SEC Bowl Predictions: How We See The Conference Holding up

Bowl season kicks off today, it's time to see how the SEC will hold up. We take a look at all of the conference's matchups and make our score predictions.

The College Football Bowl season kicks off today, as Buffalo takes on Charlotte in the Bahamas Bowl and Kent State and Utah State face off in the Frisco Bowl. 

9 of the 14 SEC teams are bowl eligible, with LSU continuing the annual tradition of at least one SEC team representing in the CFP.

Even though an SEC team does not take the field for another week, we felt the need to get these predictions off our chest. We will go in the order in which they will be played. 

Texas Bowl: Texas A&M vs Oklahoma St. 

(December 27th, 6:45 on ESPN)

The Aggies enter the contest with a (7-5) record with three losses to teams within the top-5 of the CFP rankings, and a loss at home to a then-undefeated, Tua led Alabama squad. As for Oklahoma State, they are in search of their 9th win on the season, for the 9th time in Mike Gundy's 15 year stint in Stillwater. The Cowboys had just seven such seasons in the 106 years of the program's history prior to Gundy.

Predictions: 

• Brooks Austin - (38-31) Ok St. 
• Blayne Gilmer - (28-17) TAMU
• Matt Klug - (34-28) TAMU
• Brent Wilson - (30-24) TAMU

Peach Bowl: LSU vs. Oklahoma 

(December 28th, 4:00 p.m. on ESPN)

Two high powered offenses fueled by transfer quarterbacks that can extend plays with their feet. Two wide receiving corps that make even a handful of NFL teams envious. In the 26 games these two teams have played this season, they've scored 50+ in 14 of them. 

Predictions: 

• Brooks Austin - (42-28) LSU
• Blayne Gilmer - (48-27) LSU
• Matt Klug - (44-31) LSU
• Brent Wilson - (38-31) LSU

Music City Bowl: Mississippi State vs. Louisville

(December 30th, 4:00 p.m. ET on ESPN)

In his first season taking over a (2-10) football team at the end of a sinking Bobby Petrino ship, Scott Satterfield has managed to bring the Cardinals to a (7-5) record. As for Mississippi State, after a fairly successful first season in Starkville, the Moorhead and company took a step back and enter (6-6). That'll happen when you have 5 starters drafted. 

Predictions: 

• Brooks Austin - (31-27) Louisville
• Blayne Gilmer - (35-24) Louisville
• Matt Klug - (31-28) Miss St. 
• Brent Wilson - (27-21) Louisville

QB, Kyle Trask

Orange Bowl: Florida vs. Virginia

(December 30th, 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN)

After back to back ten-win seasons in his first two years as a head coach, Dan Mullen, and his Florida Gators head into the Orange bowl as considerable favorites over a (9-4) Virginia team that just got trounced (62-17) in the ACC championship game. 

Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (38-21) Florida
• Blayne Gilmer - (38-14) Florida
• Matt Klug - (38-17) Florida
• Brent Wilson - (31-17) Florida

Belk Bowl: Kentucky vs. Virginia Tech

(December 31st, 12:00 p.m. ET on ESPN

Mark Stoops and the Kentucky Wildcats have made a bowl game for the 4th year in a row, something that's only been done one other time in program history, and that's despite losing their starting quarterback early in the season and essentially running the wildcat for most of the year. As for Virginia Tech, they haven't missed a bowl game since 1991. 

Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (31-24) Virginia Tech
• Blayne Gilmer - (31-27) Virginia Tech
• Matt Klug - (24-20) Virginia Tech
• Brent Wilson - (27-20) Virginia Tech

Outback Bowl: Auburn vs. Minnesota

(January 1st, 1:00 p.m. ET on ESPN)

P.J. Fleck has been the talk of college football at times this season and his squad will "Row the Boat" on down to Tampa, Florida, getting a nice warm break from that Minnesota winter. Auburn's last outing was a (45-42) win over Alabama, ending the Tide's CFP hopes. Their leader Derrick Brown has elected to do what most don't, and play in a "meaningless" bowl game. Try and tell that to him.

Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (42-35) Auburn
• Blayne Gilmer - (27-13) Auburn
• Matt Klug - (24-21) Auburn
• Brent Wilson - (21-10) Auburn

Citrus Bowl: Alabama vs. Michigan

(January 1st, 1:00 p.m. ET on ABC)

Two of college football's biggest brands. Two of college football's highest profiled coaches. The Citrus Bowl is a classic in terms of nostalgia. The series is tied up at two wins apiece, so the winner takes the series lead and enters the offseason with a bit of momentum headed into the final recruiting stretch. 

 Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (38-17) Alabama
• Blayne Gilmer - (41-24) Alabama
• Matt Klug - (38-20) Alabama
• Brent Wilson - (35-17) Alabama

Sugar Bowl: Georgia vs. Baylor 

(January 1st, 8:45 p.m. ET on ESPN)

While Georgia (11-2) is appearing in its second straight Sugar Bowl, this is Baylor’s (11-2) first appearance since 1957. Both teams are coming off losses in their respective conference championship matchups, but the games went a little differently. Baylor suffered a heartbreaking 30-23 overtime loss to Oklahoma while Georgia did not put up much of a fight against now #1 LSU, losing 37-10. For the second straight season, Georgia enters with several starters eyeing NFL futures. 

Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (28-17) Georgia
• Blayne Gilmer - (27-20) Georgia 
• Matt Klug - (24-14) Georgia
• Brent Wilson - (24-20) Georgia

Gator Bowl: Tennessee vs. Indiana

(January 2nd, 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN)

Jacksonville, Florida will get the chance to host another SEC team this year as the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Indiana Hoosiers. The Volunteers got off to a rough start, losing 4 of their first 5 games, including losses to Georgia State and BYU at home. They've now won their last 5 matchups. As for Indiana, all four of their losses have come from Top-25 teams including, Ohio State, Michigan State, Penn State, and Michigan. They've held their ground against the rest, which makes them a true threat to an unranked Tennessee, though Vegas' odds have the Volunteers listed as a 2-point favorite. 

Predictions:

• Brooks Austin - (27-18) Indiana
• Blayne Gilmer - (21-20) Tennessee
• Matt Klug - (30-24) Indiana
• Brent Wilson - (28-27) Indiana