Alabama, Auburn, Missouri, S. Carolina Hope For SEC Title Game Berth
ATLANTA (CBSMiami) – The Southeastern Conference Championship Game remains a mystery heading into the final weekend of the regular season. But, by Saturday evening, the SECCG and the overall BCS rankings will come into better focus.
In the SEC Western Division, the Alabama Crimson Tide is currently at the top. Alabama has been ranked number one in the country all season and are poised to win another Western Division crown. Standing in the Tide's way is arch-rival Auburn.
The Auburn Tigers are second in the Western Division to Alabama, but a victory on Saturday would propel the fourth-ranked Tigers into the SEC Championship game to play an undecided Eastern Division champion.
Alabama and Auburn both are ranked in the BCS' top five and both have BCS Championship game hopes on the line if they can win the annual Iron Bowl on Saturday.
In the Eastern Division, the formula is simple. If the Missouri Tigers, in only their second-year in the SEC, can beat the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday; Missouri would go on to play for the SEC Championship in Atlanta in two weeks.
Missouri and Texas A&M are no strangers, having played each other for the last several seasons dating back to both schools' time in the Big XII Conference. Last year, the Aggies blew out the Tigers at home to seal up a double-digit win season and deny Missouri bowl eligibility.
This year, Missouri wants to flip the script. The Tigers are 10-1 in 2013 and need just one more conference win to get to the SECCG. Missouri is also seeking its first 11-win season since going 12-2 in the 2007 season.
But, if Missouri slips on Saturday against Johnny Manziel and the Aggies; the South Carolina Gamecocks will jump the Tigers and play for the SEC Championship as the representative of the Eastern Division. South Carolina would go over Missouri thanks to the Gamecocks' victory over Mizzou earlier this year.
Still, the Southeastern Conference is set up in good shape for another berth in the BCS National Championship Game. If Alabama wins over Auburn and knocks off the SEC East champ; the Tide is guaranteed a spot in the BCS title game.
If Auburn beats Alabama and then beats a 1-loss Missouri team in the SECCG; the Tigers would likely play for another BCS title just a few seasons after winning it all and jump the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes.
If Missouri can beat Texas A&M and then knock off Alabama or Auburn, who would both be in the Top 2-3 at game time; then Missouri would likely jump Ohio State to play for the BCS championship.
The one fly in the ointment for the SEC and a BCS championship would be if Missouri loses to Texas A&M and then South Carolina upsets either Alabama or Auburn.
The SEC has dominated the BCS and will try to close out the BCS-era with one more national championship. Who will play in that game though, remains to be decided.
