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Wes Mitchell
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Sunday 4:20 p.m. update:
I'd say the consensus is now that the Gamecocks will be in the Belk Bowl vs. Virginia. Virginia has now officially been announced for that game.
I'm hearing that the Gator is definitely going to be Texas A&M vs. N.C. State. This update says Auburn vs. Purdue at the Music City Bowl.
Sunday afternoon update:
There’s some late chatter that the Music City Bowl is now in play as well. WatchStadium’s Brett McMurphy is now projecting Carolina to that game as well. If it’s there, then it looks like Purdue would be Carolina’s opponent. If it ends up being the Belk Bowl, then UVA still appears most likely.
I get the impression either of the two is now more likely than the Gator.
If you had asked me Saturday, I would have said it was near a lock for it to be the Belk Bowl but the talk is that taking Mizzou in Charlotte and Carolina in Nashville will be better for hotels in both cities.
Again, it’s just all been very fluid to track since the league office ultimately makes the decision.
We should know for sure in the next couple hours.
Friday afternoon update:
While there still won't be a final resolution until Sunday afternoon, the feeling from several people that Chris Clark and I have talked to today is that the Belk Bowl is South Carolina's most likely destination with Texas A&M likely headed to the Gator Bowl, Mississippi State to the Outback Bowl, and Kentucky to the Citrus.
As much as we've talked about the Gator being high on Carolina, I'm also told that the Belk Bowl is very high on the Gamecocks too.
I don't expect much more movement here until Sunday when calls are made to make it official, but that's where it is right now.
Thursday morning update:
Bowls are still jockeying back and forth and the Florida bowls have been particularly fluid with regards to the SEC. Yesterday it seemed very likely that Texas A&M was headed to the Gator Bowl, but the Outback Bowl is high on the Aggies and may get their way in taking A&M over Mississippi State. Again it's ultimately the SEC's call, but there's some talk out of College Station that the Aggies might be headed to the Outback now (they're definitely going to one or the other).
If Texas A&M to the Outback is true, then obviously that opens up the Gator Bowl for the Gamecocks again and as I've said for some time, the Gator would love to have the Gamecocks.
Hopefully the movement slows down a bit in the next 48 hours or so and we can get a true final picture of what is going to happen, but that's where I have it right now.
Consensus seems to be that Kentucky is going to the Citrus and I think Missouri to one of the Tennessee bowls (Music City or Liberty).
Will post more as I get it.
Wednesday night update:
Looks like Mississippi State is headed to the Outback, which drops Texas A&M to being available for the Gator Bowl. I think that's the likely pick there now.
Seems like Belk Bowl versus Virginia is the most likely scenario now, but it's still a fluid situation.
I'll post more if I hear it.
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Original update: As I mentioned earlier this week and last year during the bowl lead-in, the Taxslayer Gator Bowl has wanted South Carolina for the last two seasons and appeared to be lock to get their wish this year until Texas A&M's 7-overtime upset over LSU on Saturday.
As a reminder, the Gator Bowl is part of the SEC-affiliated bowls in the tier that the conference office selects each representative in consultation with the schools and bowls.
The Gator Bowl and the conferences met last night via conference call and right now the bowl still wants South Carolina but the conference is leaning towards putting Missouri there. Whether the push from the bowl is enough to change the conference's mind will determine where the Gamecocks are playing this postseason.
The thought process from the Gator Bowl is that it's the South Carolina fan base that offers it the best opportunity to sell out its 52,000 tickets to the game, whereas Missouri probably doesn't bring near as many people as Carolina. The Tigers do have one more win than Carolina, but the Gamecocks hold the head-to-head advantage, though frankly that's all irrelevant - it all comes down to tickets sold here.
In a perfect world, the Gator Bowl would match South Carolina with North Carolina State - their preferred choice from the ACC - though the Camping World Bowl has the first choice among ACC schools (with the Gator in the next tier) and will first choose between the Pack and Syracuse.
If the Gator doesn't get its way, then South Carolina is likely headed to the Belk Bowl in Charlotte where it appears Virginia is the favorite as the ACC selection.
WatchStadium.com's Brett McMurphy, who I think has done a good a job as anyone in the country over the years at projecting bowls, currently has South Carolina vs. Virginia in the Belk Bowl.
I suppose the Music City Bowl and Liberty Bowl are still technically in play as well.
The bowls will officially make their selections/find out who was selected for them early Sunday afternoon after the CFP and New Year's Six selections.
USC plans to have its bowl press conference at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
BELK BOWL - Dec. 29 - 12 p.m. - Charlotte, N.C.
TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL - Dec. 31 - 7:30 p.m. - Jacksonville, Fla.
