SEC Bowl game ranking: Which draw is the most intriguing?
The selection of every college football bowl game has been announced, and Auburn football is set to face off with the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, Dec. 30 at the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee.
The matchup will be interesting, as Auburn’s secondary will be tested by Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa’s arm. The younger brother of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has thrown for over 3,000 yards this season, which will keep the likes of Jaylin Simpson, Nehemiah Pritchett, and Zion Puckett busy.
How interesting is Auburn’s bowl draw compared to the rest of the SEC? The conference will be represented by nine teams this bowl season, with every game appearing to be interesting in its unique way.
Here’s a look at each bowl game featuring an SEC team, ranked from least intriguing to most intriguing.
Citrus Bowl: Tennessee vs. Iowa (Jan. 1- Orlando)
This has nothing to do with Tennessee, and everything to do with Iowa. The Hawkeyes have the worst offense in the Big Ten Conference with an average output of 240 yards per contest, a whopping 48 yards less than the team ahead of them. Tennessee posts 453 yards of offense per game, which should allow them to blow Iowa out of the stadium.
For more Citrus Bowl coverage, visit Vols Wire and Hawkeyes Wire.
Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State (Dec. 27- Houston)
The Aggies have finally found their next head coach, and maybe spirits will be up for this game. It will be interesting to see how well Texas A&M’s SEC-leading defense handles Oklahoma State’s balanced attack. Unless the Aggies are struggling to find confidence from the beginning, I expect them to handle the Cowboys with ease.
For more Texas Bowl coverage, visit Aggies Wire.
Gator Bowl: Kentucky vs. Clemson (Dec. 29- Jacksonville)
All it took was for some guy named Tyler from Spartanburg to salvage Clemson’s season. The Tigers are playing with all kinds of momentum following a disgruntled fan’s call to Dabo Swinney’s radio show, and I expect that to carry into the bowl game. Clemson has the ACC’s top defense, and Kentucky should struggle to score. I don’t expect there to be a blowout in this game, but Clemson should take full control early.
For more Gator Bowl coverage, visit Clemson Wire.
Music City Bowl: Auburn vs. Maryland (Dec. 30- Nashville)
Auburn will have more than a month to shake off the heartbreaking loss to Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Auburn’s secondary will get a workout as they will face Taulia Tagovailoa, who has thrown for over 3,300 yards this season. Expect a great game from Marcus Harris, Jaylin Simpson, and DJ James as Auburn rolls to victory.
Reliaquest Bowl: LSU vs. Wisconsin (Jan. 1- Tampa)
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels is the current favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and the Reliaquest Bowl will be his first appearance following the ceremony. Watching him play after potentially winning the Heisman will be exciting, which will make the game worth watching.
For more Reliaquest Bowl coverage, visit LSU Tigers Wire.
Peach Bowl: Ole Miss vs. Penn State (Dec. 30- Atlanta)
If you love offense, then you will love the Peach Bowl. Ole Miss and Penn State rank No. 3 in their respective conference when it comes to offense, and should put on quite a show. The only difference will be defense, where Penn State has the advantage. The Nittany Lions allow just 223 yards per game, which leads the Big Ten. How will Jaxson Dart, Quinshon Judkins, and the rest of the Rebel offense respond?
For more Peach Bowl coverage, visit Nittany Lions Wire.
Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs. Ohio State (Dec. 29- Dallas)
This game is intriguing because it features Missouri, who has won 10 games for the first time under head coach Eli Drinkwitz. Missouri has proven itself over and over again this season and has one more opportunity to do it again against an Ohio State team that was one win away from earning a College Football Playoff bid. Do the Tigers have another big win in them?
For more Cotton Bowl coverage, visit Buckeyes Wire.
Orange Bowl: Georgia vs. Florida State
This will be a fun game to watch due to the disappointment that both teams are feeling following the College Football Playoff field announcement. Georgia lost its bid to compete for a third-straight national championship last Saturday by losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Florida State, however, won all of its games and earned the ACC championship but still got left out of the race. Expect two hungry teams to compete in the Orange Bowl to show their disgust with the College Football Playoff committee.
For more Orange Bowl coverage, visit UGA Wire.
Rose Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan (Jan. 1- Pasadena)
Ok, Alabama, you have your playoff bid. Now, what will you do with it? That is the question that every college football fan is itching to find out after the Crimson Tide pulled off an upset win in the SEC Championship Game and leaped over Florida State for the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff. Is Michigan strong enough to stop the Crimson Tide? Or is Alabama catching heat at the right time?
For more Rose Bowl coverage, visit Roll Tide Wire and Wolverines Wire.
