Not so fast my friends . . .

[FrogtownRoadCat]

Is UK assured a bowl bid? Is the answer to that question dependent, at least in part, on what happens this upcoming weekend? 9 SEC teams eligible for, most likely, 8 bowls. What happens if the Ole Ball Coach's team beats Clemson and UK plays poorly against, and gets blown away by, UT? Which SEC team is left out? Florida, no; Arkansas, no; LSU, no; Auburn, no. That leaves Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina, and Alabama battling it out for four spots. Bama is only 2-6 in the conference, and, at least on paper, would seem to be the odd team out, but it is Bama [albeit not your granddad's (or even your dad's) Bama]. Would the Music City Bowl rather have UK than Georgia or South Carolina? Would the Liberty Bowl rather have UK overGeorgia or South Carolina (whichever is not chosen to play in the Music City Bowl)?Would Shreveport rather have the Crimson Tide than the Big Blue? Let me hear from you.

[FatCatDaddy]

Kentucky is guaranteed a bowl with 7 wins, it is part of the bowl system.

[FrogtownRoadCat]

FatCatDaddy wrote: Kentucky is guaranteed a bowl with 7 wins, it is part of the bowl system.
Someone show this to me, please, because I don't think this is accurate.

[TexasCat]

According to NCAA rules, 6-6 is no guarantee:

Deserving Winning Team

A deserving winning team is defined as one that wins a minimum of six games against Division I-A competition and has a record that includes more wins than losses. [Exception: Each year, a Division I-A institution may count a victory against a Division I-AA opponent that has averaged 90 percent of the permissible maximum number of grants-in-aid per year in Division I-AA football over a rolling two-year period.]
Per Bylaw exception 30.9.2.1 an institution with a record of six wins and six losses may be selected for participation in a bowl game if 1) the institution or its conference has a primary contractual affiliation, which existed prior to the first contest of the applicable season, with the sponsoring bowl organization. In the case of a conference contractual affiliation, all conference teams with winning records must be placed in one of the contracted bowl games before any institution with a record of six wins and six losses may be placed in a contracted bowl game; and 2) all contratual affiliations have been fulfilled and all institutions with winning records have received bowl invitations (either through a contractual affiliation or as an at-large selection).
http://www.ncaa.org/library/handbooks/football/2006/2006_postseason_football_handbook.pdf

[Mr. T]

Yes they are. The rule since the 12 game schedule says that a 6-6 team CAN NOT be chosen ahead of a 7-5 team for bowl tie ins. There are 8 bowls for the SEC (1 BCS + 7 other tie ins). There are 9 bowl eligible teams in the SEC, but Bama finished 6-6 (and USC still might as well) and therefore cannot be chosen for a bowl ahead of 7-5 Kentucky. QED. :ggrin:

[FrogtownRoadCat]

Mr. T wrote: Yes they are. The rule since the 12 game schedule says that a 6-6 team CAN NOT be chosen ahead of a 7-5 team for bowl tie ins. There are 8 bowls for the SEC (1 BCS + 7 other tie ins). There are 9 bowl eligible teams in the SEC, but Bama finished 6-6 (and USC still might as well) and therefore cannot be chosen for a bowl ahead of 7-5 Kentucky. QED. :ggrin:

EXCELLENT. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.

[MercerTitans]

Mr. T wrote: There are 9 bowl eligible teams in the SEC, but Bama finished 6-6 (and USC still might as well) and therefore cannot be chosen for a bowl ahead of 7-5 Kentucky. QED. :ggrin:

Not only that, but Bama is 2-6 in the conference, while Uk won't finish any worse than 4-4.

[Trueblujr]

regardless, even if we were to be looked over (which will not happen) by the SEC tie-in bowls, I have no doubt one of the smaller at large bowls would pick us up.

[Mr. T]

MercerTitans wrote: Mr. T wrote: There are 9 bowl eligible teams in the SEC, but Bama finished 6-6 (and USC still might as well) and therefore cannot be chosen for a bowl ahead of 7-5 Kentucky. QED. :ggrin:

Not only that, but Bama is 2-6 in the conference, while Uk won't finish any worse than 4-4.


True, but I think the rules are predicated on overall record, not conference record. Once you get past the 6-6 mark teams CAN be chosen over others (at least with some leeway) but I think the most their record can differ is by 1 game. That is how UK went to the Outback bowl in the 98 season at 7-4 even though UGA was 8-3.