ESPN releases SEC preseason bowl projections
ESPN expert analysts Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach recently released their preseason bowl projections, and there was one surprise.
The duo projected Tennessee to miss a bowl game in Josh Heupel’s debut season. The Vols strength of schedule is ranked 10th, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index, and Bonagura and Schlabach evidently think that will be too much to overcome to notch a bowl game.
Aside from Tennessee, the duo projected Vanderbilt to miss a bowl game, too. Only Bonagura believes the Gamecocks will go bowling.
In other projections, Schlabach predicts that Georgia and Alabama will face off in the national title game, which would be a rematch of the SEC Championship Game.
Below is ESPN’s preseason bowl projections broken down by team:
Alabama Crimson Tide
College Football Playoff Championship Game
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Georgia
College Football Playoff: Orange Bowl
Bonagura: Alabama vs. Ohio State
Schlabach: Alabama vs. Clemson
Arkansas Razorbacks
Bonagura: Liberty Bowl vs. Texas Tech
Schlabach: Liberty Bowl vs. West Virginia
Auburn Tigers
Bonagura: Music City Bowl vs. Northwestern
Schlabach: Music City Bowl vs. Indiana
Florida Gators
Bonagura: Citrus Bowl vs. Penn State
Schlabach: Citrus Bowl vs. Iowa
Georgia Bulldogs
College Football Playoff Championship Game
Schlabach: CFP Championship vs. Alabama
College Football Playoff: Orange Bowl
Schlabach: CFP vs. Oklahoma
Bonagura: Sugar Bowl vs. Iowa State
Kentucky Wildcats
Bonagura: Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Virginia Tech
Schlabach: Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
LSU Tigers
Bonagura: Outback Bowl vs. Iowa
Schlabach: Outback Bowl vs. Penn State
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Bonagura: Birmingham Bowl vs. Tulsa
Schlabach: Birmingham Bowl vs. UAB
Missouri Tigers
Bonagura: Texas Bowl vs. TCU
Schlabach: Texas Bowl vs. TCU
Ole Miss Rebels
Bonagura: Gator Bowl vs. North Carolina
Schlabach: Gator Bowl vs. Miami
South Carolina Gamecocks
Bonagura: Gasparilla Bowl vs. Louisville
Schlabach: None
Texas A&M Aggies
Bonagura: Fiesta Bowl vs. USC
Schlabach: Sugar Bowl vs. Iowa State