Auburn's Sugar Bowl berth was sweet for head coach Gus Malzahn.

The fourth-year Auburn coach received a $200,000 performance bonus when the Tigers accepted a bid to the Jan. 2 bowl game in New Orleans. No. 14 Auburn (8-4) will face No. 7 Oklahoma (10-2) in the Sugar Bowl, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

As part of Malzahn's contract with Auburn, the coach receives a $200,000 bonus if Auburn does not appear in the SEC Championship Game but earns a berth in a New Year's Six game -- either of the two College Football Playoff national semifinals or the four top-tier bowl games.

Despite losing two of its final three games -- including losses to rivals Georgia and Alabama for the third straight season -- Auburn is headed to the Sugar Bowl as the highest-ranked SEC team not appearing in the CFP. Since top-ranked Alabama, which won the SEC Championship Game on Saturday, is headed to the playoff, Auburn will represent the SEC in New Orleans.

"We are thrilled about the opportunity to play in the historic Sugar Bowl against a great Oklahoma team," Malzahn said in a statement. "I'm excited for our players, coaches and the Auburn family to experience one of the best bowl games in all of college football. We van't wait for this opportunity and look forward to our trip to New Orleans."

Auburn entered last week ranked No. 14 in the CFP rankings, one spot ahead of SEC East champion Florida, which checked in at No. 15. Florida was throttled by Alabama in the SEC title game, 54-16, dropping the Gators further to No. 17 in the final CFP rankings.

That Florida loss sealed Auburn's postseason fate -- and helped trigger Malzahn's bonus.

Oklahoma earned the Big 12's automatic Sugar Bowl bid by finishing first in its conference. Oklahoma won Saturday's rivalry game win against Oklahoma State, which decided the Big 12 championship.