Picking SEC Bowl Games is Risky. But I’m Not Opting Out | John Adams

John Adams, the longtime Knoxville News Sentinel columnist and avid Tennessee Volunteers supporter, dropped his annual bowl predictions on Christmas Eve 2025—and he didn’t hold back on the chaos of the modern postseason.

In his column titled “Picking SEC bowl games is risky. But I’m not opting out,” Adams perfectly captures the frustration (and fun) of prognosticating in an era of player opt-outs, transfer portal frenzy, and coaching carousel drama. “My first thought on picking SEC bowl games: Don’t do it. Just opt out,” he writes. “But then, I reminded myself: ‘I’m a picker, not a quitter.'”

Despite the uncertainty, Adams dives in with score predictions for the SEC’s non-playoff bowl games (and a few others involving conference teams). Here’s a breakdown of his picks:

SEC Non-Playoff Bowl Predictions

• Music City Bowl: Tennessee 34, Illinois 31 Adams notes both teams are missing key players, but quarterbacks Joey Aguilar (Tennessee) and Luke Altmyer (Illinois) are playing. He highlights Tennessee’s porous pass defense (115th nationally) as a concern but still gives the Vols the edge in a high-scoring affair.
• Gator Bowl: Missouri 27, Virginia 24 A close call, with Missouri’s balance edging out the Cavaliers.
• ReliaQuest Bowl: Vanderbilt 27, Iowa 20 Diego Pavia gets another stage to shine. Adams points to Pavia’s hot streak (752 yards and 6 TDs in Vandy’s final two wins) as the difference against a tough Iowa defense.
• Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Mississippi State 34, Wake Forest 30 Even with coaching changes, the Bulldogs pull out a shootout.
• Texas Bowl: LSU 34, Baylor 30 (from an earlier related column) Garrett Nussmeier’s decision to play (and return in 2026) boosts the Tigers.

Other Notable Picks Involving SEC Teams

• Citrus Bowl: Texas 30, Michigan 22 Michigan’s coaching search distracts the Wolverines.
• Playoff Quarterfinal (Rose Bowl): Indiana 34, Alabama 23 A bold upset call—Adams praises Indiana’s balanced attack and questions Alabama’s consistency against top teams.

Adams wraps up by acknowledging the guessing game: opt-outs change everything, and motivation is hard to gauge in non-CFP bowls. Yet, he leans heavily on SEC talent, predicting a strong showing overall.

As a Tennessee fan favorite, Adams’ optimism for the Vols is no surprise—but his willingness to call an Alabama loss shows he’s not afraid to stir the pot. Bowl season is indeed risky, but columns like this are why we love it.