Bowl options not great for SEC Championship game loser
Everybody knows where the winner of the SEC Championship game will play next — the Discover BCS National Championship game Jan. 7 in Miami, of course. But the bowl destination is less clear for the loser of Saturday’s SEC title game between Georgia and Alabama.
Because there are so many highly-ranked SEC teams, and because bowl dealings have been ongoing for quite some time, there is a very good chance the loser of the league championship game gets leap-frogged in the selection process. In addition to No. 2 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia, four other SEC teams are in the top 10 of this week’s BCS standings — Florida (4), LSU (7), Texas A&M (9) and South Carolina (10).
Most projections have 11-1 Florida — whose only loss was to Georgia — moving ahead of the Alabama-Georgia loser in the final BCS standings and going to the Nokia Sugar Bowl, a BCS game. Conversely, some projections have a losing Alabama team going to the AT&T Cotton Bowl or a losing Georgia team going to the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
“For either one of these teams, it’s not really a great scenario,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
“You play your way into the (SEC) championship game, which means you’re the best team in your division, they’re the best team in their division,” Saban said. “They played their way into the game by a total body of work for the whole season. It doesn’t seem quite right. But it is what it is. I don’t really know what me commenting about it is going to do to change it. But I don’t feel good about it for our football team or their football team, either one.”
SEC spokesman Charles Bloom confirmed to the AJC Monday that “the loser of the SEC Championship Game has protection not to fall below the Chick-fil-A Bowl in the SEC selection order.”
That leaves as possibilities the Capital One Bowl (Orlando), Outback Bowl (Tampa), Cotton (Arlington, Tex.) and Chick-fil-A (Atlanta). Some projections have Texas A&M, led by expected Heisman Trophy finalist Johnny Manziel, heading to the Cap One, which has first pick of SEC teams after the BCS bowls. Georgia played in the Outback just last year, and the Cotton prefers to take SEC Western Division teams.
Chick-fil-A Bowl president Gary Stokan did not return several calls seeking comment Monday.
Georgia coach Mark Richt has not commented on the Bulldogs’ bowl scenarios. But as Saban emphasized more than once, “it is what it is.”
Florida coach Will Muschamp is disappointed his team won’t get a BCS title shot and offered no apologies for likely ending up ahead of the SEC Championship game loser and in the Sugar Bowl.
“Well, I can switch and go to Atlanta,” Muschamp told reporters in Gainesville, Fla., “if (Saban) doesn’t want to go to Atlanta and play the Dogs. Be careful what you ask for, Nick.”
It should be noted, too, that last season Alabama went to — and won — the national championship game after failing to reach the SEC Championship game.
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180 comments Add your comment
Border Collie
November 26th, 2012
9:38 pm
GT beats FSU then they deserve to go…but that will never happen. FSU will do like UGA did clean GT’s plow.. love GT and have been a GT fan for 3o years but I’m to my end. GT is going in wrong direction and the AD got out of Dodge and Coach Johnson needs to follow..
There is a reason so many GT fan pull against UGA .. because of the smart mouth, dirty, nasty crap GT fans get from UGA fans. The same reason UGA fan always pull against GT.
Good Luck Dawgs…God bless the USA we need it.
Sierra Dawg
November 26th, 2012
9:43 pm
NoGaGator, valid point. But it’s still more in the conference community coffers than a 2nd tier bowl brings in. Rising tide, ya know. Hence, the two team limit per conference in BCS bowls.
OkieDawg
November 26th, 2012
9:43 pm
valinor…exactly, well said…erh written, or posted? You are spot on when looking at position vs position. The O-line is the X factor. In the SC game, Gates was handed his head by Clowney and on the other side Theus did not stop Taylor. But since, the O-line has looked good and played well. Theus is no longer a freshman and Beard is really stepping up. I’m hopeful the O-line that has shown up since Ky shows up Saturday.
