The more things change, the more they remain the same.

After a rough first week where SEC teams were a combined 7-7, the league was back to normal, going 12-2 with a couple of big, national wins (Arkansas over No. 15 TCU and Tennessee over Virginia Tech) to anchor the week.

The only losses? Mississippi State took out South Carolina and Florida rolled Kentucky in conference games.

So as we play the game of picking bowl games way, way, way (I can’t use enough “ways” here) too early, here’s a couple of notes on my thought process relative to Week 1.

  • After Florida looked so good against Kentucky and Tennessee rolled over Virginia Tech, a Georgia team that barely beat a Nicholls State squad that rarely contends in its own conference (Southland in the FCS) will get bumped down the list.
  • Mississippi State looked like it could be a bowl team. Not so much South Carolina, which stayed in the projections, for now.
  • Auburn, how about Auburn? The Tigers are starting to look legit.
  • I went with three New Year’s Six bowl teams this week. That might be a little too optimistic.

So, with that said, let’s dive in:

2016 SEC bowl projections after Week 2 (12 invites)

  • College Football Playoff semifinal (Peach Bowl): Alabama vs. Houston
  • New Year’s Six (Sugar Bowl): Florida vs. Texas
  • New Year’s Six (Cotton Bowl): Texas A&M vs. Oregon
  • Citrus Bowl: Tennessee vs. Wisconsin
  • Music City Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Nebraska
  • Outback Bowl: Georgia vs. Michigan State
  • TaxSlayer Bowl: LSU vs. Virginia Tech
  • Liberty Bowl: Auburn vs. West Virginia
  • Texas Bowl: Arkansas vs. TCU
  • Belk Bowl: South Carolina vs. North Carolina
  • Birmingham Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Navy
  • Independence Bowl: Missouri vs. Wake Forest

On the outside looking in: Vanderbilt, Kentucky.