Kentucky can still make the College Football Playoff if...
Kentucky’s loss to Ole Miss put a damper on our dreams of making the College Football Playoff; however, there is still at least one scenario in which the Cats can get there.
Every day, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) runs 20,000 simulations for the College Football Playoff. Seth Walder shared one today that has three SEC teams making the CFP — Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee — along with Ohio State.
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Here’s how we manage to get to this particular scenario: Kentucky — which currently has one loss — wins out and wins the SEC. Tennessee wins out except for its game against Kentucky, leaving it at 11-1 as a non-division champion. And that means both teams beat Georgia, which is where their two losses came from.
The committee looked favorably on those SEC non-champions over the likes of a two-loss champion Clemson, a four-loss champion Texas (why does it feel like every scenario has a four-loss Big 12 champion Texas?!) and a two-loss champion Utah. Hey, the Bulldogs are defending champs — it could happen.
ESPN
So, win out and cheer for Tennessee to beat Georgia. Wait for it…
[Note: This article has been edited to update ESPN’s initial piece, which included a scenario in which Kentucky beats Georgia in the SEC Championship game, which obviously can’t happen because the two teams play in the same division.]
Kentucky Football Bowl Projections
Even if the Cats don’t make the CFP, the Big Blue Nation could still be in for a fun postseason. Here are the latest bowl projections following the loss to Ole Miss.
- ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura: Gator Bowl vs. Florida State (Dec. 30, 3:30 p.m., ESPN, TIAA Bank Field, Jacksonville, FL)
- ESPN’s Mark Schlabach: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. NC State (Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL)
- CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Wake Forest (Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL)
- Brett McMurphy: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Illinois (Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL)
- 247 Sports’ Brad Crawford: ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Illinois (Jan. 2, Noon, ESPN2, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL)
- College Football News: TaxAct Texas Bowl vs. Oklahoma (Dec. 28, 9:00 p.m. ESPN, NRG Stadium, Houston, TX)
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