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A bowl game can make or break a team’s season, and, in turn, determine the fate of a head coach.
Here is a look at several SEC coaches who are most in need of a win this bowl season.
Kevin Sumlin, Texas A&M
The wheels came off for Texas A&M this month as the program reeled from the departure of transferring quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, as well as the suspension of wide receiver Speedy Noil. That’s three big-time quarterbacks (Kenny Hill the other) that Sumlin has lost in the last two years, casting the coach’s future in College Station in doubt.
A loss to Louisville in the Music City Bowl could prove devastating for his tenure with A&M, despite an eight-win season and a career 36-16 record with the program.
Bret Bielema, Arkansas
Arkansas’ struggles against out-of-conference foes Toledo and Texas Tech were well-documented in Fayetteville as the Razorbacks got off to another slow start. Although Bret Bielema’s squad was able to turn their fortunes around, winning six of their final eight games, a Liberty Bowl loss to Kansas State would leave Arkansas with a disappointing 7-6 record for the second-straight year.
While Bielema doesn’t appear on the hot seat, middling records and embarrassing bowl losses could cost him in the recruit department … and then eventually cost him his job.
Butch Jones, Tennessee
By most accounts, Butch Jones has turned around Tennessee football. But the coach still has plenty to prove in Knoxville and an Outback Bowl win over Northwestern can set the Volunteer hype machine into overdrive heading into the offseason.
Jones has already set his career-high for wins (8) with the Vols in his third season manning the Tennessee sidelines. Plus, he has another strong recruiting class arriving on campus this summer. But the 2015 season still needs closure first and a loss could point to bigger issues, such as Tennessee’s inability to close out tough opponents. In the process, it could magnify what was essentially a cake-walk schedule down the stretch for the Volunteers — throwing shade on what can either be seen as a great year or a mediocre one for Tennessee, depending on the bowl outcome.
Jim McElwain, Florida
Despite being named the SEC’s Coach of the Year, Jim McElwain and the Florida Gators enter their Citrus Bowl matchup against Michigan needing a win to validate their season and SEC East division title.
And most importantly, to end a two-game losing slide in which the Gators’ offense went into brumation mode. A win over the Wolverines can quiet any noise of offensive ineptitude and leave Florida with 11 wins, its most since the 2011 season. A loss, however, and the “SEC down year” contingent will be out in full force.
Chris Wuensch is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers South Carolina and Tennessee.
