Dec 30, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; A general view of LP field during the first half between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the LSU Tigers. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Pre-New Year’s Day Bowl Games
Texas Bowl: Arkansas Razorbacks vs. West Virginia Mountaineers
Right now, our projections would technically have the Arkansas Razorbacks losing to three of their final four games. But the way they are playing hints that they will steal a game, likely against Mississippi State at home. As a result, they will get to 6-6, enough to go bowling. They will return to the Texas Bowl, a locational advantage. Texas Tech would be the ideal opponent, but to avoid rematches, the West Virginia Mountaineers will be coming to town. It would be another power team against an Air Raid.
Birmingham Bowl: Auburn Tigers vs. Houston Cougars
Home games against Idaho and Georgia are just enough to project that the Auburn Tigers will squeak their way to 6-6. That will be enough to be bowl-eligible, and as far as low-rung SEC bowl games go, the Birmingham Bowl is obviously perfect for this mediocre team in Alabama. Meanwhile, once Memphis becomes the only Group of Five team in the New Year’s Six, the AAC will have to fall back, knocking the Houston Cougars, projected to lose to the Tigers, here. Auburn vs. Houston would be interesting to watch, though.
Music City Bowl: Kentucky Wildcats vs. Duke Blue
Our model projects the Kentucky Wildcats out at winning seven games to finish 7-5. With the Birmingham Bowl perfect locationally for Auburn and the Texas Bowl perfect for Arkansas, Nashville is obviously a perfect spot for a team from the Bluegrass State. It’s not a long travel, and they would belong. Meanwhile, the Duke Blue Devils on the other side are having a strong season so far but are projected to finish at 8-4, and that will knock them down to here. Being from a border state, it’s a perfect spot for both teams.
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Belk Bowl: Georgia Bulldogs vs. North Carolina Tar Heels
A little bit of a step up from the Music City Bowl, the Georgia Bulldogs will return to their stomping grounds from the previous year after they finish 8-4, which our projections have them doing. Meanwhile, the North Carolina Tar Heels are projected to finish 11-1 but then lose the ACC Championship, which will make them 11-2 but below Clemson and Florida State in desirability. That pushes them down to here since only one ACC team will make the New Year’s Six. But at least they would be playing in their backyard.
Next: New Year's Day and Beyond