Southeastern Conference athletic directors decided to amend a final tiebreaker should the Eastern Division race end up in a three-way tie. ADs decided the best course of action would be to select the East team with the best Bowl Championship Series position. It makes sense. Good call.
Still even with three teams currently lodged at the top of divisional standings, there is no clear guarantee there will be a three-way tie anyway, especially if the teams remain in their current BCS spots.
Georgia (7-2, 4-2, No. 9 in BCS) has a crucial showdown with Auburn (6-4, 4-2). If the Bulldogs were to lose to the War Eagles, then Florida (7-3, 5-2, No. 14 BCS) and Tennessee (7-2, 3-2, No. 7 BCS) would still be tied. This situation is much easier to figure out as Tennessee would own the tiebreaker due to an earlier 24-10 victory over Florida in The Swamp.
Georgia, in addition to having Auburn left on the schedule, still has to play Kentucky and non-conference rival Georgia Tech. Florida goes on the road to face South Carolina Saturday before finishing with a home date against state rival Florida State.
Tennessee has the easiest schedule remaining. The Vols host Mississippi State and Vanderbilt the next two weekends before finishing against rival Kentucky on Nov. 29.
South Carolina and Kentucky are still fighting for bowl eligibility, sitting at 5-5 and 4-5 respectively. USC finishes with home games against Florida and Clemson while Kentucky has a tougher road, facing Vandy and Georgia on the road before a home contest against Tennessee.
Vanderbilt is not bowl eligible with a 1-9 overall record.
As for the West race, it’s quite simple. It’s down to a two-horse race between Ole Miss (8-2, 6-0, not in top 15 of BCS) and LSU (8-1, 4-1, No. 4 BCS). Ole Miss has two games remaining: LSU at home and the famed Egg Bowl versus in-state rival and lowly Mississippi State (2-7, 1-4).
Auburn and Arkansas (6-3, 3-3) are both looking to become bowl eligible. It should be no problem for the Razorbacks who will face New Mexico State and Mississippi State at home before coming to Baton Rouge to face LSU the day after Thanksgiving.
Auburn faces Georgia this weekend on the road before concluding the regular season against Alabama in the Iron Bowl.
Mississippi State is not bowl eligible and Alabama is not eligible to play a bowl due to NCAA penalties.