Ten SEC teams still in CFP hunt, but 3 on ropes

[rezero]

The general consensus going into the season, is that a 2 loss SEC team should make the CFP. There are 10 SEC teams after week 8 that are still in play for the CFP.

Based on the schedules below, my guess would be the teams in red: A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, Bama, Tennessee, and the winner of Vandy/Mizzou will all finish with 2 loses or less (with A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Bama being locks with one loss). The question then becomes would 6 SEC teams possibly get in the playoffs or will it come down to Tennessee or Mizzou being the big question marks with 2 loses.

Zero Loss:
Texas A&M (LSU, Missouri, Texas)

One Loss:
Georgia (Texas, Georgia Tech)
Bama (LSU, OU)
Ole Miss (OU)
Oklahoma (Ole Miss, Tennessee, Bama, Mizzou, LSU)
Vandy (Mizzou, Texas, Tennessee)
Missouri (Vandy, A&M, Oklahoma)

Two Loss:
Texas (Vandy, Georgia, A&M)
Tennessee (Vandy, Oklahoma)
LSU (Bama, OU, A&M)

Will be an amazing finish the way it is lining up.

[Armchair QB]

This is why a 7 game SEC schedule would be best and 9 is just way too many. Cannibalization. 9-3 is a playoff worthy team in a lot of cases but will never happen. And getting to 9-3 with a 9 game SEC schedule is an accomplishment.

[cardinalsfever44]

It's incredible how much easier teams have it in conferences outside the SEC.

[rezero]

It's incredible how much easier teams have it in conferences outside the SEC.

If you just look at the non-SEC teams in top 15 based on current rankings:

#1 Ohio State will not play a team current ranked all year
#2 Miami will not play a team currently ranked all year
#3 Indiana will play one top 25 team all year as they beat Oregon.
#6 Oregon will play 2 top 25 teams. They played one already with the lost to Indiana.
#7 Texas Tech has one ranked team on schedule in BYU that they beat
#12 Georgia Tech has one ranked team - last game vs Georgia
#13 ND has two ranked team on schedule and lost both (Miami, A&M)
#15 BYU will play one ranked team and lost (TT)

Let this sink in…..If you look at every team in the top 15 who are not in the SEC, only 2 will have a singular regular season win against a top 25 team! Yet Bama has is in a 6 game run where every team they play in that 6 game stretch is in the top 20.

[JackBolly]

Don't look now but the ACC is probably going to steal a spot with UVa. The CFP is NOT based on schedule strength, but W's and L's. It's been talked about a fair bit, but the difficult SEC schedule only hurts SEC teams, and extending the SEC to 9 games plus a P4 OOC is absolutely absurd.

[rezero]

Don't look now but the ACC is probably going to steal a spot with UVa. The CFP is NOT based on schedule strength, but W's and L's. It's been talked about a fair bit, but the difficult SEC schedule only hurts SEC teams, and extending the SEC to 9 games plus a P4 OOC is absolutely absurd.

ACC could steal a few spots as here are ACC end of season projections.

Georgia Tech 11-1 (1st in ACC Championship). Only top 25 opponent Georgia (L)
Louisville 11-1 (2nd in ACC Championship). Only top 25 opponent Miami (W)
Miami 11-1 (misses ACC Championship). Only top 25 opponent ND (W)
Virginia 11-1 (misses ACC Championship). No top 25 opponents on schedule