An SEC that expanded by two teams plus a College Football Playoff which tripled in size means more opportunity to play for the national title than ever for schools of the Southeastern Conference.
The league may be loaded, with treacherous schedules awaiting many of the teams. However, making the CFP has never been easier, and these schools will have plenty of opportunities to prove they belong in the playoff. However, out of the SEC’s 16 squads, how many can expect to see their name on the bracket come December?
College football analysts Peter Burns and Heather Dinich discussed that very question Monday morning on the SEC Network. Burns set his floor for SEC teams in the playoff at three, explaining:
“Whoever plays in the SEC Championship game, those teams are going to be in a 12-team playoff. And then, using your Penn State theory, the team that’s good enough on the outside looking in, the third-best SEC squad is going to get in. Is that the floor for this conference?”
Dinich likes that floor and thinks the SEC could even sneak one more team in there.
“I think four SEC teams could potentially get in,” she stated, pointing out why it will still be tough for the SEC to dominate the field like some think they will.
“Here’s what people have to remember: it’s the five highest-ranked conference champions and the next seven best teams. So you got an SEC champ in, right, but you also have Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and a Group of Five champion. There’s five gone, you got one SEC in.”
That’s just for starters. After those slots, Dinich sees some other non-SEC clubs getting in as well.
“I’m putting Notre Dame in. I think Notre Dame is going to be great, talked to Marcus Freeman yesterday. So that’s six spots, right,” Dinich continued. “Then you got the loser of Ohio State–Oregon, whoever it might be. That’s seven. Maybe Michigan, maybe Penn State.”
That only leaves a few slots left, but Dinich does say those could go to SEC teams depending on how the season unfolds.
“But then, I think you can have three other SEC teams in there. Texas should be in, the loser of the SEC Championship game, then what are we talking about? Ole Miss, they should be in if they’re a two-loss team.”
Obviously, Georgia is likely to be in the mix and Dinich may be assuming the Dawgs as SEC champions. But also, Alabama could threaten, Tennessee and Missouri may have outside chances, or there’s even Oklahoma who went 11-2 last season — just a lot of teams who could all envision themselves in the mix from the SEC.
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