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Overall, Week 1 was a disaster for the SEC with an overall 7-7 record, yet the consensus bowl projections aren’t that bad.
No. 1 Alabama destroyed No. 20 USC, and the bowl projections reflect that, putting them in the College Football Playoff.
Vanderbilt fell in a ugly way to South Carolina, while Mississippi State and Kentucky both lost to teams they really should have beat. They’re failings were also reflected in the projections: none of them are expected to be bowl eligible come December.
South Carolina did squeak out a victory over Vanderbilt, but it was anything but pretty, and neither ESPN nor CBS sees the Gamecocks making it past rivalry week.
Here are the consensus bowl projections after Week 1.
ALABAMA
CBS Sports: Peach Bowl* vs. Houston
ESPN: Peach Bowl* vs. Houston (Mark Schlabach); Peach Bowl* vs. Houston (Brett McMurphy)
SDS: Peach Bowl* vs. Ohio State
ARKANSAS
CBS Sports: Music City Bowl vs. Nebraska
ESPN: Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma State (Schlabach); Belk Bowl vs. Miami (McMurphy)
SDS: Birmingham Bowl vs. Navy
AUBURN
CBS Sports: Liberty Bowl vs. Texas
ESPN: Music City Bowl vs. Miami (Schlabach); Texas Bowl vs. TCU (McMurphy)
SDS: Texas Bowl vs. Texas
FLORIDA
CBS Sports: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. North Carolina
ESPN: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Nebraska (Schlabach); Outback Bowl vs. Nebraska (McMurphy)
SDS: TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Pitt
GEORGIA
CBS Sports: Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma
ESPN: Sugar Bowl vs. Oklahoma (Schlabach); Sugar Bowl vs. Texas (McMurphy)
SDS: Sugar Bowl vs. TCU
LSU
CBS Sports: Outback Bowl vs. Michigan
ESPN: Belk Bowl vs. North Carolina (Schlabach); TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Virginia Tech (McMurphy)
SDS: Liberty Bowl vs. West Virginia
MISSOURI
CBS Sports: Belk Bowl vs. Virginia Tech
SDS: Independence Bowl vs. Duke
OLE MISS
CBS Sports: Cotton Bowl vs. Iowa
ESPN: Outback Bowl vs. Michigan (Schlabach); Music City Bowl vs. Iowa (McMurphy)
SDS: Music City Bowl vs. Penn State
SOUTH CAROLINA
ESPN: Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor (Schlabach); Liberty Bowl vs. Baylor (McMurphy)
SDS: Belk Bowl vs. North Carolina
TENNESSEE
CBS Sports: Citrus Bowl vs. Michigan State
ESPN: Citrus Bowl vs. Iowa (Schlabach); Citrus Bowl vs. Wisconsin (McMurphy)
SDS: Citrus Bowl vs. Wisconsin
TEXAS A&M
CBS Sports: Texas Bowl vs. Baylor
ESPN: Cotton Bowl vs. Washington (Schlabach); Orange Bowl vs. Clemson (McMurphy)
SDS: Outback Bowl vs. Michigan
*Playoff semifinal
