Joel Klatt breaks down SEC teams still alive in College Football Playoff race

The top of the SEC standings are as tight as ever as teams contine to make a case for their spot in the College Football Playoff.

Heading into a pivotal Week 10 in the Southeastern Conference, seven teams within the SEC still have a case to find themselves in the field of 12, according to Joel Klatt.

Georgia Bulldogs (6-1, 4-1 SEC)

The Bulldogs have two of the most impressive wins of the season in a neutral site win over Clemson and a true road game against a then-top-ranked Texas team. With Alabama jumping back into the playoff mix after beating a ranked Missouri team last weekend, that loss continues to look better in the committee’s eyes.

They’re in the mix to not only play for an SEC Championship, but are playing for a first-round bye in the CFP at this point in the season.

Texas Longhorns (7-1, 3-1 SEC)

Tennessee‘s 27-24 win over Vanderbilt was a bit too close for comfort this past weekend, but the Longhorns are still in the mix with one loss through nine weeks this season.

Previously the No. 1 team in the country before losing the Georgia at home, one more loss would likely put the Longhorns in the back half of the conversation but not entirely outside of the bubble. They play Texas A&M in the regular season finale, which might end up being a de facto play-in game for the SEC Championship.

Tennessee Volunteers (6-1, 3-1 SEC)

Tennessee still has Georgia on their schedule, and even if they Vols lose to Georgia on Nov. 16, the Vols still have a case to make the CFP with an at-large bid because Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee would have all beaten one another.

Klatt summed up his first three choices — Georgia, Texas and Tennessee — by putting them in a bracket ahead of the rest of the pack in the SEC.

“Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, they’re in a position right now where I believe they could still lose, even in the regular season, not make the SEC championship game, and based on what they’ve done already this season, I believe that they would go to the College Football Playoff,” Klatt said. “They would be a top 12 team, and I think we’ll see that reflected in the in the, I guess, original or new playoff rankings that we’ll get next week.”

Texas A&M Aggies (7-1, 5-0 SEC)

Texas A&M may have had the most impressive victory of Week 9 after defeating LSU 38-23 in comeback fashion over the weekend. The Tigers had previously won five-straight and improved the Aggies to 5-0 in SEC play — the only undefeated team in the SEC left in conference play.

“Here’s what I think is fascinating,” Klatt said. “For A&M, they need to win the next three games to make them feel like they’re secure. And then I think they could play Texas where it’s like, it doesn’t matter the outcome.

“They would still go to the CFP, but they would obviously want to beat Texas, because that could place them in the SEC championship game. Once you’re in that game, you win the SEC championship, you’re going to get a bye. So this is a team that’s obviously still alive.”

Alabama Crimson Tide (6-2, 3-2 SEC)

The Crimson Tide let everybody know that they’re still around after travelling to Missouri and taking care of business against the Tigers 34-0. A two-loss Crimson Tide squad — especially considering their win over Georgia earlier this season — will likely be attractive to the committee when it comes time to select at-large teams.

However, Alabama travels to LSU this weekend in a matchup that could change everything for them.

LSU Tigers (6-2, 3-1 SEC)

For the Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers, Klatt believes they both need to win out. The only problem is that they face each other in Week 10 — which means either Alabama or LSU will be eliminated from playoff contention in Klatt’s eyes.

“The LSU-Bama game is an elimination game that is going to be the first playoff game of the college football season,” Klatt continued. “These two teams each could win out and go. Either of them lose at any point from now until the end of the regular season, and I think that they’re out. So that presents an elimination game.”

Ole Miss Rebels (6-2, 2-2)

The Rebels are the only two-loss team in conference play to be featured on Klatt’s list — and that’s because they still have a chance to beat Georgia left on their schedule. A loss there would likely end any hope Ole Miss has of making the inital field of four.

A win, however, changes the outlook of the College Football Playoff entirely.

“Ole Miss, yes, you control your own destiny, but it means you have to beat the Bulldogs,” Klatt said. “Ole Miss has to beat Georgia, and if they do that at 10-2, I love their chances. In fact, I would actually make a hefty bet like absolutely they’re in at 9-3.”