TaxSlayer Gator Bowl prospects wide open with two regular-season college weekends remaining

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With two weeks left in the college football regular season, the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl prospects for the Dec. 27 game (7:30 p.m., ABC) could involve blue-blood college programs such as Texas, Miami or Oklahoma.

It also could involve 2025 upstarts Vanderbilt or Virginia.

Will the game get another dynamic quarterback like last year, such as Diego Pavia of Vandy, Arch Manning of Texas or hometown product Carson Beck of Miami, who has already won two college games at EverBank Stadium?

All Gator Bowl President Greg McGarity can advise fans is to stay tuned.

“We’re all going to wait until the College Football Playoff is seeded,” McGarity said. “Then the Citrus Bowl gets the highest-ranked SEC team that doesn’t make the playoff and we’ll go from there. A lot can happen yet.”

Could Texas come to Jacksonville?

Based on the CFP Ranking, Texas A&M (10-0), Georgia (9-1), Ole Miss (10-1) and Alabama (8-2) are on track for the playoff. Oklahoma (8-2) might also get in.

After the Citrus Bowl takes its SEC team, likely Vanderbilt (8-2) or Texas (7-3), the SEC will slot its remaining bowl-eligible teams among the Gator, Music City, Texas, Reliaquest, Liberty and Duke’s Mayo Bowls.

The leaves the Gator Bowl in play for the odd team out between Texas and Vanderbilt, Tennessee (7-3), Missouri (7-3) or LSU (6-4).

If Miami is out of the CFP, ‘Canes could play in Gator

On the ACC side, Miami (8-2) and Georgia Tech (9-1) are still CFP possibilities but the Yellow Jackets would likely have to beat Pittsburgh (7-3 and Georgia in their last two games. Miami needs to score decisive victories over Virginia Tech and Pitt, both road games.

After any ACC selections to the CFP, the Pop Tarts Bowl gets the next highest-ranked team (but Miami is out of the equation, since the Hurricanes played in the Orlando game last year). If Georgia Tech wins the ACC title, the Gator could be in line for Miami, Virginia, Louisville or Pittsburgh.

The Hurricanes in Jacksonville could bring the possibility that Beck, a Mandarin High graduate, will play his final college game in his hometown. However, Beck could opt out to begin preparing for the NFL draft.

If Miami comes to town, McGarity is hopeful that Beck would follow Jaxson Dart’s lead. Dart, a first-round pick who won the starting job with the New York Giants, played for Ole Miss last year and broke the Gator Bowl total offense record in the Rebels’ 52-20 victory over Duke.

“Ole Miss had two No. 1 draft picks who played the entire game [Dart and defensive tackle Walter Nolen],” McGarity said. “And it didn’t hurt them. I think it really helped them in their draft stock, because it sent the message that these kids love the game and want to play, and they’re not afraid to get hurt.”