This is a good year to be a decent (but not great) Big Ten team. The NCAA bowl ban against Ohio State means that every team in the BIG will be going to at least one bowl game better than they deserve; and any team that finishes worse than Penn State will land two bowl games above their actual level of on-the-field accomplishment. Consequently when you are looking at who will be the 4th team selected to a bowl out of the Big Ten, you could actually be looking at the 6th best team. Add to that fact that most of the mid-to-high-level Big Ten teams have out-of-conference losses and you get a very muddled bowl picture.

While we may not like it, as SEC partisans we need to be familiar with the bowl pecking order for the BIG, because the NCAA has sanctioned about 47 New Year’s Day bowl games in Florida between the SEC and the Big Ten. Georgia will be playing in one of these games 6 out the next ten years.

BCS Championship Game – Alabama vs. Oregon

I’m now actively rooting for this outcome.

Sugar Bowl – Florida vs. Oklahoma

I don’t know if I underestimated the Gators or overestimated the Gamecocks. Either way we are screwed.

Capital One Bowl – South Carolina vs. Nebraska

If Clemson beats South Carolina (which I’m not predicting,) there is a window of opportunity for the Bulldogs to land here. Whoopee.

Cotton Bowl – LSU vs. West Virginia

Cajuns vs. Mountaineers. Which team can out crazy the other?

Outback Bowl – Georgia vs. Wisconsin

Remember what I said about Big Ten teams actually getting better bowl games than their records deserve? That is just one of many reasons why it’s going to be so embarrassing when we lose.

Chick-fil-A Bowl – Texas A&M vs. Clemson

Has there been a season in the last ten years when Clemson wasn’t projected into the Chick-fil-A Bowl at some point in the season?

Gator Bowl – Mississippi State vs. Northwestern

Mississippi State is an undefeated SEC team. Isn’t it telling that no one cares?

Liberty Bowl - Tennessee vs. UCF

Will be Dooley be the coach?

Music City Bowl – Ole Miss vs. NC State

I dare you to figure out who the fourth best team in the ACC is.

Compass Bowl – No SEC team eligible (well maybe Vandy or Arkansas, but I doubt it) The Independence Bowl – No SEC team eligible (almost no shot at all)