SEC: Playoff contenders

Now that we’re into November, playoff talk is heating up. And it’s even more intense this year due to this being the first year of the 12-team playoff. There are many more teams that have a chance this year. So who are those teams in the SEC? What do they have to do to make the top 12 (or top 11 since one spot goes to the Group of 5)?

Georgia

There are a couple of easy and obvious teams, and the first one is Georgia. They currently sit at No. 3 in the playoff rankings. They do go to Ole Miss this week and play Tennessee at home next week.

It’s unlikely they lose both games, but if they do, the win at Texas could still be enough to keep them in the playoff field. If they win one or both, they are surely in.

Texas

The one black mark on Texas this year is the Georgia game, which might have been their worst performance under Steve Sarkisian since 2021 when they went 5-7.

The only tough game on their remaining schedule is at Texas A&M to end the year. A loss, leaving them at 10-2 might still be good enough. A Texas team at 11-1 would play for the SEC title and definitely be in the playoff.

Tennessee

Tennessee looked to be in bad shape after the loss against Arkansas with an offense that was lethargic. That offense made enough big plays against Alabama however to pull out a 24-17 win at home.

Their toughest remaining games are Georgia and Vanderbilt, both of which are on the road. They will have to win at least one of those games because 9-3 might not be enough for the Volunteers to secure their first playoff berth.

Alabama

Alabama looked to be one of the frontrunners of the conference after beating Georgia. The bad news is after that game, they had a rough three weeks going 1-2 and barely beating South Carolina.

The good news is that Georgia's win will still carry a lot of weight. Their toughest game left is this weekend at LSU. Win out, and the Crimson Tide finish 10-2, which would surely put them in.

Texas A&M

The Aggies were in prime position to make a playoff push after beating LSU at home. Now, with two losses to Notre Dame and South Carolina, their chances just shrunk significantly.

Their toughest game left is when they host Texas. If they can win that game, it will likely move them into the top 10 and could earn them a spot in the SEC Championship in Mike Elko’s first year as head coach. A 9-3 Texas A&M team will need help and is likely on the outside looking in.

LSU

LSU’s playoff chances have looked bleak at times. There were warning signs after losing to USC, they never led against Ole Miss until the last play of the game, and they were outscored 31-6 in the second half against Texas A&M.

Everything is still in front of them though. They play Alabama this weekend and then Vanderbilt two weeks later. Winning out would put them at 10-2. That still would leave them on the bubble, but they likely would make it.

Ole Miss

This was the year for Ole Miss. They have recruited well and had a number of highly talented transfer portal acquisitions. An upset loss against Kentucky and an overtime loss at LSU have put the year in which they had SEC title and playoff expectations on thin ice.

Their biggest game of the year is this week against Georgia. It would propel them up the rankings, but how far? A win would put them at 10-2 but with only one significant win. Ole Miss will be in the bubble and likely need some help to get in.

Vanderbilt

The Commodores have been one of the great stories in college football this year, especially after they knocked off then-No. 1 Alabama. This is a long shot, but this season has been crazy, and who doesn’t want to have a little more fun with Vanderbilt?

They have three tough games to end the year against South Carolina, LSU and Tennessee. If they win out, that puts them at 9-3 with a bad loss against Georgia State, but three wins against teams that will likely finish the year in the top 20, if not the top 15. They will need some help, but the Commodores might have an outside chance.

Jacob Rudy is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jar7371@psu.edu.