Bowl Predictions 2012: Likely Landing Spots for Every SEC Team

With upsets scuttling Top 10 teams around the rest of the country, the SEC boasts the Top three spots in today’s AP poll. With LSU, Alabama and Arkansas looking like the class of the nation, the conference could be in for a historic three-bid haul in the BCS bowls.

The talent in the nation’s strongest conference won’t run out after that elite trio. It’s looking like nine of the conference’s 12 teams will be bowl-eligible by season’s end.

Assuming that 5-6 Vanderbilt loses at Wake Forest and fails to become bowl-eligible, while 5-6 Mississippi State and Tennessee win (vs. Ole Miss and at Kentucky, respectively), here are the likeliest bowl destinations for every eligible SEC program:

LSU, Alabama: BCS National Championship Game

Oregon is no longer a factor in the title-game discussion, meaning that it’s likely to come down to Oklahoma State (if the Cowboys beat Oklahoma) or Alabama for the right to face LSU. In that scenario, Oklahoma Sate’s one loss would be against unranked 6-4 Iowa State, while Alabama’s one loss would be against undefeated No. 1 LSU.

It would be a travesty for Oklahoma State to get the nod under those circumstances.

Arkansas: Sugar Bowl

It’s no guarantee that the Razorbacks will get a BCS berth, but they’ve earned the chance. The SEC has been so dominant this year that even after suffering its second loss (next Saturday at LSU), Arkansas will be the only team among the BCS contenders not to have been upset this season.

With the top two SEC contenders unavailable, the Sugar Bowl will be thrilled to have a school that can still carry the torch for the game’s signature conference.

South Carolina: Capital One Bowl

In all probability, South Carolina will beat Clemson to finish with two losses, while Georgia will have three after falling to LSU in the SEC title game. That makes the Gamecocks the pick for the premier non-BCS postseason game.

Georgia: Outback Bowl

Even after losing to LSU in Atlanta, the Bulldogs will be the fifth ranked team in the SEC, making them an easy choice for the Outback Bowl. This one could be a fun shootout if Michigan gets the Big Ten’s spot.

Auburn: Cotton Bowl

Even if the Tigers pull off the miracle upset over Alabama, their four-loss record probably consigns them to this game rather than one of the higher-profile bowls. They’ll be in for a long day against (most likely) the loser of the season-ending duel between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.

Florida: Chick-fil-A Bowl

Not exactly what Will Muschamp had in mind for his bowl debut with the Gators, but at least he’ll get a friendly crowd. If Arkansas drops out of the BCS, the former Peach Bowl will likely grab Georgia instead.

Mississippi State: Gator Bowl

The Bulldogs’ 5-6 record is deceiving, because they’ve lost to five teams in the national Top 15, plus a very good Auburn team. They’ll probably get a vulnerable Big Ten team here (perhaps Iowa or Ohio State) and should win handily.

Tennessee: Music City Bowl

There are few better geographic fits (though if Vandy does become eligible, they’d be the pick here), and Tennessee is as big-name a program as this unremarkable bowl could ask for.