Bowl season is in full swing. With the 2024 regular season and the first round of the College Football Playoffs over, it’s nothing but bowl games from here on out for the SEC teams still standing.
For the Alabama Crimson Tide (9-3 overall), that means a trip to Tampa, Fla., for this year’s ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl) on New Year’s Eve at Raymond James Stadium.
The Crimson Tide will face the Michigan Wolverines (7-5) in a rematch of last year’s CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, won by Michigan 27-20 in overtime.
True, Alabama was hoping to spend New Year’s at a quarterfinal site of the College Football Playoff instead of in Tampa, but some SEC teams weren’t even as fortunate as the Crimson Tide and didn’t make a bowl game at all. Auburn, Mississippi State, and Kentucky were the three conference members that didn’t get to six wins.
With SEC teams playing in bowl games from the Sunshine State to all the way out in Las Vegas, here’s a look at where every SEC team is spending bowl season from today through Jan. 2, 2025.
Teams are listed in accordance to kickoff times and dates.
Friday, Dec. 27 bowl games
Oklahoma Sooners bowl game
Oklahoma 2024 Record: 6-6
Bowl Game: Armed Forces Bowl
Opponent: Navy Midshipmen
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
When: 11 a.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Oklahoma kicks off Friday’s slate of bowl games involving SEC teams. The Sooners will be without quarterback Jackson Arnold, who transferred to Auburn after leading OU to a 6-6 season and, with a big helping hand from his defense, a shocking 24-3 win over Alabama that ultimately kept the Crimson Tide out of the playoffs.
Navy (9-3) was one of the feel-good stories of 2024 after beginning the year 6-0 and ranked in the Top 25. The Midshipmen closed the regular season with a 31-13 upset win over Army.
For coverage of the Oklahoma Sooners, head over to Sooners Wire.
Vanderbilt Commodores bowl game
Vanderbilt 2024 Record: 6-6
Bowl Game: Birmingham Bowl
Opponent: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Where: Protective Stadium (Birmingham)
When: 2:30 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
The Diego Pavia experience for 2024 wraps up with the senior quarterback playing in a somewhat fitting location. After leading Vanderbilt to wins against both Alabama and Auburn this season, Pavia finishes his season in a state he owned in 2024.
Vanderbilt has a chance to record its first winning season since 2013 when they take on a Georgia Tech program that looks to be on the rise. Led by former Nick Saban assistant Brent Key, the Yellow Jackets went 7-5 in the regular season with an upset win over the Miami Hurricanes and a near stunning upset of rival Georgia — a game that took eight overtimes for the Bulldogs to eventually win.
Georgia Tech’s 2025 recruiting class is promising, and they recently flipped Clemson commitment Tae Harris, a four-star safety.
Arkansas Razorbacks bowl game
Arkansas 2024 Record: 6-6
Bowl Game: Liberty Bowl
Opponent: Texas Tech Red Raiders
Where: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis)
When: 6 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Arkansas was a fun team to watch at times this season and scored a big upset of Tennessee along the way. Sam Pittman also led the Razorbacks to their second straight win at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. Against some pretty steep odds, Pittman will return for a sixth season in Fayetteville in 2025.
Joey McGuire led Texas Tech to an 8-4 season and wins over both Big 12 champion Arizona State and runner-up Iowa State. The Red Raiders were the only team to beat both the Sun Devils and Cyclones this season.
Texas A&M Aggies bowl game
Texas A&M 2024 Record: 8-4
Bowl Game: Las Vegas Bowl
Opponent: USC Trojans
Where: Allegiant Stadium (Paradise, Nev.)
When: 9:30 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
USC is back in Vegas after defeating one SEC team there already this season. Too bad for Lincoln Riley that 19 of the players on his roster from that season-opening win over the Bengal Tigers have hit the transfer portal, including quarterback Miller Moss.
Like everyone else, Texas A&M has also lost some players to the portal. One of those is offensive lineman Kam Newberry, who committed to Alabama on Dec. 21. Quarterback Conner Weigman also left (for the Houston Cougars) after beginning the year as the Aggies’ starter before Marcel Reed took over.
For coverage of the Texas A&M Aggies, head over to Aggies Wire.
Monday, Dec. 30
Missouri Tigers bowl game
Missouri 2024 Record: 9-3
Bowl Game: Music City Bowl
Opponent: Iowa Hawkeyes
Where: Nissan Stadium (Nashville)
When: 1:30 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
This should be one of the better games in bowl season. Missouri feels like the forgotten 9-3 SEC team. That’s because the Tigers weren’t in the playoff hunt after blowout losses to Alabama and Texas A&M, and a heartbreaking 34-30 loss to South Carolina in the final seconds.
Iowa is Iowa, which means they still win games their own way. To an outsider, it is not without a certain degree of charm. The Hawkeyes closed the regular season by winning four of their last five games, and a close call here and there would have had Kirk Ferentz playing for a ninth 10-win season under him. Instead, they’ll try to win one of the better SEC vs. Big Ten matchups in this year’s bowl cycle.
New Year’s Eve
Alabama Crimson Tide bowl game
Alabama 2024 Record: 9-3
Bowl Game: ReliaQuest Bowl
Opponent: Michigan Wolverines
Where: Raymond James Stadium (Tampa)
When: 11 a.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Neither Alabama or Michigan wanted to be in this game when the season began. The Wolverines are coming off their first national championship season since 1997 after going 15-0 while the Crimson Tide had hopes of reaching the 12-team playoff — right up until Dabo Swinney and Clemson stuck it to Alabama again. Nevertheless, this is far from the worst bowl game that first-year coach Kalen DeBoer could have guided Alabama to.
