UPDATE: Confirmed Bowl Game - UK to the TaxSlayer Bowl

[UKFBFAN]

One small thing abut the Belk Bowl is that UK's basketball game with Ole Miss is at 8 pm that night. Football game won't be quite over when the basketball game starts. Looks like both tuners of the DVR will be rolling that night.

I keep saying..."I have NO problem with this." I agree with OP, we all have DVRs.

[UKFBFAN]

The thing that bothers me is that the Conference Champion of what could be argued as the best conference right now will be left out of the playoffs. Add to that fact is the possibility is that if Penn State does become that champion, they will have beaten, on the field of play, the team (O$U) that supplants them in said playoffs.

Fair? Legit? I think not.

This is why I like the committee. They are bound to choose the "Best four teams." Head-to-head results only come into play if they are stumped as to who is the best.

[catfaninin]

The top four after last night are now:

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Washington

Michigan was 5th. Wisconsin is 6th and Penn State 7th. The highest Big 12 team is Colorado at 8th followed by Oklahoma and OK State. So its likely the Big 12 is left out again this year.

I think Alabama and Ohio State are in no matter what happens this weekend. If Clemson or Washington loses then it looks like Michigan will jump in there followed by either Wisc or Penn State. IMO the time has come to go to 8 teams.

Agree the top 2 are in. Would be curious what they do with Bama if Florida happens to beat them. You know they want to set it up for a title game of Bama-OSU. But if it stays as it is I think Clemson will ruin that plan.

[Matt Dillon]

LEXINGTON, Ky. — An Alabama win in the SEC Championship game would likely send Kentucky to the TaxSlayer Bowl, the bowl’s president told SEC Country Wednesday morning.
The Jacksonville-based bowl is considering four SEC schools — Kentucky, Florida, Auburn and Arkansas — but Kentucky is at the top of the list, barring an upset in Atlanta on Saturday. An Alabama win would most likely send Auburn to the Sugar Bowl as the Tigers already hold a better College Football Playoff ranking than Florida. That would most likely send the Gators to the Outback Bowl, TaxSlayer Bowl president Rick Catlett said.
“That scenario, if that would take place, Kentucky is the major contender for our bowl game,” Catlett said. “I think that would put Kentucky on the top of our list.”
Kentucky’s win over Louisville was “huge,” he said for the Wildcats to be considered for the TaxSlayer Bowl. The Independence Bowl or Birmingham Bowl seemed likely options for Kentucky before its rivalry win. All of a sudden Kentucky became an attractive option for Catlett’s committee.
“They haven’t been to a bowl game in a while and haven’t been to a bowl game to the stature of ours in a while,” he said. “Their fanbase is tremendous. That would make them very appealing to us.”

https://www.seccountry.com/kentucky/taxslayer-bowl-president-kentucky-is-the-major-contender-for-our-bowl-game

Roll Tide!

[KevinHall]

That means UK is going to the Gator Bowl. No way Florida is beating Alabama. It won't even be close.

[Matt Dillon]

That means UK is going to the Gator Bowl. No way Florida is beating Alabama. It won't even be close.

Exactly, Roll Tide!

[40bill]

That would be the biggest bowl UK has been to since the Outback. I know it's the same payout as the Music City......but a Florida Bowl with the history of the former Gator.
Wow.

[40bill]

I'm already a Tide fan unless they play Kentucky. Won't be hard to cheer them on against Florida.

[Westtncat]

I'm already a Tide fan unless they play Kentucky. Won't be hard to cheer them on against Florida.

same here. I love UK but I really appreciate how good Bama is. I guess being a UK fan its not hard to rootr for other teams as we dont really have a rivalry. Havent ever been good enough long enough to have one. Louisville I guess. I know all the Tennessee fans around me despise Bama.

[Westtncat]

Agree the top 2 are in. Would be curious what they do with Bama if Florida happens to beat them. You know they want to set it up for a title game of Bama-OSU. But if it stays as it is I think Clemson will ruin that plan.

What are they going to do with OSU is the better question. Penn St. has outside chance to get in the playoffs. They will be Big Ten champs and have a head to head win vs. OSU.

[KevinHall]

^ Ohio State is in. They are ranked 2nd now and not playing this week shouldn't fall.

[RV]

It's all relative. O$U is second because the committee 'ranked' them there. They can't win the Big 10 and they didn't even win their own division. What the committee is doing is devaluing conference wins and making it more likely that no decent Power 5 team will schedule any OOC team that could beat them which is the opposite of what should be happening. Imagine the OOC matchups if winning your own conference really mattered. We could see blockbuster matchups in the regular season but instead we will continue to get a steady diet of Power 5 teams vs directional college.

Who wants to bet the B1G doesn't hold up its rep in the bowls - as usual?

[Los Gatos]

Don't see how what Florida does will have any bearing on the TaxSlayer Bowl. If Florida were to win, they would go to the likely go to the Sugar bowl. Auburn would end up in the Citris or Outback. If they lose, Auburn to Sugar, Florida to Citrus or Outback. The TacSlayer is down to UK or Arkansas either way.

[Westtncat]

^ Ohio State is in. They are ranked 2nd now and not playing this week shouldn't fall.

They arent playing because they were not good enough to be playing. Thats the thing, they ARENT playing and Penn St. is playing. You might think this could sway voting. Another question is...why have conference championships in the first place? Think about it...the conference champs who also beat OSU prob. wont go to the playoffs. Too much opinon still sways the playoffs. Really need 8 teams instead of 4

[catfaninin]

They arent playing because they were not good enough to be playing. Thats the thing, they ARENT playing and Penn St. is playing. You might think this could sway voting. Another question is...why have conference championships in the first place? Think about it...the conference champs who also beat OSU prob. wont go to the playoffs. Too much opinon still sways the playoffs. Really need 8 teams instead of 4

I'm not saying its deserved but to answer the original question. OSU is at least the 2 seed, possibly 1 if Alabama were to lose. I agree they shouldn't be. I think they are greatly overrated. Lost to PSU and were outplayed by Michigan but dumb mistakes gave them the win. But it's all about name recognition, and more importantly $$$$$