It’ll hardly be the main incentive in Saturday’s game between rivals Georgia and Georgia Tech, but both teams’ bowl scenarios could be influenced by the outcome.
A Tech win would put the Yellow Jackets in good position to go to the Orange Bowl, even if they lose to Florida State in the ACC Championship game. And a Georgia win would put the Bulldogs in position to play in a high-tier bowl game, such as the upgraded Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, even though Missouri’s victory over Arkansas on Friday denied UGA a shot at the SEC championship.
The bowl selection process is different — and more complicated — this season because of the new four-team College Football Playoff and because some conferences, including the ACC and SEC, have taken more control over some bowl pairings. Bowl matchups will be set Dec. 7.
Heading into the Tech-Georgia regular-season finale, here’s a look at both teams’ bowl situations:
Georgia Tech
Tech’s simplest route to the Orange Bowl is to beat Florida State for the ACC championship, which carries an automatic Orange berth unless the league champion qualifies for the playoff. Tech is No. 16 in this week’s selection-committee rankings, which makes playoff scenarios far-fetched at this point.
Tech’s other route to the Orange Bowl is if Florida State wins the ACC championship, remains in the top four of the rankings (presumably also requiring a win over Florida on Saturday) and goes to one of the playoff semifinal bowls (Rose or Sugar). In that case, the next highest-ranked ACC team would go to the Orange Bowl. Tech currently is that team — ahead of No. 21 Clemson and No. 22 Louisville — and would almost certainly remain so if it defeats Georgia.
Losses to Georgia and Florida State could send Tech deeper into the ACC’s bowl lineup. And that is where things get complicated.
After the playoff and the Orange Bowl, Orlando’s Citrus (formerly Capital One) Bowl gets the next choice of ACC teams — if a Big Ten team is the ACC’s opponent in the Orange. Otherwise, the Citrus gets a Big Ten team. Then the Russell Athletic Bowl, also in Orlando, makes the next choice from the ACC.
After the playoff, Orange and Orlando bowls, Charlotte’s Belk, El Paso’s Sun, New York’s Pinstripe, Nashville’s Music City and Jacksonville’s TaxSlayer (formerly Gator) bowls will collaborate with the ACC in divvying up the league’s next four bowl teams. The Music City and TaxSlayer share a pick, each getting an ACC team three times in six years.
Georgia
Georgia’s hopes of landing a spot in the College Football Playoff despite two losses hinged on reaching — and winning — the SEC Championship game. With Missouri’s win Friday precluding that possibility, the No. 9 Bulldogs’ best bowl prospect is an invitation to one of the top-tier non-playoff bowls that also will be assigned by the playoff selection committee: the Orange, Peach, Fiesta and Cotton bowls.
A win over Tech would keep Georgia high enough in the rankings to be in position for one of those games.
Bowl contracts call for the highest-ranked non-champion from the SEC or Big Ten that isn’t picked for the playoff — or Notre Dame, if it is ranked higher — to go to the Orange as the ACC representative’s opponent. This raises the fascinating theoretical possibility of a Tech-Georgia rematch in the Orange if a lot of things fall a certain way.
After matchups are set for the playoffs and the Orange, Peach, Fiesta and Cotton bowls, the next choice among SEC teams would belong to the Citrus Bowl. A loss to Tech could send the Bulldogs there, or lower.
After the Citrus, the SEC has what it calls a “pool of six” bowls that have equal standing and will be assigned teams by the conference office: the Belk, Music City, TaxSlayer, Outback in Tampa, Liberty in Memphis and Texas in Houston.
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