Biggest storyline for each SEC team heading into bowl season

The regular season is done. Conference championships are in the past.

We finally know the final four teams in the College Football Playoff and bowl season is just around the corner.

It’s an exciting time for the SEC and with so much to talk about, here’s the biggest storyline for each SEC team heading into the first week of the bowl season.

RELATED: Ranking the SEC bowl games

Alabama — The Crimson Tide did it. Not only did Alabama win the SEC Championship, but it did so in convincing fashion. Its reward? The No. 1 seed and a semifinal matchup against Urban Meyer and Ohio State. Jan. 1 seems like a long time away for Alabama fans, but it’ll be here before you know it. And with nearly a month to prepare for a third-string quarterback, Alabama’s chances of reaching the National Championship look pretty strong.

Arkansas — For a 6-6 team, the Razorbacks sure have a lot of momentum behind them. Filled with hopes of a much better 2015 season, the Hogs are positioned well in their bowl game with a Texas Bowl showdown against … well … Texas. The announcement that Arkansas would be playing the Longhorns should excite many Arkansas fans because of the history between these two old Southwest Conference rivals.

Auburn — For the Tigers, an Outback Bowl matchup against Wisconsin should be slightly nerve-wracking just thinking about Melvin Gordon running against a less-than impressive Auburn run defense. But for now, the Tigers’ focus is on finding a defensive coordinator. Will Muschamp continues to be the rumored selection, but will he want to come back to the Plains?

Florida — New head coach Jim McElwain was introduced on Saturday as Florida fans got a glimpse at their new leader. Right now, recruiting and coaching staff decisions take precedence over any bowl game. As McElwain attempts to save and build a beleaguered recruiting class and hire assistants, many fans are looking toward 2015 rather than focusing on the Birmingham Bowl.

Georgia — The Bulldogs are destined for the Belk Bowl, but it’ll be the coaching matchup that everyone is talking about now that we know where each team is headed. UGA will have the pleasure of facing off against Todd Grantham, a long time defensive coordinator at Georgia until after 2013. His Louisville Cardinals boast one of the nation’s top defenses and should be a real challenge for Nick Chubb and company.

Kentucky — While the Wildcats attempt to pick up the pieces of not going bowling after a 5-1 start, UK is currently in the middle of looking for an offensive coordinator. As of now, it’s being reported that ECU’s Lincoln Riley is the favored candidate, but nothing official has been decided by Mark Stoops.

LSU — The Tigers may not be playing in a marquee bowl, but they drew a marquee opponent in Notre Dame. Despite both teams having disappointing seasons, the Music City Bowl should be an interesting one to watch considering the caliber of programs involved. Meanwhile, LSU’s Les Miles continues to recruit before the dead period in order to keep the momentum of this year’s young stars going into the offseason and over to next season.

Mississippi State — The Bulldogs are headed to the Orange Bowl and will face Georgia Tech. Quarterback Dak Prescott should be included in some SEC honors this week and it appears that head coach Dan Mullen is in line for a contract extension and a raise. Yes, times are good in Starkville.

Missouri — The Tigers found a way to win nearly every game this season, but when matched up against an elite team like Alabama, Missouri was no match. A historical upset wasn’t in the cards for Gary Pinkel’s team, who now will try to recuperate from that 42-13 loss. The Tigers were also rewarded for their 10-2 regular season with a trip to Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla., which should provide a fun ending to a great season for Missouri.

Ole Miss — There was a little nervousness in Oxford these past few weeks that head coach Hugh Freeze may be headed to Florida, but the Rebels were able to keep him in town and give him a raise. In terms of bowl games, Ole Miss may have the most intriguing matchup of the bowl season with a Peach Bowl game against TCU, a team many considered to be a CFP team.

South Carolina — If you didn’t pay close enough attention to South Carolina football, you would probably assume the Gamecocks didn’t have a defensive coordinator, considering all of the talk about Will Muschamp going to South Carolina. At this point, Lorenzo Ward still has a job, but no one really knows what Steve Spurrier is thinking. Muschamp to the Gamecocks makes so much sense, but would he really go to Columbia? Time will only tell.

Tennessee — On the heels of a 6-6 season and the Vols’ first bowl appearance since 2010, head coach Butch Jones was given a contract extension and raise this week for his efforts in rebuilding the program. With the bevy of young playmakers on the roster, this offseason will be crucial in the Vols returning back to their once-premier reputation in 2015.

Texas A&M — The Aggies are also still searching for a defensive coordinator and Will Muschamp has been tied to the opening as well. A&M’s offense is regarded as one of the better units in the conference, so bringing in a defensive guru like Muschamp to control the defense could help put the Aggies over the top in 2015.

Vanderbilt — Talk about coaching changes. First-year head coach Derek Mason wasted no time in cleaning house after a 3-9 season. He’s gotten rid of both the offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator in a matter of days and is hoping for a drastic turnaround in 2015. If not, it could be him who is on his way out of Vanderbilt.