I'd say the consensus is now that the Gamecocks will be in the Belk Bowl vs. Virginia. Virginia has now officially been announced for that game.
I'm hearing that the Gator is definitely going to be Texas A&M vs. N.C. State. This update says Auburn vs. Purdue at the Music City Bowl.
Sunday afternoon update:
There’s some late chatter that the Music City Bowl is now in play as well. WatchStadium’s Brett McMurphy is now projecting Carolina to that game as well. If it’s there, then it looks like Purdue would be Carolina’s opponent. If it ends up being the Belk Bowl, then UVA still appears most likely.
I get the impression either of the two is now more likely than the Gator.
If you had asked me Saturday, I would have said it was near a lock for it to be the Belk Bowl but the talk is that taking Mizzou in Charlotte and Carolina in Nashville will be better for hotels in both cities.
Again, it’s just all been very fluid to track since the league office ultimately makes the decision.
We should know for sure in the next couple hours.
Friday afternoon update:
While there still won't be a final resolution until Sunday afternoon, the feeling from several people that Chris Clark and I have talked to today is that the Belk Bowl is South Carolina's most likely destination with Texas A&M likely headed to the Gator Bowl, Mississippi State to the Outback Bowl, and Kentucky to the Citrus.
As much as we've talked about the Gator being high on Carolina, I'm also told that the Belk Bowl is very high on the Gamecocks too.
I don't expect much more movement here until Sunday when calls are made to make it official, but that's where it is right now.
Thursday morning update:
Bowls are still jockeying back and forth and the Florida bowls have been particularly fluid with regards to the SEC. Yesterday it seemed very likely that Texas A&M was headed to the Gator Bowl, but the Outback Bowl is high on the Aggies and may get their way in taking A&M over Mississippi State. Again it's ultimately the SEC's call, but there's some talk out of College Station that the Aggies might be headed to the Outback now (they're definitely going to one or the other).
If Texas A&M to the Outback is true, then obviously that opens up the Gator Bowl for the Gamecocks again and as I've said for some time, the Gator would love to have the Gamecocks.
Hopefully the movement slows down a bit in the next 48 hours or so and we can get a true final picture of what is going to happen, but that's where I have it right now.
Consensus seems to be that Kentucky is going to the Citrus and I think Missouri to one of the Tennessee bowls (Music City or Liberty).
Will post more as I get it.
Wednesday night update:
Looks like Mississippi State is headed to the Outback, which drops Texas A&M to being available for the Gator Bowl. I think that's the likely pick there now.
Seems like Belk Bowl versus Virginia is the most likely scenario now, but it's still a fluid situation.
I'll post more if I hear it.
----------
Original update: As I mentioned earlier this week and last year during the bowl lead-in, the Taxslayer Gator Bowl has wanted South Carolina for the last two seasons and appeared to be lock to get their wish this year until Texas A&M's 7-overtime upset over LSU on Saturday.
As a reminder, the Gator Bowl is part of the SEC-affiliated bowls in the tier that the conference office selects each representative in consultation with the schools and bowls.
The Gator Bowl and the conferences met last night via conference call and right now the bowl still wants South Carolina but the conference is leaning towards putting Missouri there. Whether the push from the bowl is enough to change the conference's mind will determine where the Gamecocks are playing this postseason.
The thought process from the Gator Bowl is that it's the South Carolina fan base that offers it the best opportunity to sell out its 52,000 tickets to the game, whereas Missouri probably doesn't bring near as many people as Carolina. The Tigers do have one more win than Carolina, but the Gamecocks hold the head-to-head advantage, though frankly that's all irrelevant - it all comes down to tickets sold here.
In a perfect world, the Gator Bowl would match South Carolina with North Carolina State - their preferred choice from the ACC - though the Camping World Bowl has the first choice among ACC schools (with the Gator in the next tier) and will first choose between the Pack and Syracuse.
If the Gator doesn't get its way, then South Carolina is likely headed to the Belk Bowl in Charlotte where it appears Virginia is the favorite as the ACC selection.
WatchStadium.com's Brett McMurphy, who I think has done a good a job as anyone in the country over the years at projecting bowls, currently has South Carolina vs. Virginia in the Belk Bowl.
I suppose the Music City Bowl and Liberty Bowl are still technically in play as well.
The bowls will officially make their selections/find out who was selected for them early Sunday afternoon after the CFP and New Year's Six selections.
USC plans to have its bowl press conference at 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
BELK BOWL - Dec. 29 - 12 p.m. - Charlotte, N.C.
TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL - Dec. 31 - 7:30 p.m. - Jacksonville, Fla.
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