The College Football Playoff Selection Committee just dropped a new metric that measures conference strength, and trust me, it’s going to shake things up big time. This new twist basically greenlights leagues like the SEC and Big Ten, who together had a whopping 17 teams in the AP poll heading into last weekend, for more at-large bids later in the season. Coming off a record-setting Saturday slate, with four ranked matchups and three new teams taking an L from the unbeaten club, this couldn’t have hit at a better time for the SEC. This whole thing clears a path for the SEC to potentially throw *five* teams into the 12-team bracket a few months down the line, assuming their national perception and league strength keep holding up. Seriously, five teams!
The SEC’s Bold New Playoff Path
Talk about wild. This metric shift comes right after a bunch of SEC coaches were griping about the league’s move to a nine-game conference schedule. They were all worried it’d just mean more losses for everyone. But now? It feels like the SEC is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers. You’ve got top-ranked Texas, who already stomped No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday and earlier in the season took down then-No. 1 Ohio State. And then there’s Florida, making their debut in the projections, set to jump into the top 15 after knocking off fourth-ranked Ole Miss. The Big 12, on the other hand, is apparently down to a one-bid league now in the CFP, and there’s a new projected top-four seed from the Big Ten. The landscape is shifting dramatically, and the SEC is clearly in the driver’s seat.
Texas Is Rolling, But The Road Ahead Is Brutal
You gotta hand it to Texas, they’re looking legit. But don’t sleep on their remaining schedule. LSU coach Lane Kiffin straight up called it out before the Tigers beat Texas A&M. He said Texas still has seven top-25 teams left to play, including Florida, Mississippi State, Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss. Kiffin wasn’t shy about comparing that to other conferences, either. He pointed out a Big 12 school that apparently doesn’t play a single ranked team the rest of the year, and an ACC team with zero ranked opponents left. That’s a huge difference in strength of schedule, and it just makes Texas’s early wins against Ohio State and Tennessee look even more impressive. Their path to the playoffs is paved with landmines, but if they navigate it, they’ll absolutely earn their spot.
Looking Ahead: Other Teams Fighting For Postseason Life
It’s not just the big dogs making waves. We’ve got a bunch of other bowl games projected. The Cricket Celebration is looking at South Carolina State vs. Alabama State. The Salute to Veterans could see Toledo against Louisiana Tech. The Frisco Football Classic has UConn vs. Louisiana, and the Boca Raton Bowl is projecting Liberty vs. Tulsa. For Louisiana Tech, the real season kicks off next weekend against Army, then they dive into Sun Belt play on October 10 at home against Louisiana. These Bulldogs scored 80 points in their opener against Northwestern State, but then got “dump-trucked” by LSU and Baylor on the road before their Week 4 open date. We’ll know a lot more about their postseason hopes after these next two matchups against comparable opponents. Meanwhile, Liberty is sitting pretty at 3-1 after their Thursday night win at Coastal Carolina. They’re jumping into Conference USA play in Week 5 with a Friday night road game against Delaware. Every game counts now, and for these teams, the next few weeks are everything.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply