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Georgia and Ole Miss both stumble
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Georgia and Ole Miss both stumble

Win or lose, weekends like the one we just saw make college football the best sport in the world. While the rest of the Power Four mostly held serve, the SEC was crazy on Saturday. To set the tone for the day ahead, No. 6 Ole Miss fell to unranked Kentucky at Homecoming. To end the day, No. 2 Georgia lost to No. 4 Alabama in one of the craziest games you'll ever see.

Of course, Ole Miss and Georgia's first losses of the season will have an impact on where the Rebels and Dawgs stand in the SEC's College Football Playoff. Ole Miss may have only lost by a field goal, but that was a home game against an unranked opponent. Georgia lost by a touchdown on the road, but that was a constant threat for the Dawgs in a game in which they nearly pulled off a stunning comeback.

What I'm going to do today is take a look at all 16 SEC teams and find out where they fall in the race to qualify for the expanded College Football Playoff. While there's definitely more than half of the conference still in the mix, keep this in mind: The SEC will get in at least four of the 12 teams. However, the likelihood of the league now having five teams is significantly higher than half of them having six.

Let's begin by revealing my 12 teams in the College Football Playoff field after Week 5.

  1. Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0) (SEC Champions)
  2. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) Big Ten Champion)
  3. Miami Hurricanes (5-0) (ACC champions)
  4. Cyclones in the state of Iowa (4-0) (Big 12 Champion)
  5. Texas Longhorns (5-0) (SEC runner-up)
  6. Tennessee Volunteers (4-0) (SEC overall)
  7. Georgia Bulldogs (3-1) (SEC overall)
  8. Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0) (Big Ten runner-up)
  9. Oregon Ducks (4-0) (Big Ten overall)
  10. Missouri Tigers (4-0) (SEC overall)
  11. Michigan Wolverines (4-1) (Big Ten overall)
  12. Boise State Broncos (3-1) (Mountain West Champions/Group of Five Champions)

Now let's break down where each SEC team stands in terms of playoff situation after Week 5.

College Football Playoff Status

SEC team

College football playoffs suspended

Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)

Texas Longhorns (5-0)

Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)

Georgia Bulldogs (3-1)

College Football Playoff Bubble Teams

Missouri Tigers (4-0)

Ole Miss Rebels (4-1)

LSU Tigers (4-1)

Texas A&M Aggies (4-1)

Oklahoma Sooners (4-1)

Fun, but not College Football Playoff caliber

Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2)

South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1)

Kentucky Wildcats (3-2)

No College Football Playoff teams in 2024

Vanderbilt Commodores (2-2)

Florida Gators (2-2)

Auburn Tigers (2-3)

Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-4)

Alabama Crimson Tide (4-0)

Yes, Alabama should move from No. 4 to No. 1 by thwarting Georgia in the first half, blowing a massive lead late but regaining it in the final minutes. Alabama has only played a third of its schedule, but I find it hard to imagine this team missing the playoffs at all. The Crimson Tide come into the game 10-2, no questions asked. They got a big win against Georgia with a score of 9-3.

Texas Longhorns (5-0)

Texas may be a perfect 5-0, but I still really want to see the Longhorns face a worthy opponent in SEC play. Beating Mississippi State does nothing for me except show that Arch Manning can win conference games now. This team is elite, one that will win at least 10 games. Regardless, they are a national title contender and also an absolute playoff contender.

Tennessee Volunteers (4-0)

Tennessee still impresses me. While the Volunteers had a bye this week, Oklahoma's win looks more impressive after watching the Sooners get past Auburn. The prestige of North Carolina State's victory may fade with time, but this team plays complementary football. Considering that the Volunteers have a fairly manageable schedule, they should win between 10 and 12 games to get in.

Georgia Bulldogs (3-1)

This loss hurts both the Georgia program and me personally. Regardless, Georgia would never have to contend with one of the toughest schedules in the country. If they win, of course they get in. At 10-2 they are also a lock. And even at 9-3, Georgia only needs to get one of three goals between Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas to be in a semi-realistic position for the playoffs.

Missouri Tigers (4-0)

Missouri had a bye this week. However, that doesn't change the fact that I don't trust the Tigers. Mizzou is well-coached but somewhat limited offensively. The schedule is mid-table at best, but could be in the bottom half of the league. At 10-2 they'll probably come into play, but I can tell you if that's the case everyone will want someone else to come in over them, all things being equal.

