After today ( USCe not winning as well as KY being down 21-3 at Tenn) we may make it to the Outback or peach......
Here are the SEC rankings for bowl eligible as they stand right now: 1. Ala**** 2. Florida 3. Jawja 4. Ole Miss 5. South Carolina 6. Vanderbilt 7. LSU 8. Kentucky Here are the bowl rankings: BCSNCG BCS Sugar (most likely to receive 2 places) Capital One Cotton/Outback/Chick-fil-a (Juggle 3-5) Liberty/Music City (Juggle 6-7) So, assuming Florida beats Alabama in the SECCG (Most likely IMO): BCSNCG- Florida BCS Sugar- Alabama Capital One- Jawja Cotton/Outback/Chick-fil-a: Ole Miss/South Carolina/Vanderbilt Liberty/Music City: LSU/Kentucky For the Cotton/Outback/Chick-fil-a, IMO Ole Miss is most likely to go to the Cotton to provide a better matchup with the Big XII. South Carolina is most likely to go to the Chick-fil-a to provide for a good matchup with perhaps a UNC team....and assuming they want to stick with an SEC East team with a higher ranking in the conference (though, they could opt for LSU if they want more fans and $)...then Vanderbilt should go to the Outback. For the Liberty/Music City....Kentucky is closer to Nashville, and they went there last year, bringing a crapload of $ and fans...so they will likely continue there. LSU will most likely hit the Liberty Bowl since they are closer to LA. IF the Outback chooses a larger fanbase for more $ (LSU), then Vandy will most likely go to the Music City and Kentucky will most likely go to the Liberty. (This is not as likely IMO)
The bowls are not forced to pick in order of the SEC. They get to pick any team they want. 1. Cap1 2. Cotton/Outback (These two pick "at the same time." But Cotton gets first pick of any West team, and Outback gets first pick of any East team.) 3. Peach 4. Liberty/Music City (Same type of thing, they work with the SEC offices to make their picks.) 5. Independence 6. Papajohns.com Bowl So, for us to drop down to the Libery, the Cotton, Outback, and Peach would all have to PASS on LSU. I just don't see that happening. The LSU brand-name is pretty good for them to advertise.
I know that, but 99.9% of the time, they do not go for a lower-performing team. I do think the one instance where that could be the case this year is Vanderbilt versus LSU. Which is why Ole Miss will likely go to the Cotton Bowl. The Outback, OTOH, could pass up their Eastern Divisional Preference for LSU...and remember, these 3 bowls work together to get the best matchups and most bang for their buck. Since the Outback is forced to choose between South Carolina and Vanderbilt, they may be more likely to go for LSU for a larger fanbase as USC and Vanderbilt do not travel as well (plus USC provides a much better matchup for an ACC team than a Big Ten team). However, I still think this game will most likely be Vanderbilt vs. Northwestern...a great storybook matchup of elite private schools from both conferences. That may be, but they are 7th of 8 in the bowl-eligible teams in the conference. Like I said before, it is very unlikely that a bowl game will pick a lower-ranked team before a higher ranked team, but it is possible that it happens. In fact, this could all rely on Oregon State...of all teams...winning or losing versus Oregon. If Oregon State loses, Ohio State would likely go to the BCS, bumping the Big Ten teams up 1 bowl game. This would generally allow Northwestern to go to the Outback bowl...providing the storybook matchup with Vanderbilt. OTOH, if that doesn't happen, Michigan State would likely go to the Outback Bowl. This would be a much better matchup with LSU (both former Saban schools).
There is no way I can see the Outback taking a 6-6 Vandy team. They are down 23-10 to Wake with 3 minutes to go. The bowls will not look at SEC records, they will look at overall records. Ole Miss 8-4 LSU 7-5 USC 7-5 Kentucky 6-6 Vandy 6-6
A moot point since Vanderbilt has the stronger OOC SOS....and bowls look at both the overall and conference records, not just one or the other. The Outback does have the chance of taking South Carolina, but it wouldn't provide for a good matchup and the fans are likely not going to travel that far.
