Bowl Game: What to pull for this weekend

South Carolina is a hot commodity when it comes to bowl selection. The Gamecocks just had the best back-to-back weeks in program history. They defeated Tennessee and Clemson. South Carolina will play in either the Citrus Bowl in Orlando or the Reliaquest Bowl (formerly the Outback) in Tampa. This weekend's conference championship game action and subsequent college football playoff selection will have a direct impact on both opponent and destination.

The Citrus Bowl has the first selection of Southeastern Conference teams after the playoff and New Year’s Six bowls are selected. Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee are expected to go to one or the other. The Bulldogs are likely a lock for the playoffs even if they lose to LSU in the Championship Game. Crimson Tide needs at least two upsets to get in. South Carolina is the second-ranked team in both the polls. If the Gamecocks are picked, they would play Purdue. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. on Jan. 2 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The game will be televised nationally by ABC.

The Gator Bowl in Jacksonville was supposed to be the destination for South Carolina. The Gamecocks have been selected for the Reliaquest Bowl instead. Notre Dame will play in Tampa because of an obscure clause in the bowl contracts. Ohio State wants to play Miami in Miami and the Orange Bowl. Penn State will go to Pasadena. If there are upsets, Ohio could sneak into the four-team field. If the conference championship game goes well, LSU and Georgia could play. It's a possibility. They're the favorites. For the game, pull for all of the favourites to win.

The Gator Bowl kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 30 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. The game will be televised live by ESPN. South Carolina has played in the Gators Bowl more than any other bowl besides the Outback/Reliaquest. If the Citrus takes the Bayou Bengals, the Tampa bowl will take the Fighting Illini.