Everyone is still hopeful that a miracle occurs and we end up in either the Sugar or Rose Bowl. However, being No. 10 after Week 11 is a long shot at best — but still possible.
Assuming the odds are correct and we end up “somewhere else,” here are several alternatives lingering:
I.The Vizio Fiesta, Goodyear Cotton and Chick-fil-A Peach are all taking at large teams depending upon national ranking. Two of these bowls are on New Year’s Eve with the Cotton on New Year’s Day.
II.The Capital One Orange Bowl (in Miami) could also have an SEC team, again depending upon ranking (12/31).
III. The next grouping of three include the following: The Outback in Tampa (1/1), the TaxSlayer in Jacksonville (1/2) and the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus in Orlando ((1/1).
IV. Following are these bowls: Duck Commander Independence (Shreveport) 12/27, AutoZone Liberty (Memphis) 12/29, AdvoCare (Houston) 12/29, Franklin American Mortgage Music City (Nashville) 12/30, Belk (Charlotte) 12/30 and the Birmingham Bowl (1/3).
Here are this the projections for Ole Miss by this speculator:
Scenario A — A 10-2 record places us in the SEC championship with a win going to the final four and to either New Orleans or Pasadena.
Scenario B — A 10-2 record places us in the SEC championship with a loss placing us in the Orange Bowl.
Scenario C — A 10-2 record (and not winning the west) places us in either the Fiesta, Cotton or Peach.
Scenario D — A 9-3 record places us in either the Outback, TaxSlayer or Citrus.
Scenario E — An 8-4 record places us in either the AdvoCare or Citrus.
The importance of the Arkansas game (a week from Saturday) cannot be discounted because with each victory, we move up the food chain. It would be a wonderful ending to a crazy season if these Rebels can win 10 games and possibly 1, 2 or even 3 more. Therefore, the speculation will continue until the bowls are all official. One projection earlier today had the Rebs in the Cotton versus Baylor and so the crystal ball continues to light up.
And let’s not forget the most important bowl of all for the Golden Egg!
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. In addition, he is a certified economic and community developer and currently, a highly successful leader in the real estate business with Premier Properties of Oxford. Steve’s lifelong dream has been to live in Oxford full-time. “I am now living my dream daily as is my wife Rosie, who works with the Oxford Chamber of Commerce,” Steve said. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
