ESPN Projects Multiple SEC Programs As First Four Teams Out Of College Football Playoff

ESPN's Heather Dinich predicts a group of SEC teams to make up the "first-four out" of this year's final College Football Playoff rankings in her preseason playoff predictions.

Dinich listed Georgia as the No. 1 team to make the final-12, also including Texas (No. 5), Ole Miss (No. 8) and Alabama (No. 9) as SEC representatives.

LSU holds the top spot in within the first-four teams predicted to miss out on a postseason bid. Dinich believes LSU will finish No. 12 in the committee's final rankings, but will be bumped out for the Group of Five champion Boise State. The Tigers are projected to drop games to Ole Miss, Texas A&M and Alabama, Dinich predicts.

Coming in behind LSU is Missouri, who is projected to finish the season with losses to Alabama and Oklahoma. Dinich notes the Tigers' strength of schedule as a potential reason for the committee electing to not include a 10-2 Missouri record.

Tennessee is listed third. Dinich believes the Vols will be improved from an 8-4 finish in 2023, but will lose to Oklahoma, Georgia and potentially Alabama. Tennessee's questions in the secondary are Dinich's biggest concerns.

Lastly is Oklahoma, who enters its first season in the conference. Dinich projects the Sooners to be better in Year 3 of Brent Venables, but the SEC slate will be too much to overcome with potentially four road losses to Auburn, Ole Miss, Mizzou and LSU.

If there's anything that we know about college football it's that the sport is anything but predictable. Preseason predictions are fun and lead to some quality discourse that builds excitement before play begins on Saturdays. However, that time is nearly here as Week 0 is upon us. It's time for seasons to be won, or lost, on the field.

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