Vassallo: Rebels High on Citrus Bowl List

Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, courtesy

HottyToddy.com visited earlier this week with Matt Repchak, senior director of Marketing and Media for Florida Citrus Sports, managing organization of the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.

Following is a synopsis from our conversation:

HottyToddy.com: Matt, thank you for taking the time to talk with us. How soon will the Florida Citrus Sports Selection Committee be concluding the evaluation process?

Matt Repchak: This Sunday afternoon we will be holding a large committee meeting to talk through possible bowl scenarios. Regarding the SEC’s entry, currently there are as many as six teams under major consideration, though that number could drop to four after this coming weekend.

HottyToddy.com: How does a 9-3 Ole Miss team factor in?

Matt Repchak: One possible scenario is that a 9-3 Ole Miss team could receive an invitation to the Sugar Bowl as the highest-ranked SEC team outside of Alabama. That’s only a possibility if Florida should lose this weekend to Florida State. If Florida stays above Ole Miss in the polls, the Rebels could be the highest-ranked team available for the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl. Other SEC teams under consideration include anyone with a chance at finishing with three or fewer losses: LSU, Texas A&M, Mississippi State and also Georgia are all possibilities.

Matt Repchak, courtesy

HottyToddy.com: What are some of the other criteria that you consider?

Matt Repchak: We look not only at the rankings, but also at the head to head play, fan excitement, the matchup possibilities and many other factors. We are fortunate to have a year of experience now following the first College Football Playoff selection process.

HottyToddy.com: Does a team that has previously not been to the Citrus have an edge?

Matt Repchak: In addition to Ole Miss, neither Texas A&M nor Mississippi State have been to the Citrus Bowl previously. This does have an appeal in that the fan bases would be energized in coming to a new venue. The fact that Ole Miss is opening the season here in 2016 (Orlando) will also be part of the conversation.

HottyToddy.com: It is our understanding that the committee checked us out earlier in the season.

Matt Repchak: We had a group of staff and sponsors attend the Texas A&M game in Oxford. They were very impressed with the game day atmosphere combined with the large and tradition rich fan base. It was an impressive experience.

HottyToddy.com: What about the SEC’s opponent in the Citrus?

Matt Repchak: This will be a Big Ten team. The Michigan State upset of Ohio State this past Saturday shook up the process a little. Iowa and Northwestern are possibilities along with one half of Saturday’s Ohio State-Michigan game.

HottyToddy.com: The ultimate decision comes down to what authority?

Matt Repchak: The committee consists of about 200 people and at times the discussion can be quite passionate, but they always come to a consensus. The committee will review the entire résumé of each team and pair two teams to make the best available matchup for our local audience, our visitors traveling from out of town and our national television audience.

It would be wonderful for Ole Miss fans to travel to Orlando for the Citrus and familiarize themselves with the stadium for the return trip Labor Day weekend. On the other hand, a Sugar Bowl invitation would also be exciting, but in either scenario, retaining the Egg Bowl trophy is paramount for each consideration.

An 8-4 Ole Miss team will be resigned to accept something less although most SEC teams would love to be in the position Ole Miss finds itself.

Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.

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