The SEC is front and center during the college football bowl season.

Two teams in the College Football Playoff. Seven teams in other bowl games.

Georgia and Alabama both have a chance to reach the championship game. Auburn, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M, South Carolina, Missouri and Kentucky all have a chance to come away with bowl victories.

The SEC went 6-7 during the postseason last year, including Alabama’s 1-1 record in the CFP.

Can the league improve on that record and maybe bring home a national championship this year?

Well, read on.

Virtual Lock

Peach Bowl: Auburn vs. UCF (Jan. 1)

Both teams were part of the CFP discussion, but in different ways. Auburn would have been in if had it beaten Georgia in the SEC championship, but the Tigers lost. UCF didn’t lose the whole season — the only UCF team to go undefeated — but it finished just 12th in the final CFP rankings. The Knights have the motivation of proving they deserve more respect, but uncertainty over whether newly hired Nebraska coach Scott Frost will lead them in the bowl game can’t help preparations.

Prediction: Auburn 34, UCF 24

Would take an upset

Music City Bowl: Kentucky vs. Northwestern (Dec. 29) Kentucky lost three of its past four games, including lopsided losses to Georgia and Louisville to finish the regular season. Northwestern has won its past seven, including lopsided victories against Minnesota and Illinois in its past two games.

Prediction: Northwestern 30, Kentucky 17

TaxSlayer Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Louisville (Dec. 30)

The Bulldogs won’t have their starting quarterback or their new head coach as Keytaon Thompson replaces injured Nick Fitzgerald and interim coach Greg Knox leads the way before Joe Moorhead takes over as coach. The Cardinals won their final three behind the leadership of quarterback Lamar Jackson, a Heisman Trophy finalist after winning the award last season.

Credit: Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction: Louisville 37, Mississippi State 19

Could go either way

Texas Bowl: Missouri vs. Texas (Dec. 27)

Missouri was one of the hottest SEC teams down the stretch, winning its last six games, but none were against a team that’s playing in a bowl. The Tigers offense has been on a roll and the Longhorns’ solid defense was the key to them getting bowl eligible.

Prediction: Missouri 32, Texas 27

Belk Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Wake Forest (Dec. 29)

The Jimbo Fisher era isn’t starting just yet as Jeff Banks will coach Texas A&M, which  lost three of its last five, including a clunker against LSU in the regular-season finale with Kevin Sumlin’s fate already known. The Demon Deacons are coming off a loss to Duke in which the Blue Devils earned their Motor City Bowl bid.

Prediction: Wake Forest 33, Texas A&M 30

Outback Bowl: South Carolina vs. Michigan (Jan. 1)

South Carolina quietly finished second in the SEC East, but it hasn’t beaten a bowl-bound team since September. Michigan is coming off back-to-back losses to heavyweights Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Prediction: Michigan 22, South Carolina 16

Citrus Bowl: LSU vs. Notre Dame (Jan. 1)

LSU started 3-2 and could have been headed to a terrible season before winning six of its last seven games. Notre Dame started 8-1 and was No. 3 in the CFP rankings before being blasted by Miami and losing to Stanford with a close win against Navy sandwiched in between. In the end both are 9-3 and evenly matched.

Prediction: LSU 23, Notre Dame 16

CFP in the Rose Bowl: Georgia vs. Oklahoma (Jan. 1)

Georgia showed that its lone loss — a 40-17 blowout at Auburn — was an aberration after prevailing 28-7 in a rematch for the SEC championship. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, a former walk-on turned runaway Heisman Trophy winner, has led the Sooners on an eight-game win streak.

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Prediction: Georgia 28, Oklahoma 24

CFP in the Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Clemson (Jan. 1)

Here we go again. A rubber match for a spot in the title game. Only one can make the final after they went toe-to-toe in the past two finals. The Crimson Tide won two years ago and the Tigers won last year. Clemson is No. 1 after winning its last six while Bama had to sweat out the No. 4 spot after losing to Auburn in the Iron Bowl.

Prediction: Clemson 23, Alabama 20

Projected final record: 4-6

Despite having two shots at a national championship, the SEC will come up short because of Clemson, which will win its second consecutive national championship by knocking off both Alabama and Georgia.