Predicting the Outcome of Every SEC Bowl Matchup
A record 13 SEC teams received bowl berths on Selection Sunday, and the preparation for the postseason officially began.
Alabama and Georgia both made their way into the playoffs, while Ole Miss was invited to the Sugar Bowl. The remaining 10 teams were placed in a variety of other bowl games against interesting opponents. These games will begin as early as Dec. 22 and could last all the way to the middle of January, depending on whether or not an SEC team makes it to the national championship.
As the teams gear up for some awesome postseason football, here are the final score predictions for each matchup.
Goodyear Cotton Bowl - Alabama vs. Cincinnati
If there's one thing the SEC Championship taught us, it's that you should never doubt Nick Saban and his Alabama team. The Crimson Tide hasn't looked as dominant this season, but a 12-1 record is nothing to laugh at. Cincinnati is coming into the game undefeated, but as an AAC team, can they pull a huge upset off over a strong SEC team? Right now, that looks doubtful.
Final score: Alabama 27, Cincinnati 15
Capital One Orange Bowl - Georgia vs. Michigan
The Orange Bowl is arguably the best overall game that any SEC team will play in. The fans are rowdy, the opponent is tough, and a championship is on the line. Both teams thrive more on the defensive side of the ball, but Georgia might have a decent edge there. The game will be low-scoring, and the Bulldogs will come out on top to go to their second national championship since the implementation of the playoffs.
Final score: Georgia 17, Michigan 14
Allstate Sugar Bowl - Ole Miss vs. Baylor
New Year's in New Orleans? That's what the Ole Miss Rebels will be getting. The Rebels are a record 10-2 on the year and have the momentum. Led by quarterback Matt Corral, they should be able to handle Baylor fairly easily. The Bears won the Big 12 Championship, but they don't have the explosive performance on offense that Ole Miss has.
Final score: Ole Miss 45, Baylor 27
VRBO Citrus Bowl - Kentucky vs. Iowa
The Citrus Bowl...a game against two programs that couldn't quite hang on to make it to a New Year's Six bowl. Both Kentucky and Iowa slipped towards the end of the season against teams they definitely should have beaten, but they can't go back and erase the past. Kentucky does look like a strong opponent, especially given how poorly the Hawkeyes have played on offense this season.
Final score: Kentucky 24, Iowa 13
AutoZone Liberty Bowl - Mississippi State vs. Texas Tech
This matchup has some pretty interesting history behind it-- Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach left Texas Tech on bad terms, and there are issues today that still have not been resolved. Both teams have high-scoring offenses that can move the ball up and down the field quickly. Expect the Bulldogs to come out on top and leave a sour taste in the Texas Tech administration's mouths.
Final score: Mississippi State 38, Texas Tech 20
Duke's Mayo Bowl - South Carolina vs. North Carolina
Unlike the Citrus Bowl, the Duke's Mayo Bowl will be a matchup between a team that couldn't live up to expectations and a team that did much better than expected. "Much better" doesn't mean outstanding for South Carolina-- they finished with a 6-6 overall record-- but they battled through plenty of injuries and adversity. Unfortunately, it probably won't be enough to fight off a talented North Carolina team.
Final score: North Carolina 27, South Carolina 13
TransPerfect Music City Bowl - Tennessee vs. Purdue
Tennessee has flown under the radar much of this season and are much better than they are given credit for. Will they meet their match against Purdue? The Boilermakers have had some big upsets this season-- including against Iowa and Michigan State-- and have shown that they don't back down to any opponent. However, the Volunteers of the SEC might be too much for Purdue to handle.
Final score: Tennessee 35, Purdue 31
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl - Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest
Texas A&M had a huge win against Alabama on Oct. 9, but they haven't had a very exciting moment since then. Head coach Jimbo Fisher has been on the hot seat for finishing the season 8-4. Things don't look to get much better against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who finished the season with a loss in the ACC Championship. Ultimately, the Texas A&M football program might want to prepare to be heavily criticized after this game.
Final score: Wake Forest 31, Texas A&M 20
Outback Bowl - Arkansas vs. Penn State
Arkansas has made a huge turnaround this season under head coach Sam Pittman. The Razorbacks posted an 8-4 regular-season record and made it to the postseason for the first time in five years. They will face a challenge going against the widely-recognized Penn State Nittany Lions, but their ability to run the ball so well will lead the Razorbacks to success.
Final score: Arkansas 34, Penn State 24
TaxAct Texas Bowl - LSU vs. Kansas State
A bowl game seemed like the perfect way for LSU to send head coach Ed Orgeron out, but it looks like things won't work out the way they planned. Offensive line coach Brad Davis will serve as the interim head coach in the Texas Bowl, meaning that Coach O's time has officially come to an end. The Tigers haven't had a great season by any means, and with a new head coach calling the shots, it looks like Kansas State could walk away victorious.
Final score: Kansas State 24, LSU 20
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl - Missouri vs. Army
Missouri was celebrating after a huge overtime victory against Florida propelled them into the postseason, but they probably weren't so happy when they saw their opponent. Army is usually a pretty strong football team, and this season is no different. They sit at 8-3 on the season with one more game left to play. Missouri simply doesn't have what it takes to face the Black Knights.
Final score: Army 35, Missouri 14
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl - Florida vs. UCF
This time last season, the thought of Florida playing against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl was laughable. Now, it's a reality. The Gators fell apart in 2021 and lost three valuable members of the coaching staff, including head coach Dan Mullen. Can interim coach Greg Knox get his second bowl victory as a head coach? This seems likely against UCF, who is 8-4 but has not been impressive by any means.
Final score: Florida 21, UCF 14
TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl - Auburn vs. Houston
At one point this season, Auburn looked like a contender for the SEC West. After losing quarterback Bo Nix to an ankle injury and dropping their last four games, the Tigers have little left to play for. The matchup against Houston might be the final straw for a struggling Tigers team. Houston played in the AAC Championship just last weekend and has been beating most teams pretty easily. It looks like Auburn will have to regroup and look to rebound next season by the time it is all said and done.
Final score: Houston 37, Auburn 21