Ole Miss Rebels (4-1)

While Georgia's loss to Alabama was painful, Ole Miss' home loss to Kentucky was absolutely devastating to their playoff dreams. Ole Miss may need to win to secure a spot in the tournament. Even at 10-2, this loss has to come to either Georgia or LSU. In short, the Rebels need to win at least one of these games. Even in that case, a loss at Kentucky would compound their weak schedule.

LSU Tigers (4-1)

LSU isn't going away. After a heartbreaking Labor Day Weekend loss to USC, the Tigers have rattled off four straight wins. I don't know if the Bayou Bengals have what it takes to get into the top 12 and stay there, but I have a feeling they'll stay in the playoff mix through Thanksgiving. I think the Week 1 loss to the Trojans was a blessing in alleviating pressure on Brian Kelly's program.

Texas A&M Aggies (4-1)

The same principle applies to Texas A&M. The Week 1 home loss to Notre Dame left the Aggies behind by eight balls. With Marcel Reed at quarterback, the Aggies play complementary football. Like Ole Miss, LSU and some Missouri, there isn't much room for error to make the playoffs should the Aggies suffer another loss. At 10-2 they will be on the fence.

Oklahoma Sooners (4-1)

The win against Auburn on The Plains was a big positive step for Oklahoma in joining the SEC. This team is competitive as hell, but has design flaws. They can compete with anyone, but I doubt OU has enough firepower to win several big games and make the playoffs with a record of around 10-2. The offense is much better with Michael Hawkins Jr. playing quarterback instead of Jackson Arnold.

Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2)

Someone had to lose the Southwest Classic between Arkansas and Texas A&M. As much as the Razorbacks have improved this season, losing to a non-playoff team in Oklahoma State and losing to a fringe rival in Texas A&M now make it nearly impossible for Arkansas to make the playoffs. The Hogs need an upset in the worst way. This is a bowl team, but that's it.

South Carolina Gamecocks (3-1)

To be fair, South Carolina may be a bubble team right now. The stunning win over Kentucky is looking better every day. The loss at home to LSU doesn't seem like a terrible loss either. However, for the Gamecocks, a small in-season sample size and such an arduous climb to get back into the national college football conversation is asking a bit too much. This team is feisty, but not a competitor.

Kentucky Wildcats (3-2)

Fact: Nobody wants to play Kentucky in the future. After a brutal loss to South Carolina in Week 2, the Wildcats brought Georgia to the brink, defeated Ohio U and upset Ole Miss in Oxford. This team is incredibly limited offensively, but they know how to run the football, play great defense and use special teams to their advantage. This team is back on track and will go 7-5, possibly even better.

Vanderbilt Commodores (2-2)

With Vanderbilt on a bye, I had a little more time to assess what I saw in the Dores over the five weeks. Clark Lea is really building this team. Diego Pavia gives Vandy a chance to be competitive at quarterback every week. The problem with Vanderbilt is the Commodores' role in the SEC. As much as I want them to get to a bowl game, they still need to win four more games.

Florida Gators (2-2)

Florida should thank its lucky stars for the Gators' win over Mississippi State in Week 4 before their first bye week. That took some much-needed pressure off head coach Billy Napier. While I would pick pretty much anyone else they face in SEC play over them, there is a chance Florida will get to a bowl game this season. It's still tenuous, but this team isn't tipping over yet.

Auburn Tigers (2-3)

Hugh Freeze went to hell in Auburn faster than you can say to Bryan Harsin on a hand basket. Returning Payton Thorne at quarterback gave the Tigers a chance to upset Oklahoma at home. Now that Auburn has three losses this year to Cal, Arkansas and Oklahoma, I doubt this team's chances of going bowl. Remember they still have to play Alabama and Georgia…

Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-4)

Within five weeks, the SEC's worst team was clearly identified. The Mississippi State Bulldogs have lost four games in a row and are already 0-2 in conference play. To make matters worse for Jeff Lebby's team, the Bulldogs had one of the easiest schedules in the SEC to start the season. This team has no juice. I don't know if this team will even win four games this season.

Week 5 gave people what they wanted, but we can only wait and see what Week 6 has in store.

The AP Top 25 is expected to go dark in Week 6. Next. Projected AP Top 25 for Week 6

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