On paper, the matchup favors the Crimson Tide, who largely avoided the opt-out bug for the second time in three years. Big games from Jalen Milroe and Jihaad Campbell could go a long way in those players deciding whether to return for their senior season or declare for the NFL Draft. Michigan will be without three players who have already declared for the draft: cornerback Will Johnson, tight end Colston Loveland and defensive tackle Mason Graham.
For coverage of the Michigan Wolverines, head over to Wolverines Wire.
South Carolina Gamecocks bowl game
South Carolina 2024 Record: 9-3
Bowl Game: Citrus Bowl
Opponent: Illinois Fighting Illini
Where: Camping World Stadium (Orlando)
When: 2 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ABC
The Gamecocks have found a gem in LaNorris Sellers, and now they’ve found their next play-caller in former Alabama football coach Mike Shula. It’s unclear yet whether Shula, who spent 2024 as an assistant coach, will call the plays for South Carolina in its Citrus Bowl matchup against Illinois. Coach Shane Beamer said the Gamecocks were still “working through” a decision.
RELATED: Guess who? Former Alabama football head coach is new offensive coordinator at SEC school
South Carolina is a double-digit favorite going into their matchup with Bret Bielema’s Illini, which got to 9-3 with wins over Nebraska and Michigan, plus three straight victories to end the regular season.
LSU Tigers bowl game
LSU 2024 Record: 8-4
Bowl Game: Texas Bowl
Opponent: Baylor Bears
Where: NRG Stadium (Houston)
When: 2:30 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
For nostalgia, I still think this game should be called the Bluebonnet Bowl on an annual basis. In any event, LSU was the opposite of South Carolina in terms of closing the regular season. The Tigers were 6-1 with six straight wins before falling at Texas A&M, then got taken to the woodshed by Alabama in Baton Rouge.
Awaiting the Tigers is a Baylor team and coach that many left for dead after a 1-4 start. Dave Aranda’s Bears closed the regular season with six straight wins, including a lopsided victory over Texas Tech and a 45-17 blowout win over Kansas. Both Aranda and LSU’s Brian Kelly could use a win in this game.
For coverage of the LSU Tigers, head over to LSU Tigers Wire.
New Year’s Day
Texas Longhorns bowl game
Texas 2024 Record: 11-2
Bowl Game: Peach Bowl
Opponent: Arizona State Sun Devils
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
When: Jan. 1, 11 a.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Is Arizona State playing with house money by taking advantage of a weak Big 12 without Texas? This sure looks like the Longhorns’ game to lose after they defeated Clemson in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. With a win in Atlanta, Texas would face the Ohio State-Oregon Rose Bowl winner in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
For coverage of the Texas Longhorns, head over to Longhorns Wire.
Georgia Bulldogs bowl game
Georgia 2024 Record: 11-2
Bowl Game: Sugar Bowl (CFP Quarterfinals)
Opponent: Notre Dame
Where: Superdome (New Orleans)
When: Jan. 1, 2025, 7:45 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Despite a 41-34 loss to Alabama and a rather flukish blowout loss at Ole Miss, Georgia is still standing and heads to New Orleans after a 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the SEC Championship Game.
Awaiting the Dawgs is a Notre Dame team that opened the playoffs with an impressive win over Indiana. Georgia will be without starting quarterback Carson Beck. Their national championship hopes ride on backup Gunner Stockton and an elite run defense.
The winner of this game will play the Fiesta Bowl winner between Penn State and Boise State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9.
For coverage of the Georgia Bulldogs, head over to UGA Wire.
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025
Ole Miss Rebels bowl game
Ole Miss 2024 Record: 9-3
Bowl Game: Gator Bowl
Opponent: Duke Blue Devils
Where: EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville)
When: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV Channel: ESPN
Ole Miss closes the traditional New Year’s bowl game window with a matchup that’s a letdown for a Rebels team that went all-in on the transfer portal and NIL. All the same, Lane Kiffin is trying to get the Rebels to their third 10-win season in four years.
For only the second time in program history, Duke is also looking to get to 10 wins. The Blue Devils will be without quarterback Maalik Murphy, a 3,000-yard passer who threw a school record 26 touchdowns this season before hitting the transfer portal and announcing that he would play for Oregon State in 2025. Henry Belin is likely to start in Murphy’s absence in Jacksonville.
Already Played
Florida Gators
Florida 2024 Record: 8-5
Bowl Game: Gasparilla Bowl (played on Dec. 20 in Tampa)
Opponent: Tulane Green Wave
Result: Florida 33, Tulane 8
The SEC is off to a 1-0 start in non-playoff bowl games thanks to Florida, which turned out to be another fun team to watch at times this season. Like Sam Pittman, Billy Napier also overcame some long odds to make it to another year in Gainesville in 2025.
The Gators finished strong with upset wins over LSU and Ole Miss, plus a strong bowl performance against a Tulane team that spent part of the year vying for a playoff spot. If that weren’t enough, Florida has won some recruiting battles lately. Brighter days appear to be ahead in Gainesville.
For coverage of the Florida Gators, head over to Gators Wire.
Tennessee Volunteers
Tennessee 2024 Record: 10-3
Postseason Game: First-Round College Football Playoff (played on Dec. 21 in Columbus)
Opponent: Ohio State Buckeyes
Result: Ohio State 42, Tennessee 17
The only sense I can make out of Ohio State’s loss to Michigan is that the Wolverines are firmly in the Buckeyes’ heads at this point. Nothing about Ohio State’s woeful performance against Michigan was on display in their beatdown of Tennessee.
The Vols aren’t likely to fade in the SEC picture going forward, and USA TODAY Sports recently named Nico Iamaleava to its way-too-early list of Heisman Trophy contenders for 2025.
For coverage of the Tennessee Volunteers, head over to Vols Wire.