The wait is over for Championship Week as the Southeastern Conference and conferences throughout the country hold their respective and coveted conference championships and the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament that goes with winning it.

In the SEC, No.1 seed Alabama, No.2 seed Arkansas, No.3 seed LSU, No.4 seed Tennessee, No.5 seed Florida and No.7 seed Missouri are in the tournament according to ESPN Bracketologist Joey “Brackets,” Lunardi. Ole Miss has work to do and the rest of the teams, Kentucky, surprisingly, Mississippi State, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt have to win the tournament to get the highly desired bid to the big tournament, where, once you get in, anything is possible.

KenPom.com, a basketball analytics guru, has Alabama as the favorite to win the tournament, at 28.7%, with Arkansas next, at 22.9%, then Tennessee, at 15.5%, then LSU, at 14.2%, then Florida, at 6.7%, then Ole Miss, at 3.9%, and then Missouri, at 3.7%. Auburn self-imposed a ban from postseason play this season and will not be participating. Pearly and his Tigers set their sights on a lot more successful 21-22 season. The pieces should be in place for that to happen, particularly if Sharife Cooper returns, but even without him, the Tigers should be a quality team.

Here are my predictions for the awesome extravaganza that tips off tomorrow at 6 PM CT on the SEC Network.

Wednesday, March 10th

No.13 Texas A&M (8=9, 2-8 SEC) vs. No.12 Vanderbilt (8-15, 3-13)

6 PM CT

SEC Network

I’m going to take the Aggies to advance in game 1. The way they played Arkansas tough at Arkansas on Saturday, taking them to the wire and only losing by 7 in a game that was a lot closer than 7 points, makes me think the Aggies, which have had major pauses with their team due to the pandemic, are going to start hitting their stride tomorrow night at Bridgestone. I expect a good game, just like the athletes of A&M a little better than Vandy’s.

A&M 66, Vanderbilt 64

Thursday, March 11th, 4 games

Game 1

No.8 Kentucky 72, No.9 Mississippi State 68

11 AM CT

SEC Network

The Wildcats need to win 4 games in a row. Like them to get started at that on Thursday, but do they have the arsenal to keep that up?

Game 2

No. 5 Florida 70, A&M 64

2:30 PM CT

SEC Network

Like the Gators to advance, but in a hard fought, defensive game.

Game 3

No.7 Missouri 75, No. 10 Georgia 65

6 PM CT

SEC Network

The Tigers are a quality team, but need to win their first game to insure a bid to the big tournament.

Game 4

No. 6 Ole Miss 74, No.11 South Carolina 72

8:30 PM CT

SEC Network

The Rebels keep their hopes alive for a tournament bid, but just survive a scrappy Gamecocks team.

Friday, March 12th, Quarterfinals

Game 1

No.1 Alabama 68, Kentucky 64

11 AM CT

ESPN

The Crimson Tide doesn’t shoot as well, Kentucky plays good defense, but rides their own defense and holds their own on the boards and makes enough shots to survive and advance.

Game 2

Florida 80, No.4 Tennessee 78

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

Give me the Gators in the first upset of the tournament as they solidify their bid and Tennessee still looks pretty good for the NCAA tourney, but will be slightly sweating it out on Sunday.

Game 3

No.2 Arkansas 76, Missouri 72

6 PM CT

SEC Network

I’ll take the Hogs barely in a major collision with a talented and hard nosed Missouri team.

Game 4

No.3 LSU 78, Ole Miss 74

8:30 PM CT

SEC Network

I expect another terrific game for the nightcap Friday. Give me a Jack and water and the remote on Friday.

Saturday, March 13th, Semifinals

Game 1

Alabama 74, Florida 70

12 PM

ESPN

The Crimson Tide starts picking up its shooting against the Gators, but it’ll be a tight game. The Tide survives and advances once again.

Game 2

Arkansas 77, LSU 74

2:30 PM CT

ESPN

The Razorbacks survive a strong ——— effort from Will Wade and the Bengal Tigers.

Sunday, March 14th, the SEC Championship Game

No. 6 Alabama (21-6, 16-2) vs. No.8 Arkansas (21-5, 13-4) (nationally)

12 PM CT

ESPN, please no Dickie V. Afraid that’s going to happen. “He’s sensational! He’s fantastic! He’s superb! He’s unbelievable, Ba-by!” None of that, ESPN. Would really appreciate it.

I like Nate Oats over the hyperactive and frantic Eric Musselman. I like Coach Oats as the National Coach of the Year. Who’s done a better job? Give me Nate, the great Herb Jones, Jaden Shackelford, Jahvon Quinerly and a really good basketball team, that is imitating its football team this year, over a team that’s going to make some noise in the NCAA Tournament and will be a tough out on Sunday. I like the Oats factor and the Herb Jones’ leadership factor to prevail. If the Crimson Tide pulls this off and teams like Michigan lose, in their conference tournament, Alabama could earn a number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. That would be phenomenal and make for a good chance at a run in the NCAA’s with favorable matchups along the way. Give me Coach Oats and the Crimson Tide. The Crimson Tide cuts down the nets on Sunday for the first time since 1991 as Bama Golf reminded me in his comment.

Alabama 80, Arkansas 78