC Championship Game. So all of the predictions below are based on the assumption that LSU will avoid an upset at the hands of Georgia. Also, we’ll assume that Alabama will not be jumped in the BCS standings by Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, or anyone else come Sunday afternoon.
Now, on with the predictions…
BCS Championship Game: #1 LSU vs #2 Alabama
Capital One Bowl: Arkansas (SEC 2nd) vs Nebraska (Big Ten 2nd)
Outback Bowl: South Carolina (SEC 3rd/4th) vs Michigan State (Big Ten 3rd)
Cotton Bowl: Georgia (SEC 3rd/4th) vs Oklahoma (Big 12 2nd)
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Auburn (SEC 5th) vs Florida State (ACC 2nd)
Gator Bowl: Florida (SEC 6th) vs Ohio State (Big Ten 5th)
Music City Bowl: Mississippi State (SEC 7th) vs Wake Forest (ACC 6th)
Liberty Bowl: Vanderbilt (SEC 8th) vs Cincinnati (UPDATE — through a series of loopholes the Big East can force a team into the Liberty Bowl in place of a C-USA team.)
Comments:
* The SEC will not have a representative in the Sugar Bowl as both LSU and Alabama will land in the BCS title game.
* The SEC does not have enough bowl eligible teams to fill its slot in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
* The toughest call of the above games is the Capital One Bowl. It’s our belief that the majority of Arkansas fans would prefer the closer trip to Dallas — despite the weather advantages offered by Central Florida. Also, the Capital One committee might feel that either Georgia (closer) or South Carolina (a program that last played in the Orlando bowl in 1975 and currently has an excited fanbase) will travel better and fill more hotels and restaurants. In the end, we believe they’ll go with the higher-rated Razorbacks and hope for a good turnout, but we won’t be surprised at all if Carolina or Georgia landing that slot. In fact, the more we type, the more we’re leaning toward a switch to the Gamecocks…
* The only other game up for real debate is the Music City Bowl which has a choice to make between 6-6 Mississippi State and 6-6 Vanderbilt. Mississippi State would bring more fans into the Nashville area and fill more hotel rooms than the hometown Commodores. But it’s also possible some political pressure could come into play which would push the Music City committee to take the re-energized local team. Ultimately, we think State will get the invite to Nashville with the spin being that Vanderbilt’s players deserve an opportunity to go bowling outside of their own fair city… which means VU will spend New Year’s Eve in Memphis.