TTown
November 26th, 2012
9:44 pm
Georgia v. clemson—chick filet bowl—book it. Ga can beat them!
long-time dawg
November 26th, 2012
9:46 pm
Why not call this thing the “Debate’ GT Bob Blog”?
Border Collie
November 26th, 2012
9:47 pm
chick fi-let bowl pays more $$$
PIERCE COUNTY DAWG
November 26th, 2012
9:54 pm
TAMPA GATOR I AGREE THE EAST IS BACK AND STRONG!!! DAWGS,GATORS AND GAMECOCKS. MISSOU WILL BE THERE BEFORE LONG.
Hey buzz
November 26th, 2012
9:57 pm
It’s the Allstate sugar bowl-
Nokia???
Has been that way for yrs…. geeez???
PIERCE COUNTY DAWG
November 26th, 2012
9:57 pm
TAMPA GATOR YOU ARE RIGHT!! I think SABAN knows he is in a fight with the dogs. We may not win,but will not roll over either. GO DAWGS!!! BEAT THEM ELEPHANTS!!!! THE EAST IS BACK STRONG AGAIN!!!!
nick Saban
November 26th, 2012
9:59 pm
Hey Will
You could play in atl. If you could beat UGA, sorry you had your shot.
For Sure
November 26th, 2012
10:00 pm
IF it happens, will the Gators have a “Played in the 2013 Nokia Sugar Bowl” flying in the Swamp next year? ‘Cause the winner and loser of Saturday night’’s game will have CHAMPIONS flags flying in their’s.
MurfDawg
November 26th, 2012
10:04 pm
The BCS is all about “invitation only” and the sexy teams get the invitations. UGA was a sexy pick in 2007 over TN for the Sugar Bowl. Now it has come around to bite us in the butt. But hey, we did beat Bama and FL that year, in case anyone forgot. Fl deserves a BCS bowl this year and the loser of the SECCG deserves a BCS Bowl but they will only take two from one conference.
IMO, I think the only title that means anything is the SEC Champion. It is won on the field and against the best competition. Beating Ho-Ho State for a national title is like beating GT for the state title.
.
Mike
November 26th, 2012
10:14 pm
GatorPhil,
Yea,remember the gaytors did beat S.C.,but the cocks GAVE THE Gaytors 21 points,w/ turnovers,so quit your crying,& stick where the sun don’t shine.!.
PIERCE COUNTY DAWG
November 26th, 2012
10:17 pm
GO DAWGS
Gator63
November 26th, 2012
10:17 pm
AL was 1 – 1 against top 10
GA was 1 – 1 against top 10
FL was 3 – 1 against top 10
LSU was 1 – 2 against top 10
A & M was 1 – 2 against top 1
SC was 1 – 2 against top 10
Rather hard to pick one over any other
SauteeDawg
November 26th, 2012
10:18 pm
Tampa Gator
A&M wasn’t even ranked when the gators played them. If Ga. Tech wins the ACC saturday night does that mean UGA is the class of the ACC because we beat Ga. Tech? Gators beating an unranked A&M shouldn’t carry any more weight than our beating Ga. Tech. Neither ranked at the time.
ga gator
November 26th, 2012
10:26 pm
SauteeDawg A&M was not ranked because they had a new HC and QB and were an unknown quantity. GT just plain out sucks all the time. UGA beat us in Jax and Gators have no argument about not playing in the BCSNC because of UGAs poor scheduling. Now take care of business in Atlanta and beat ND again 32 years later for a NC and finally some respect outside of the SE US!!
Tampa Gator
November 26th, 2012
10:27 pm
SuteeDawg……
Using your logic……Florida was ranked 23rd when they played A&M…..so they should not be ranked #4 right now. A&M had the same talent when Floridsa played them as they do now. Truth is….both Florida and A&M are also a lot better now. Florida would beat them again now.
ga gator
November 26th, 2012
10:28 pm
Mike dont use the gave argument because we gave UGA at least 14 points. Bottom line is UGA won the game so stfu everyone.
dap01
November 26th, 2012
10:30 pm
The Bowl system is stupid. Did the government create it? Only the government could screw something up so bad.
