The biggest mystery in the SEC — like most of the Power 5 conferences aside from the ACC (Clemson) — is which team, if any, will represent the conference in the College Football Playoff.
With only four spots, at least one Power conference is guaranteed of being left out and with Notre Dame likely in, there’s really only three spots for five conferences.
We know somebody will be left out. It just better not be the SEC.
The SEC East, in general, isn’t favoring well in national bowl projections with Missouri, South Carolina, Vanderbilt and now Kentucky all projected to be out (Kentucky depends on who you ask). The Wildcats had been projected to have some postseason action all season, but after five consecutive losses Kentucky needs a win this weekend to become eligible.
The SEC West, however, has all of its teams listed as going to a bowl by every major outlet.
Here are the collective bowl projections after Week 12:
ALABAMA
CBS Sports: Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State (playoff semifinal).
ESPN: Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State (playoff semifinal), national championship vs. Clemson (Mark Schlabach); Cotton Bowl vs. Michigan State (playoff semifinal), national championship vs. Clemson (Brett McMurphy).
SDS: Cotton Bowl vs. Oklahoma.
ARKANSAS
CBSSports: Texas Bowl vs. West Virginia.
ESPN: Belk Bowl vs. Duke (Schlabach); Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern (McMurphy).
SDS: Liberty Bowl vs. West Virginia.
AUBURN
CBS Sports: Birmingham Bowl vs. Memphis.
ESPN: Birmingham Bowl vs. Cincinnati (Schlabach); Birmingham Bowl vs. Memphis (McMurphy).
SDS: Birmingham Bowl vs. Memphis.
FLORIDA
CBS Sports: Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor.
ESPN: Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor (Schlabach); Citrus Bowl vs. Ohio State (McMurphy).
SDS: Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor.
GEORGIA
CBS Sports: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan.
ESPN: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Penn State (Schlabach); Liberty Bowl vs. Texas Tech (McMurphy).
SDS: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Wisconsin.
KENTUCKY
ESPN: Camellia Bowl vs. Akron (Schlabach)
SDS: Independence Bowl vs. Virginia State.
LSU
CBS Sports: Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern.
ESPN: Liberty Bowl vs. Texas Tech (Schlabach); Belk Bowl vs. NC State (McMurphy).
SDS: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan.
MISSISSIPPI STATE
CBS Sports: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Pittsburgh.
ESPN: Texas Bowl vs. West Virginia (Schlabach); TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Pittsburgh (McMurphy).
SDS: Music City Bowl vs. Penn State.
OLE MISS
CBS Sports: Music City Bowl vs. Penn State.
ESPN: Citrus Bowl vs. Ohio State (Schlabach); Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor (McMurphy).
SDS: Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern.
TENNESSEE
CBS Sports: Liberty Bowl vs. Kansas State.
ESPN: Outback Bowl vs. Northwestern (Schlabach); Music City Bowl vs. Nebraska (McMurphy).
SDS: Belk Bowl vs. N.C. State.
TEXAS A&M
CBS Sports: Belk Bowl vs. Virginia Tech.
ESPN: Music City Bowl vs. Louisville (Schlabach); Texas Bowl vs. West Virginia (McMurphy).
SDS: Texas Bowl vs. Texas Tech.
