Liberty bowl.....

[GarySJ]

Well, every bowl likes to arrange matchups by geography and interest, but the SEC is more vague about it than other leagues. In most conferences you'll see an official pecking order of 1-BCS, 2-Some Jan 1 bowl, 3-Some Other Jan 1 bowl, 4-Some Dec 31 Bowl, etc. The SEC avoids having a concrete order, other than the champ going to the BCS game.

I think it's because SEC schools get their noses out of joint if they're passed over in the perceived pecking order. I remember one year a similarly-credentialed Georgia team got picked for the Citrus Bowl when UF wanted to go, and UF got all pissy about it, threatening to never play a regular season game there again (as if they were ever going to, but I digress).

So the SEC is pretty loosey-goosey about it, especially the minor ones. I also remember one year Arkansas' players wanted to play in the (nearby and more conveniently scheduled) Independence Bowl, instead of a longer trip to a further-away but slightly more prestigious SEC game. So it was done.

This vagueness also lets the SEC avoid any undesirable matches, like the ones DawgPound suggested. I doubt they have to include an official codicil about avoiding UAB-Auburn type games, because those SEC teams can easily broker a deal to go somewhere else if we want to. "Well, we just felt Shreveport was the best option for our fans..."

Besides, if such stipulations existed in the Liberty Bowl/SEC contract, the C-USA teams would be singing it to the rooftops. As they should. I can't imagine that a "Florida demands not to play UCF in Liberty Bowl contract" would stay secret long.

[goodknightfl]

one of the stipulations is no in state match ups... that was mainly forced by the Miss and Alabama schools...

[DawgPound]

Who fear losing ground to their upstart mates.  USM > OleMiss and MSU.

UAB is the up and comer.

[smazza]

chickens

[DawgPound]

Indeed, smazza.  They are afraid.