All for Tennessee
Fansided

All for Tennessee Official SEC, New Year’s Six, and College Football Playoff Bowl Projections Following Week 13 of the Season

By Caleb Calhoun

Nov 26, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers receiver Josh Malone (3) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 26, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Volunteers receiver Josh Malone (3) celebrates after a touchdown reception during the first half against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Vanderbilt Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 9
Next
Jan 1, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; The newly renovated Florida Citrus Bowl during the 2015 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Missouri wins 33-17 over Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; The newly renovated Florida Citrus Bowl during the 2015 Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. Missouri wins 33-17 over Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports /

New Year’s Day Bowl Projections

TaxSlayer Bowl: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.; EverBank Field; Jacksonville, Fla.

Texas A&M Aggies vs Virginia Tech Hokies

Now we’re down to the teams that are the best four-loss SEC teams, starting with the Texas A&M Aggies. Kevin Sumlin’s team has collapsed at the end of the year without Trevor Knight at quarterback, and it’s fallen to fifth in the SEC as a result. That will be enough to get this team to the TaxSlayer Bowl. And they will have an exciting match-up in the process, especially if Knight is able to return.

Since the Virginia Tech Hokies are going to be a better team than any Big Ten team eligible here, they’ll get the nod, which is why the Big Ten team will be heading to the Music City Bowl. That will make this game a match-up of offensive wits between Sumlin and Justin Fuente. And if Knight is healthy, its a battle between two great quarterbacks in him and Jerod Evans. So this would definitely be exciting.

Citrus Bowl: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 11 a.m.; Camping World Stadium; Orlando, Fla.

Florida Gators vs Penn State Nittany Lions

Well, the Florida Gators have moved up in our bowl projections thanks to the Tennessee Vols losing. At 8-3, they still have a chance at a New Year’s Six game. But once the Alabama Crimson Tide blow them out of the waters this weekend, they’ll fall back into the rest of the SEC pack. And they will not have the resume to get the automatic Sugar Bowl bid that other four-loss SEC teams will have, so they’re out.

As a result, Gators will go to the Citrus Bowl and face a team currently in the College Football Playoff hunt. The Penn State Nittany Lions have a strong case to make if they win this weekend, but we project that they won’t. That will send James Franklin’s team to 10-3 on the year and knock them out of a New Year’s Six game. And it will give them a chance to blow out this Florida team in Orlando.

Outback Bowl: Monday, Jan. 2 at 1 p.m.; Raymond James Stadium; Tampa, Fla.

LSU Tigers vs Nebraska Cornhuskers

While Florida will be the top team out of the New Year’s Six, the LSU Tigers come in at a close No. 2. Their losses to the Auburn Tigers and the Gators obviously keep them behind those two. So new full-time head coach Ed Orgeron will lead his team to the Outback Bowl, where they’ll have a chance to give Orgeron a good starting point in his official head coaching career at LSU.

In our bowl projections, we have this defensive-oriented running team facing the offensive-minded Nebraska Cornhuskers under Mike Riley. It’s a buffoon against a genius. But the buffoon, Orgeron, has much more talent. So that makes this an exciting game to witness. Also, both programs’ fan bases fell they are on the rise now. This game could give one of the former powerhouses a leg up.

Home/Vols Football