miami -lrb- 10-1 -rrb- accepted a bid to play the southeastern conference champion -- either no. 4 alabama -lrb- 10-0 -rrb- , no. 10 auburn -lrb- 8-2 -rrb- or no. 8 tennessee -lrb- 9-1 -rrb- -- in the sugar bowl in new orleans on jan. 1 .