SEC SHOULD EXPECT 8 BOWL TEAMS AT THE LEAST, 10 AT THE MOST

OK, so I was just explaining to you how all 12 SEC teams could become bowl eligible.

For kicks, let’s look at a more probable scenario: Alabama, Florida and Georgia win all the games they’re supposed to, and the SEC’s next best teams, LSU and South Carolina, win all the games they’re supposed to, which would eliminate Arkansas from becoming bowl eligible. Also, Auburn beats UT-Martin, Ole Miss beats La-Monroe, and Tennessee beats Wyoming. All likely occurrences. So taking all this into account, and assuming that LSU and South Carolina will become bowl eligible, the following would have to happen for each of the six remaining teams to become bowl eligible (adjusted records in parentheses):

• Kentucky (5-4): Beat either Miss State on the road, Vanderbilt at home or Tennessee on the road. One win away. The Cats can do it the easy way and win in Starkville; sound familiar?

• Vanderbilt (5-4): Beat either Kentucky on the road, Tennessee at home or Wake Forest on the road. The exact same situation as last year.

• Auburn (5-6): Beat Ole Miss on the road this Saturday. The Rebels should be a slight favorite in this one.

• Ole Miss (5-5): Beat Auburn or Miss State, both at home. Definitely do-able.

• Miss State (3-6): Beat Kentucky and Arkansas at home and Ole Miss on the road. Things don’t look good for the Bulldogs.

• Tennessee (4-6): Beat Vanderbilt on the road and Kentucky at home. I predict the Vols will win all or none.

Like I said, Arkansas and Miss State fans shouldn't plan on going bowling this season. But Kentucky, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt fans have a great chance. Auburn too if the Tigers can beat Ole Miss this weekend. The Vols have the hardest row to hoe. If I was a certain coach in Knoxville, I'd be hiring a certain coach in Durham as a freelance offensive consultant.

Two key games: If Ole Miss beats Auburn and Vanderbilt beats Tennessee, there will likely be only eight SEC teams going bowling — unless one of the league's top five teams goes down in an upset.