SEC Football: Bowl Projections for Every SEC Team
With just about three weeks until the end of the college football regular season, the SEC race is certainly heating up.
In arguably one of the most competitive years in conference history, there will most likely be a whopping 11 bowl-eligible teams from the SEC. Not to mention, up to four teams are still competing for one of four coveted College Football Playoff spots.
All only provide reasons as to why the SEC is one of the most talked-about conferences year in and year out.
But why wait until next month to find out where each and every bowl-eligible SEC squad will be playing? Join B/R as we take our best stab at predicting the bowl location for each eligible team.
On the Outside Looking in
1 of 12
In a year where literally everyone in the SEC looked capable of earning a bowl bid, there were just a couple teams that missed out.
Currently at 3-7, Vanderbilt is already out of the running. But from the opening week, it was obvious that this Commodores team simply wasn’t ready to contend after a tumultuous offseason.
Arkansas will be the next out. Currently sitting at 4-5, the Razorbacks face a daunting finishing schedule of LSU, Ole Miss and Missouri. Getting one win out of that bunch will be tough enough, let alone two.
Finally, at 5-5, Kentucky has to feel optimistic about its bowl chances. However, two road contests at Tennessee and at rival Louisville seem likely to derail a once-hopeful campaign that saw the Wildcats begin 5-1.
South Carolina
2 of 12
Projected Bowl: Duck Commander Independence Bowl
The Skinny
At 4-5, the Gamecocks will need to really step up their play over their final three games to earn bowl eligibility.
Fortunately, one of those remaining three games is at home against FCS foe South Alabama. That’s a game South Carolina can likely jot down as win No. 5.
Getting that ever-crucial sixth victory will be tough, as the team travels to face Florida on Nov. 15 and then hits the road again to take on Clemson on Nov. 29. Those are both games the Gamecocks will likely be favored to lose.
However, with the season in jeopardy, look for head coach Steve Spurrier to get his boys up for the task. More than likely, the Tigers will be the victim, as South Carolina has won each of the last five games in the series.
That will likely be enough to earn the team a spot in the Independence Bowl.
Tennessee
3 of 12
Projected Bowl: Birmingham Bowl
The Skinny
Much like the Gamecocks, the Vols are sitting at 4-5 and need two wins over their final three games.
Luckily, the schedule is very favorable for Tennessee. Although upcoming contests against Kentucky and Missouri over the next two weeks will be tough, both come at home.
Three of the team’s four wins have come in Knoxville. Not to mention, following a thrilling 45-42 overtime victory over South Carolina on Nov. 1, the Vols will be feeling confident and riding momentum.
Only having to win one of the two, the Wildcats—losers of four straight—will be the likeliest foe to fall to the Vols. That just leaves a season-finale trip to take on 3-7 Vanderbilt.
"We've got four games to get to a bowl game," linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin said last week, per The Tennessean's Matt Slovin. "Every week is a new season."
It will come down to the wire, but Tennessee will be bowling this season.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Missouri
4 of 12
Projected Bowl: Belk Bowl
The Skinny
At 7-2, the Tigers are already eligible and currently sitting atop the SEC East standings.
Unfortunately, that’s an honor that might not last past this weekend.
On Saturday, Missouri travels to take on Texas A&M. Although the Aggies have struggled in recent weeks, the Tigers haven’t looked all too impressive during their three-game win streak. If you recall, this is still the same squad that lost to 3-6 Indiana at home back in September.
The team also has contests on the road against Tennessee and at home against Arkansas on the schedule. Both won’t come easy.
For a Missouri team that has struggled at points this season, it’s a tough finishing stretch.
Texas A&M
5 of 12
Projected Bowl: AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
The Skinny
In one of the biggest surprises of the second half of the SEC season, the Aggies derailed Auburn’s playoff hopes, 41-38, on the road last weekend.
A season that was once believed to be lost after a three-game slide has suddenly come to life. More specifically, Texas A&M may have found its quarterback of the future after freshman Kyle Allen threw for 277 yards, four touchdowns and one interception on 19-of-29 passing during the victory over the Tigers.
The finishing stretch won’t be easy—Missouri and LSU await—but the Aggies have to be confident going into the bowl season.
Florida
6 of 12
Projected Bowl: Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
The Skinny
The finishing stretch won’t be easy, but at 5-3, the Gators are all but assured a spot in a bowl game this season.
