By: Ryan Moreland (@ryanmoreland)
The SEC provided us with the most exciting playoff race last season and things are shaping up to be just as good in Season 20. Let’s take a quick look at how teams can make the playoffs before we jump into the SEC.
How to Make the Playoffs
The top three teams from each conference will automatically earn a playoff spot. After that, there will be a league-wide vote on who the last four teams should be. If there is a tie within the top three teams, the following tiebreakers will be used (in order) to break the tie.
| Order | Tiebreaker |
| 1 | Conference Record |
| 2 | Head-to-Head |
| 3 | Record vs common conference opponents |
| 4 | Point differential vs common conference opponents |
| 5 | Record vs common overall opponents |
| 6 | Point differential vs common overall opponents |
| 7 | Overall record |
| 8 | Overall point differential |
Conference Playoff Picture
| Rank | Team | Overall Record | Conference Record |
| 1 | Auburn | 4-0 | 2-0 |
| 2 | LSU | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| 3 | Alabama | 3-1 | 2-1 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 3-1 | 1-1 |
| 5 | Georgia | 2-2 | 1-2 |
| 6 | Florida | 1-3 | 1-2 |
| 7 | Tennessee | 0-4 | 0-3 |
Auburn stands as the only SEC without a conference loss, which puts them in first. The Tigers are firmly in the driver’s seat for a playoff push and a potential conference title. They also hold a tiebreaker over LSU, who currently sits in second. Things are looking good for Auburn, but they have plenty of work left to do. All of their remaining games will be played within the conference, including huge matchups against Kentucky, Alabama, and Georgia.
LSU is one of only two teams that had not played outside of the conference in the first four weeks. This worked out well for them. They have beaten Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee and their lone loss is to Auburn. The loss means that winning the SEC will need to rely on Auburn stumbling down the stretch. However, the wins mean they hold big tiebreakers should they need them. They still have some work to do, but the odds of LSU making the playoffs are high right now.
Alabama has to be happy overall with where they sit right now. Yes, they lost to LSU (which could hurt them later on), but they have beaten Georgia and Tennessee. They still control their own destiny for an automatic bid and the conference title. They still have some tough games ahead (like Kentucky and bitter rival Auburn), but they have set themselves up for the back half of the season nicely.
Kentucky was not only on top of the SEC but the CFSL as a whole last week. After Georgia upset them this week they have fallen to fourth in the conference. This shows you just how important each game is! With that said, the Wildcats aren’t in a bad spot at all. They still have a chance to go 5-1 in the conference and win the SEC title. But they can’t make any more mistakes if that is the goal. The rest of their schedule is exclusively in conference.
If you look up bad luck in the dictionary it will say “See: Georgia Bulldogs.” Georgia lost their first two conference games by a combined four points to LSU and Alabama. This is a very good team, but the ball just hasn’t bounced their way. Well, all of that changed last week. The Bulldogs beat the #1-ranked Wildcats to notch their first conference win. Georgia controls their destiny for an automatic bid, they just gotta keep winning. Week 5 will be their last out-of-conference meeting before setting their sits on the rest of the schedule. Keep an eye out for this team.
Florida sits at 1-2 in conference play, tied with Georgia. However, the only common conference opponent they have with Georiga to this point is Kentucky. Georgia beat the Wildcats and Florida did not, so Georgia wins the tiebreaker. However, that tiebreaker will change when they get a chance to play each other. Until then, Florida just needs to find ways to win. They have head-to-head losses to Auburn and Kentucky, with a win over Tennessee. Over the next four weeks, they will play Alabama, LSU, and Georgia. These games will determine where the Gators fall. As for right now, the opportunity for the automatic bid is firmly in play.
Tennessee started conference play with losses to LSU, Alabama, and Florida. It has been a rough season for the Volunteers, but hope is not lost. They have not been mathematically eliminated from an automatic bid. However, they are not far from it either. If Tennessee loses this week to Auburn they will be mathematically eliminated from the top three.
Big Games in the SEC This Week
Kentucky at Alabama
Wednesday, 6:30 P.M. CST on Twitch
The Wildcats are looking to get back on track after their first loss in over a season. Alabama wants to hold onto their 3rd place spot and keep pace with their rivals at the top of the board. This will be a huge game that will have a major impact on the SEC playoff picture. Don’t miss this one.
Auburn at Tennessee
Wednesday, 6:30 P.M. CST on YouTube
Auburn is looking to stay unbeaten while the Vols are looking to stay alive in the conference. The Tigers will come into the game as heavy favorites, but an animal is most dangerous when it is cornered. Could Tennessee pull off the impossible?