GTBob
November 26th, 2012
10:43 pm
The Bowl system is stupid. Did the government create it? Only the government could screw something up so bad.
I agree. The bowl system is quite possibly the dumbest idea ever conceived and the worst postseason in all of sports. It makes money for several businesses though so it isn’t going away.
GTBob
November 26th, 2012
10:45 pm
Why not call this thing the “Debate’ GT Bob Blog”?
The AJC really should give me my own blog. I bring an edge that the others are lacking.
kingdaddy
November 26th, 2012
10:48 pm
Whats screwed up is the SUPER CONFERENCES splitting their conference up and having to play an extra game. Whoever loses the SEC-CG will be cheated out of a better bowl position. Right now, nothing is more important to UGA than the SECCG…After that, what will be, will be. Winning the SEC which is the best conference is as good as an NC.
Oh and BTW, ND is not worthy of #1. We have 6 teams that would beat them any day…
Fair n Balanced
November 26th, 2012
10:50 pm
The whole system is messed up by this BSC thing and the super conferences. Playoffs are the only way to settle this thing.
Sierra Dawg
November 26th, 2012
10:51 pm
No Bob, you’re a troll – plain and simple.
DawgFaithful
November 26th, 2012
10:51 pm
Bob,
You’re such a loser. You must be taking a break from jerking off and playing world of Warcraft to make the ridiculous posts. How does it feel to be a perpetual loser?
kingdaddy
November 26th, 2012
10:56 pm
Bob
What would you call your blog??? How about “SPIN CITY”…
Sometimes in your fatalistic ways, you remind me of Eeyore in the Whinnie the Pooh Story. “Well, we’re not a very good team, but it could be worse, it could be raining. Oh well, here comes the rain…”
kingdaddy
November 26th, 2012
11:02 pm
Top 8 teams in a playoff. It would take 3 weeks…
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November 26th, 2012
11:15 pm
[...] Bowl options not great for losing team [...]
Reine
November 26th, 2012
11:23 pm
Further proof that this bowl system SUCKS. WE NEED PLAYOFFS!
This stupid system makes no sense.
Dawg Nation
November 26th, 2012
11:24 pm
@GTBob (((((((((( 42-10 ))))))))))
eponymous
November 27th, 2012
12:12 am
Tech vs Kent State in the Orange Bowl!
eponymous
November 27th, 2012
12:13 am
advertising will be at a premium for that one.
A-Ville Ranger
November 27th, 2012
1:30 am
WOW…So we’ll either play for a national title or draw the 5th best bowl among SEC teams…DAMN.
UGAfan4life
November 27th, 2012
1:44 am
For those wondering, GT fans are the most jealous football fans at any level (youth to pro) of their rival. GT wishes that it had the football program UGA has. Richt is 11-1 vs GT says it all. GT has not been football relevant since 1990, so stick with what you choke at like basketball and baseball.
Now, the loser of the SECCG SHOULD go to the Sugar Bowl. Clemson and Florida should play in the Chick-fil-a as both ended up the same having similar records and failing to appear in the conference championship game. GO DAWGS!
Confused SEC Fan
November 27th, 2012
2:23 am
Why shouldn’t the CG loser be dropped from BCS bowls? If you’ve earned the right to go to the title game, being plummeted to who-knows-where is not right.
That makes as much sense as how Alabama got into the NCG last year & not even play for the SEC title.
& for those of y’all complaining about “Georgia didn’t play anybody”, remember this: NOBODY knew who was going to finish where @ the end of the season, so this whole “___ beat a top 10 team” talk is nothing but pure luck. These schedules were made last year (or earlier), so you play what you’re given. BTW, Arkansas was #10 PRESEASON!
&, for you people whining that UGA didn’t play anybody this year, blame the SEC’s expansion to include TA&M & Missouri (who happened to replace Alabama on this year’s schedule).
