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SEC 2011 Bowl Projections: Two Teams in the Same BCS Game, Then Questions Begin

A look at where your team is likely to end up in the postseason. This does differ from our weekly bowl-seeding exercise during the BCS standings posts in one way: I'm projecting more based on who I think is likely to win a conference or come in at a particular place.

BCS National Championship Game: LSU vs. Alabama
I still believe that a rematch is an exceedingly bad idea for any number of reasons, but it's getting harder to argue that it won't or even shouldn't happen. If Oklahoma State shells Oklahoma and Alabama has a narrow win against Auburn, then I might change my mind back, but for now LSU and Alabama are clearly the best two teams in the land.

Capital One: Arkansas vs. Michigan State
Not that it helps the Razorbacks at all. Because of what is looking like an increasingly ill-considered BCS two-team cap, the Razorbacks fall out of the series entirely and end up in a Capital One Bowl they'll probably win in a walk. I'm still going off the BCS rankings post board to take the Spartans here, because I still expect Wisconsin to win this weekend and then exact their revenge in the B1G Championship Game.

Outback: Georgia vs. Michigan
The guess here is also that Michigan gets left out of the BCS party and makes a great selection for the Outback to pair with Georgia. Two traditional programs turning around their fortunes and looking to cap off those reloading seasons with a big bowl win. Cue the Tom Rinaldi lead-in.

Cotton: South Carolina vs. Baylor
Texas is continuing to find new and innovative ways to prove that it's not a very good football team, so the Cotton Bowl will go in search of another Texas-based team that's generating some buzz. How could they pass up a potential Heisman winner in RG3 and his band of merry upstarts? And because Tyrone Nix is no longer the defensive coordinator in Columbia, the Gamecocks might have the slightest of chances to defeat the Bears.

Chick-fil-A: Auburn vs. Georgia Tech
It now looks more likely to me that Virginia Tech will win the ACC Championship Game, though it's incredibly difficult to try to figure out who's going to win any game in that conference. But if Clemson loses, the Chick-fil-A isn't going to want to go with a rematch or pick any of the SEC teams below Auburn. So Georgia Tech it is.

Gator: Florida vs. Iowa
If Iowa can get a win against Nebraska this weekend, I still expect the Gator to take the Hawkeyes to avoid a rematch from last year's bowl.

Music City: Vanderbilt vs. North Carolina Virginia
I initially underestimated the effect of UNC's loss on their hopes for the Music City. The remaining teams on the board are Wake and Virginia, and my guess is that the Belk Bowl, which is actually a thing, takes Wake Forest.

Liberty: Tennessee vs. Southern Miss
The UAB loss makes Southern Miss a slightly less attractive target, but I'll stay with them for another week or so. If Houston clocks them in the title game, I'd expect the Liberty to go with Tulsa instead. The travel factor works in the Eagles' favor for now. I'm expect Tennessee to easily clinch a bowl berth now against Kentucky, and that gets them the invite here.

Compass: Mississippi State vs. Pittsburgh (if eligible)
Ugh, the Big East is a complete mess, so I don't know whether this will happen or not.

Woo Pig Sooie