Championship Saturday: What are the scenarios?
With 28 SEC games played, South Carolina will play its 29th and final conference game of the season against Alabama today with a championship on the line.
The Gamecocks have already clinched a top four seed and first round bye in next week's SEC Tournament, but before they travel to Hoover, there will be hardware on the line in Tuscaloosa.
Here are the scenarios.
Since the SEC doesn't use tiebreakers to reward championships, if South Carolina wins Saturday's game, the Gamecocks will finish with a 20-9 conference record and win the SEC Eastern Division.
Even if Florida -- which has a double header against LSU today -- wins both both of its games and also finishes 20-9, then both teams would be considered East champions.
For the Gamecocks it's simple: beat Alabama and you're East champions.
In order to win the entire conference, Carolina will need some help.
If both Texas A&M and Mississippi State lose Saturday, then each would finish with a 20-10 record in conference. That plus a South Carolina win (again regardless of what Florida does) would result in Chad Holbrook's Gamecocks being crowned SEC champions.
As for seedings, South Carolina's a long shot to clinch the top overall seed, which will likely be either Texas A&M or Mississippi State. The Gamecocks can, however, clinch the No. 2 overall seed reserved for a division champion.
If they win and Florida loses at least one game of the doubleheader, then the Gamecocks are outright East champions. If South Carolina loses and Florida gets swept by LSU, then the Gamecocks would finish 19-10 and the Gators 18-11 and South Carolina would be East champs and get the two seed.
If both teams win out, then they finished tied 20-9 in the SEC and Florida would get the No. 2 seed with the better winning percentage in the division.
South Carolina will start freshman Adam Hill on the mound.
The Schedule:
Florida at LSU - 12 p.m. ET - SEC Network Plus (Resumed game - 0-0 T3)
Ole Miss at Texas A&M - 3 p.m. ET - SEC Network
South Carolina at Alabama - 3 p.m. ET - SEC Network Plus
Florida at LSU - 4:30 p.m. ET - ESPNU
Arkansas at Mississippi State - 6 p.m. ET - SEC Network
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