re: A question for the BCS savvy people out there

As I understand it, the Sugar Bowl is not required to even take an SEC team at all when replacing the SEC champion when the SEC champion is in the title game. They have done so each time that the SEC champion has been in the title game, but the rules don't require it. The Sugar could select a nonSEC as the replacement team if they wanted to.It isn't automatic that an SEC team replaces the SEC champion when the SEC champion is in the title game. The Sugar has nevertheless chosen an SEC replacement team because the SEC team chosen is the best team available, ticket sales, etc., and tradition.

In the unlikely, but possible event that both LSU and Bama ended up as 1 & 2, even if the Sugar could select a 3rd SEC team (and it is unlikely that a 3rd SEC team would qualify under the rules), they very well may not choose an SEC team if there is a higher ranked team that would generate more ticket sales and national interest from another conference.