The bowl games and the SEC Conference

[Lmg2701]

Although the bowl announcements won't be official until sunday, looking at what the experts think is going to happen shows that the SEC will really get tested to see if they're the best conference in the nation.

Here are the projections:

Sugar Bowl: Florida (SEC) vs. Notre Dame (BCS at large)
Rose Bowl: Michigan (BCS at-large) vs. LSU (SEC)
Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin (Big Ten No. 2) vs. Arkansas (SEC No. 2)
Outback Bowl: Penn State (Big Ten No. 3) vs. Auburn (SEC)
Cotton Bowl: Texas (Big 12 No. 2) vs. Tennessee (SEC)
Chick-fil-A Bowl: Virginia Tech (ACC No. 2) vs. Georgia (SEC)
Liberty Bowl: Houston (C-USA No. 1) vs. Kentucky (SEC No. 6)
Music City Bowl: South Carolina (SEC) vs. Maryland (ACC No. 5)
Independence Bowl: Oklahoma State (Big 12 No. 7) vs. Alabama (SEC No. 8)


So that's 9 SEC teams that are projected to go to bowls. I think they can win every game too, but I'm really looking forward to the Rose Bowl. I really hope that it ends up LSU vs. Michigan but some people are saying that the bowl committee may put Notre Dame here in a rematch which I think would be complete bullshit beings that Michigan beat their ass bad last time at Notre Dame.


What do you guys think?

[slimmackeral]

Huge Georgia Bulldog fan here.... So obviously I am a litte bias. The SEC from top to bottom is by far the toughest conference. It is almost impossible to go undefeated. Huge disadvantage in my opinion. Though it makes for some fun saturdays. I say that realizing that this year I don't think any SEC team could beat Ohio State.

[grnmchn]

I think they can win all of these games. But the SEC has looked up and down this year. There are so many great teams, typically 4-5 nationally ranked, that they seem to wear down towards the end of the year. But I think with a few weeks off most of them will win. The game that I'm really not sure about is the Florida/Notre Dame match-up. As of late the gators have not looked so impressive but ND is probably the most over-rated/over-hyped team in the country. Yet they continue to get huge bowl games for nothing more than being "Notre Dame". They even said it during the USC game (refering back to Knute Rockny). Why the hell should that put you in a better bowl game? I'll definetely be UF fan that day. But as always, it just depends on which SEC teams show up. When they are on, they can beat almost anyone in the country. But when they're off, not so impressive.

Just my 2 cents......

[grnmchn]

Agreed slimmacheral, the SEC is the deepest league for sure. You could take a middle of the pack SEC team and fair well in most any other conference. But yes, there is no one that can touch OSU this year. That team is LIGHTS OUT!

[Lmg2701]

What do yall think about LSU vs. Michigan. I'd love to see LSU win by a couple TDs. If they play mistake free football they're really really tough to beat. They were less than 10 yards away from winning the Auburn game and they completely screwed themselves in the Florida game. So many people keep saying that Michigan should replay Ohio State so I'd love to see LSU beat em.

[slimmackeral]

I would love to see LSU vs. Michigan. Hart in my opinion is the second best back in the country(McFadden). I would like to see him go up against LSU's D. LSU has talent everywhere. I think it would be a low scoring game. If I remember correctly Michigan has the best rushing defense in the country.

I would also like to see Florida vs. Notre Dame. That would be some serious offense.

Boise State going to a BCS game is a joke. They would have 4 or 5 loses in the SEC or other major conference.

[grnmchn]

LSu definetely showed what they are capable of during the Arkansas game. If they play that kind of football against Michigan I could see a 2 TD win. But it will be a great game.

Slimmacharel, I'd rather see Boise State (undefeated) play in a BCS game then a 2 lose (both blow outs) Notre Dame. They talk about there strengteh of schedule being so great but they are the only team in the top 50 that played all 3 of the academies, and they were back-back-back.

[Curls4dGirls]

Slimmacharel, I'd rather see Boise State (undefeated) play in a BCS game then a 2 lose (both blow outs) Notre Dame. They talk about there strengteh of schedule being so great but they are the only team in the top 50 that played all 3 of the academies, and they were back-back-back.

The BCS should implement a new rule: If you play no (0, zero) ranked opponents all season, then your team is IMMEDIATELY disqualified from BCS consideration.

[slimmackeral]

Slimmacharel, I'd rather see Boise State (undefeated) play in a BCS game then a 2 lose (both blow outs) Notre Dame. They talk about there strengteh of schedule being so great but they are the only team in the top 50 that played all 3 of the academies, and they were back-back-back.

