By Tyler Slay @slaytyler
There's a lot riding on tomorrow's Peach Bowl in Atlanta. A bowl win, especially against an opponent like TCU, helps with offseason momentum, preseason rankings, recruiting and validation of the season.
The Rebels, in more ways than one, are in a position in which they rarely find themselves. They're playing for their 10th win of the season. They're playing in one of the nation's premiere bowl games, and they're playing an opponent whose only mistake was losing by 3 points on the road to the 5th ranked team in the nation, Baylor.
Ole Miss vs. TCU, as important as the head to head matchup may be, may not be as important as the SEC vs. Big XII matchup. Ole Miss is a major SEC representative this year, but they may be representing their role in future playoff discussions if this team continues in the direction many believe it will.
If Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Alabama win their games, then the committee has the right to exercise a little more "SEC Bias" next year. That could work in favor of the Rebels. The Crimson Tide could really do the SEC a lot of favors by beating the best team from the Big Ten and the best from the Pac-12 or ACC.
This isn't just a Music City Bowl or a BBVA Compass Bowl against middle of the pack competition. It's the SEC West No. 3 vs. The Big XII "Co-champion." Vegas has Ole Miss as a 3 point underdog. That makes them the only remaining SEC team not favored to win their bowl game. Proving the oddsmakers wrong would make a win that much more special.
The Rebels have a unique opportunity to play for more than just a recruiting boost or offseason energy. They're playing for the SEC, and they're playing for a chance to be considered strongly by the playoff committee in the future.