Some more to digest is Alabama will NOT be playing UGA/UF/USC in 2012 NOR 2013. So, who got the easier cross-conference schedule?
1 last thing about UGA’s schedule: it was thrown in their face all season long! “You win the SEC East, you did it because of your schedule. You don’t win the SEC East, you SHOULD HAVE because of your schedule.”
MH18
November 27th, 2012
4:24 am
I love the Dawgs but Saturdays going to be tough. We are even or a little better than the Tide everywhere but the OL & DL and that’s probably going to punch their “Bama’s” ticket to Miami. Remember 2008? That’s the blue print Uncle Nicks going to use. Jump on the Dawgs early, get a lead. Then use both sides of the lines to lean on the UGA chair” that’s had one leg taken out” until the chair collapses. UGA has to weather the storm early, do that & we ruin ESPN’s day and are Miami bound. If not? Tide rolls 38-13.
dawgdip
November 27th, 2012
5:43 am
GT Bob Again nothing about Tech in this article and yet we see more of your stupid comments. By the way UGA will not need a waiver to play in a bowl. LOL
jim
November 27th, 2012
6:05 am
gtbob loves football, this is the only place he can be heard.
Armchair Observer
November 27th, 2012
6:13 am
What is the difference between Frosted Flakes and Ga. Tech? Frosted Flakes belongs in a bowl!
Jim
November 27th, 2012
6:28 am
Florida did not win the division why should they go to the Sugar Bowl if they did not make it to the SEC championship game? If GA wins you do not think that the Sugar Bowl would not want them? You do not think they would hate to go to either of the Florida Bowls?
Jim
November 27th, 2012
6:40 am
Oops! If Georgia do you not think the Sugar Bowl would not want Alabama?
SimDog
November 27th, 2012
6:55 am
The SEC should order the Sugar Bowl to take the losing team—florida should go to a minor bowl since they lost to GA!
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November 27th, 2012
7:00 am
[...] Atlanta, the loser of the SEC championship game between Alabama and Georgia could really take a tumble in the bowl race, possibly falling out of [...]
SuperB
November 27th, 2012
7:19 am
Relegating the loser of the title game to the Chick-fil-A (Georgia) or Cotton (Bama) is asinine. Letting the also-rans like A & M or Florida go to bigger bowls is ridiculous. Saban is correct.
Say Whut
November 27th, 2012
7:22 am
If Georgia loses in the Dome Saturday, I am sure Dawg fans will be clamoring to return there in 3 weeks for a consolation bowl.
SuperB
November 27th, 2012
7:28 am
If the Sugar invites also-ran Florida, who lost to Georgia– and if the Capital One invites Texas A & M, then Aabama and Georgia should make a pact: Don’t go to either of those bowls the next time they have a choice. I am sure others would love to have either team.
Also, remember the Sugar invited Virginia Tech last year?
Say Whut
November 27th, 2012
7:37 am
I am tired of the shameless politicking of former Florida QB Jesse Palmer, who keeps pointing out on ESPN that Florida only lost to Georgia because “they turned it over six times.” Apparently this “journalist” thinks Georgia didn’t have anything to do with those turnovers. Palmer also overlooks Florida’s dismal performances vs. La-Lafayette and Jacksonville State just before the FSU game.
Fla. got a break in that game too, with 11 minutes left. The helmet-to-helmet hit on E. J. Manuel was missed by the referees, as well as the announcers. It turned the game, which FSU led at the time, 20-16.
Palmer has been hanging out too long with ND/OSU/South Carolina cheerleader Lou Holtz.
JEFF
November 27th, 2012
8:25 am
Irish will take the big trophy home
So all you people worried don’t be
The Masked Superstar
November 27th, 2012
8:37 am
Define ironic – An 11-2 Georgia Team shut out of a BCS Bowl; while a 7-6 Tech Team gets a BCS Bowl… CRAZY!