I agree with you that Notre Dame doesn't deserve a BCS bowl but Boise State has played no one. They barely beat the likes of Wyoming, San Jose St, and Hawaii. If they had just one decent out of conference game then my opinion might change. They played Georgia last year and got killed. I think BS realizes how good they have it. Play no one of significance, go to a BCS bowl and rake in millions for your conference and school. Not to mention some serious exposure for recruiting. Then you have folks harping on the major conference teams not scheduling tougher out of conference opponents. Why should they if you are rewarded solely on Ws and Ls? Messed up system....

[grnmchn]

Sorry guys, I guess it seemed like I was on Boise State's side. My point was not to support BS, but rather discredit ND. I agree that BS has no business in a BCS bowl. For some reason, in my opinion, there are 2 things that are apparently a factor in the BCS which has no business being there. Those would be 1) that being an undefeated team makes you an automatic entry and 2) that style points or margin of victory has any bearing on how good a football tema you have. Then they go and take out critical information like strength of schedule. Why in the world would that not be a huge part of the BCS makeup. I personally think they need to at least provide some compensation for conference strength. While I am biased towards the SEC, the Big 10 would most likely benefit from it as well.

[bonebreaker]

What do yall think about LSU vs. Michigan. I'd love to see LSU when by a couple TDs. If they play mistake free football they're really really tough to beat. They were less than 10 yards away from winning the Auburn game and they completely screwed themselves in the Florida game. So many people keep saying that Michigan should replay Ohio State so I'd love to see LSU beat em.

I think LSU wins---hands down. I've watched them play several times and personally, I think they are way too much for Michigan. BB

[SonofBone]

I think 5-4 or 6-3 depending on matchups, but should win most of the marquee bowl games.

Below are predicted matchups from two of ESPN's writers which may vary a little from Lmg's original list. I've listed my predictions. Maybe we should start an office pool on the bowl games.

Bowl
(Matchup) Ivan Maisel Mark Schlabach

Allstate Sugar
(BCS vs. BCS)
Arkansas vs. Louisville -- Louisville (toss up)
Florida vs. Notre Dame -- UF kills them; ND has no D

FedEx Orange
(BCS vs. BCS)
Wake Forest vs. Florida -- UF kills them
Wake Forest vs. Louisville

Rose
(BCS vs. BCS)
Notre Dame vs. Michigan
LSU vs. Michigan -- Michigan based on consistency

Capital One
(Big Ten No. 2 vs. SEC No. 2)
Wisconsin vs. LSU -- LSU
Wisconsin vs. Auburn -- Auburn

Outback
(Big Ten No. 3 vs. SEC)
Penn State vs. Tennessee -- Tennessee
Penn State vs. Tennessee -- Tennessee

AT&T Cotton
(Big 12 No. 2 vs. SEC)
Texas vs. Auburn -- Auburn; UT exposed w/out Colt
Texas vs. Arkansas -- Arkansas

Chick-fil-A
(ACC No. 2 vs. SEC)
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia -- Va Tech; UGA inconsistent
Virginia Tech vs. Georgia --

AutoZone Liberty
(C-USA No. 1 vs. SEC No. 6)
Houston vs. Kentucky -- Houston
Houston vs. South Carolina -- USC

Gaylords Hotels Music City
(ACC No. 5 vs. SEC)
Boston College vs. South Carolina -- USC (toss up)
Clemson vs. Kentucky -- Clemson

PetroSun Independence
(SEC No. 8 vs. Big 12 No. 7)
Alabama vs. Oklahoma State -- Ok. St.
Alabama vs. Texas Tech -- Texas Tech

[grnmchn]

I will agree with most of those pics. However, I think GA can be a really good team but that lack of consistancy does make that game a toss up. I think Arkansas will murder Louisville. No defense against one of the top offenses in the nation, plus the given SEC defense. No contest. The bottom 3 games are all toss ups. 3 SEC temas that can play well, but typically haven't.

[Lmg2701]

Rose
(BCS vs. BCS)

LSU vs. Michigan -- Michigan based on consistency

Get the fuck outta here with that pick lol, j/k. I hope they at least play, Notre Dame just being Notre Dame may squeak into that game.

[Curls4dGirls]

I

Allstate Sugar
(BCS vs. BCS)
Arkansas vs. Louisville -- Louisville (toss up)

No chance in hell Louisville beats any SEC team. period.