That’s because FCS foe Eastern Kentucky comes into town on Nov. 22. Then again, it was probably assumed as an automatic win last season when Georgia Southern visited.
Outside of that matchup, Florida faces South Carolina and travels to Tallahassee to take on Florida State. The game against the Seminoles is more than likely a loss, but the contest versus the Gamecocks could be a very winnable game.
All in all, 2014 is much improvement on a pitiful 2013 campaign.
Auburn
7 of 12
Projected Bowl: TaxSlayer Bowl
The Skinny
This wasn’t how the Tigers' season was supposed to turn out.
After finishing seconds away from a national championship last season, Auburn is all but out of the playoffs with three weeks still left to play. Unexpected losses to Mississippi State and Texas A&M derailed an impressive 5-0 start.
With road contests against Georgia and Alabama still on tap, the Tigers would be lucky to finish the season with two wins over their final three games.
Still, this is an Auburn team that will likely be the favorite over whichever team its bowl opponent is.
LSU
8 of 12
Projected Bowl: Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
The Skinny
The Tigers were seconds away from upsetting Alabama and propelling themselves back into the national spotlight.
Unfortunately, the Crimson Tide had other ideas, eventually pulling off the victory in overtime.
Now, LSU will have to settle for a respectable bowl berth. It won’t be easy, though, as trips to take on a better-than-its-record Arkansas and a confident Texas A&M squad could provide further obstacles in the road.
This young but battle-tested squad should be ready for a late-season push.
Ole Miss
9 of 12
Projected Bowl: Outback Bowl
The Skinny
If the loss to LSU wasn’t bad enough, the Rebels followed that up with a heartbreaking defeat to Auburn the following week.
Still, Ole Miss has an opportunity to salvage the season. With Mississippi State bringing its national title aspirations into Oxford for the season-finale Egg Bowl, the Rebels have an opportunity to rain on their hated rival's parade.
Unfortunately, Dak Prescott and a physical Bulldogs defense will be too overwhelming for Ole Miss to overcome, leaving the Rebels to gear up for the Outback Bowl instead.
Georgia
10 of 12
Projected Bowl: Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
The Skinny
The Bulldogs were just a couple weeks away from getting running back Todd Gurley back before they slipped up against Florida, 38-20.
Now, instead of the College Football Playoff, Georgia must instead focus on the SEC East title and a potential SEC conference championship. All the team needs is to win out and for Missouri to lose just once more.
It’s completely possible, with just a visit from Auburn standing in the Bulldogs' path to a 3-0 finish.
With Gurley back in play, per AL.com’s Brandon Marcello, the Bulldogs should have more than enough firepower to dispose of the Tigers. In Gurley’s absence, freshman running back Nick Chubb rushed for 671 yards and five touchdowns in four games.
Look out for Georgia in the SEC race.
Alabama
11 of 12
Projected Bowl: Capital One Orange Bowl
The Skinny
If you want playoff football, you won’t have to look much further than this weekend when the Crimson Tide host No. 1 Mississippi State.
With a win, Alabama all but assures itself a spot back in the College Football Playoff. However, a loss would most likely knock the Tide back down to a consolation spot in one of the other big bowl games.
But if that wasn’t tough enough, the team also has to host rival Auburn in the season finale.
It would be impressive if Alabama manages to win just one of those matchups. This is a team that still has some work to do before competing for the College Football Playoff.
Mississippi State
12 of 12
Projected Bowl: Allstate Sugar Bowl
The Skinny
The Bulldogs are easily the biggest surprise in college football.
Not only has the team won games with jaw-dropping performances from its offense, but Mississippi State has also bullied opponents with an unrelenting defense. It’s the type of equation that makes the Bulldogs rightful contenders for the national championship.
The road ahead surely will be challenging, with road contests against Alabama and Ole Miss still remaining. However, even with a loss to in one of those games, there’s no doubt the Bulldogs will remain in the conversation.
As of now, CBS' Jerry Palm has Alabama in the playoff in his latest bowl projections.
However, Mississippi State's resume is just too good to pass up. The team has already beaten not one, not two, but three Top 10 opponents, and it has the potential to rack that up to five by season's end.
This is the Bulldogs' season to shine.
All stats, recruiting information and rankings used in this article are courtesy of CFBStats.com and 247Sports.
For complete coverage and everything college football, you can reach Sebastian on Twitter and via email at Sebastian.LenaBR@gmail.com.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
