Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Can the SEC Make a Reservation for Two at the CFP?

The SEC could get two teams into the college football playoff, as both Alabama and Georgia are two of the best teams in college football right now.

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Nov 4
Nov 4

By Tony Thomas

On the eve of Championship Saturday, there is a group of men and women in a smoke-filled room, with half-filled coffee cups next to the bottle of aspirin, trying to select the four best teams to participate in the college football playoff, a “worthy champion earning the crown on the field of battle.”

In the latest rankings put forth by the CFP committee, the four best teams his week are 1. Georgia, 2. Michigan, 3. Washington, and 4. Florida State.

Tomorrow, Georgia will face off against Alabama in the SEC Championship, Michigan will take on Iowa in the Big Ten title game, and Florida State will take on Louisville for the ACC championship. Washington and Oregon meet up for a second time tonight in the final PAC-12 championship game ever.

If Georgia beats Alabama, obviously, they get into the CFP, having been the #1 team wire to wire and ending up at 13-0. The Bulldogs have added a powerful weapon to their arsenal this season that has not defined them in the past: a consistent offense.

Georgia ranks in the Top 10 in both offense and defense. On offense, led by QB Carson Beck, the Bulldogs average 496 yards per game and score 39 points per contest. Georgia has scored 40+ points six times this season.

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But what if Alabama wins?

At 11-1, the Crimson Tide are one of the best teams in the country right now. Yes, they lost to the Texas Longhorns in week 2. But since that loss, Alabama has won 10 straight games. Three of those wins came against Top 25 opponents: #15 Ole Miss, #17 Tennessee, and #13 LSU. As such, an Alabama win gets them in the

Crimson Tide QB Jalen Milroe presents a challenge for the Georgia defense, especially with his running ability, whether designed or otherwise. The Bulldogs rank 28th in the FBS in rush defense and will be tested early and often by the Tide.

But what about undefeated Florida State?

Win or lose against Louisville, Florida State doesn’t get in simply because they haven’t played their best football consistently despite being undefeated.

The Seminoles struggled to beat Boston College, had to go to overtime to beat a Clemson team that had two losses before the end of September, held on for a win against a down Miami team that clearly is not playing like the “U,” and they were down 12-7 at halftime to a Florida team that finished 5-7 on the season.

But the most glaring issue is at quarterback. Florida State is a different team without Jordan Travis under center. Backup Tate Rodemaker completed 36 passes in three years at FSU before being pressed into service full-time following Travis’s season-ending injury.

To add further insult to injury, Florida State may be down to their 3rd string QB in the ACC title game against Louisville. It is now being reported that Tate Rodemaker might not play against the Cardinals due to concussion protocols following a late hit suffered in the win over Florida.

An Alabama win in the SEC Championship puts them in the CFP, but Georgia still gets in as well, simply because the Bulldogs and the Crimson Tide are two of the best teams right now, win or lose.

Another factor to consider is that UGA has won two consecutive national titles. There has not been a team to win three straight national titles since Minnesota Golden Gophers accomplished that feat from 1934-1936. The playoff committee would want to put a Georgia team in position to facilitate that sensational possibility.

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