SEC Bowl Predictions Week 1: LSU eyes first-round bye

By Chris Marler

Not much shifted after just one week of play, but one major result shook up the bowl picture. Alabama’s blowout loss to Florida State dropped the Tide from playoff contention to pre-New Year’s Eve bowl projections.

LSU’s win at Clemson doesn’t create much change. The biggest question for LSU isn’t whether they make the CFP, it’s whether they get a first-round bye. 

Here are my bowl projections after Week 1.

College Football Playoff

First Round Byes 

2.Georgia
4. LSU

CFP Teams 

7. Texas
11. South Carolina

Bowl Games 

Gasparilla Bowl, Dec. 19, Tampa, Florida — American/ACC/SEC

Oklahoma vs Southern Miss

Gator Bowl, Dec. 27, Jacksonville, Florida — SEC vs. ACC

Alabama vs Georgia Tech

Texas Bowl, Dec. 25, Houston, Texas — SEC vs. Big 12

Texas A&M vs Texas Tech

Birmingham Bowl, Dec. 29, Birmingham, Ala. — SEC vs. ACC/American

Arkansas vs. NC State 

Music City Bowl, Dec. 30 Nashville, Tenn. — SEC vs. Big Ten

Florida vs Nebraska

ReliaQuest Bowl, Dec. 31, Tampa, Fla. — SEC vs. Big Ten

Ole Miss vs. Indiana 

Citrus Bowl, Dec. 31, Orlando, Fla. — SEC vs. Big Ten

Tennessee vs Michigan

Liberty Bowl, Jan. 2, Memphis, Tenn. — SEC vs. Big 12

Missouri vs Houston

Duke’s Mayo Bowl, Jan. 2, Charlotte, N.C. — SEC vs. ACC

Auburn vs North Carolina