SEC Bowl Record

So for the past few years, I've noticed the SEC will typically get matched up with opponents that have a better record and as a result our bowl record as a conference has not been great. This year that does not appear to be the case. Is this due to a change in the bowl tie-ins or more related to how we fill bowl spots depending on which teams are chosen for the New Year's Six Bowls?

Matchups where the SEC had a better record
Matchups where the SEC had a worse record

2015 (8-2)
#20 LSU (8-3) 56 Texas Tech (7-5) 27
Auburn (6-6) 31 Memphis (9-3) 10
Mississippi State (8-4) 51 NC State (7-5) 28
Texas A&M (8-4) 21 Louisville (7-5) 27
#2 Alabama (12-1) 38 #3 Michigan State (12-1) 0
#23 Tennessee (8-4) 45 #13 Northwestern (10-2) 6
#19 Florida (10-3) 7 #14 Michigan (9-3) 41 *Consider this equal records
#12 Ole Miss (9-3) 48 #16 Oklahoma State (10-2) 20
Georgia (9-3) 24 Penn State (7-5) 17
Arkansas (7-5) 45 Kansas State (6-6) 23

2014 (7-5)
South Carolina (6-6) 24 Miami (6-6) 21
Texas A&M (7-5) 45 West Virginia (7-5) 37
Arkansas (6-6) 31 Texas (6-6) 7
Tennessee (6-6) 45 Iowa (7-5) 28
Florida (6-5) 28 East Florida (8-4) 20
#23 LSU (8-4) 28 Notre Dame (7-5) 31
#19 Auburn (8-4) 31 #18 Wisconsin (10-3) 34
#16 Missouri (10-3) 33 #25 Minnesota (8-4) 17
#13 Georgia (9-3) 37 #21 Louisville (9-3) 14
#9 Ole Miss (9-3) 3 #6 TCU (11-1) 42
#7 Mississippi State (10-2) 34 #12 Georgia Tech (10-3) 49
#1 Alabama (12-1) 35 #4 Ohio State (12-1) 42

*Note the team records are prior to bowl game*