Some of you need this because you are scarred by memories of 1999. Its different. The bowls don't select as much as they used to. Here is how the bowls in the SEC work.
1. Playoff.
This one is simple and well understood. If you are in the top four of the CFP Committee's final rankings, you go to the Playoff Semifinals. This bowls rotate. The rotation is important for Item 2.
2a. New Year's 6 - Automatic Bid.
The top rated SEC team not in the playoff goes to the Sugar Bowl. If the Sugar Bowl is a playoff semifinal, the top rated SEC team not in the playoff goes to the Orange Bowl (that was us in 2014). Auburn once went to the Sugar Bowl with an 8-4 record and a No 17 ranking.
2b. New Year's 6 - At Large Bid.
After the contractual bids to NY6 are given, the top remaining at-large teams are placed in NY6 games. This can be as simple as the top 12 or as complex as the top 9+. Right now, the rankings indicate that the top 11 teams + the top G5 team (currently Tulane) are going to get a NY6 game. This could change with today's results and the Big 12 and Big 10 championships being won by the underdogs. Say Kansas State and Purdue upset TCU and Ohio State/Michigan, K-State and Purdue would get auto bids and shut No. 10 and No. 11 out of the at-large process. But right now, if chalk holds, its top 11 and the AAC Championship game winner.
3. Citrus Bowl.
The Citrus Bowl is on its own tier in the SEC and Big Ten. The Citrus Bowl takes its choice of the best record of teams in those conferences not in the NY6. Right now its Penn State from the Big Ten and no one else. In the SEC, its Mississippi State and Ole Miss, with South Carolina in the choice pod if they beat Clemson. No one else from the SEC can go to the Citrus Bowl if four SEC teams go to the NY6.
4. The Group of 6 Bowls
This is where we have lived for the past decade, and our fans still don't understand it. There is no difference between the Liberty, Music City, Texas, Belk/Las Vegas, Gator and Outback (now Reliaquest) Bowls. The teams on this tier tell the SEC their top two preferences, the bowls tell the SEC their top two preferences, and everyone works together to make it happen to the best of their ability. Sometimes a bowl gets a team they don't really want, and sometimes a team gets a bowl they really don't want.
5. Birmingham Bowl
If there are any available SEC teams after the Group of 6 bowls make their picks, the Birmingham Bowl gets the first pick of available teams.
6. Gasparilla Bowl
If there are any available teams after the Birmingham Bowl makes its pick, the Gasparilla Bowl gets the first pick of available teams.
7. Non-Affiliated Bowls
If there are available SEC teams left after the Gasparilla Bowl makes its pick, then that team is grouped with all other available teams from all conferences and allowed to be picked.
1. Playoff.
This one is simple and well understood. If you are in the top four of the CFP Committee's final rankings, you go to the Playoff Semifinals. This bowls rotate. The rotation is important for Item 2.
2a. New Year's 6 - Automatic Bid.
The top rated SEC team not in the playoff goes to the Sugar Bowl. If the Sugar Bowl is a playoff semifinal, the top rated SEC team not in the playoff goes to the Orange Bowl (that was us in 2014). Auburn once went to the Sugar Bowl with an 8-4 record and a No 17 ranking.
2b. New Year's 6 - At Large Bid.
After the contractual bids to NY6 are given, the top remaining at-large teams are placed in NY6 games. This can be as simple as the top 12 or as complex as the top 9+. Right now, the rankings indicate that the top 11 teams + the top G5 team (currently Tulane) are going to get a NY6 game. This could change with today's results and the Big 12 and Big 10 championships being won by the underdogs. Say Kansas State and Purdue upset TCU and Ohio State/Michigan, K-State and Purdue would get auto bids and shut No. 10 and No. 11 out of the at-large process. But right now, if chalk holds, its top 11 and the AAC Championship game winner.
3. Citrus Bowl.
The Citrus Bowl is on its own tier in the SEC and Big Ten. The Citrus Bowl takes its choice of the best record of teams in those conferences not in the NY6. Right now its Penn State from the Big Ten and no one else. In the SEC, its Mississippi State and Ole Miss, with South Carolina in the choice pod if they beat Clemson. No one else from the SEC can go to the Citrus Bowl if four SEC teams go to the NY6.
4. The Group of 6 Bowls
This is where we have lived for the past decade, and our fans still don't understand it. There is no difference between the Liberty, Music City, Texas, Belk/Las Vegas, Gator and Outback (now Reliaquest) Bowls. The teams on this tier tell the SEC their top two preferences, the bowls tell the SEC their top two preferences, and everyone works together to make it happen to the best of their ability. Sometimes a bowl gets a team they don't really want, and sometimes a team gets a bowl they really don't want.
5. Birmingham Bowl
If there are any available SEC teams after the Group of 6 bowls make their picks, the Birmingham Bowl gets the first pick of available teams.
6. Gasparilla Bowl
If there are any available teams after the Birmingham Bowl makes its pick, the Gasparilla Bowl gets the first pick of available teams.
7. Non-Affiliated Bowls
If there are available SEC teams left after the Gasparilla Bowl makes its pick, then that team is grouped with all other available teams from all conferences and allowed to be picked.
