Silly season: Here’s how No. 2 Georgia can finish 11-1 and not reach the SEC championship game

A four-way SEC tiebreaker scenario could send LSU and Texas A&M to the SEC championship game, leaving Georgia and Texas out — although all four teams potentially finish with just one conference loss. In this chaotic setup, the Aggies’ only loss would come to the Longhorns, and every remaining SEC game is expected to go as scheduled with the favored teams winning.

While the chances of this situation happening are slim, it has sparked an intriguing conversation, especially since Georgia and Texas could both rank ahead of LSU and Texas A&M in the projected playoff rankings heading into the weekend. end of the championship. A request for tiebreaker clarification was made to the SEC, but a spokesperson said the conference was unlikely to comment on hypothetical scenarios.

If this chaos occurs, the SEC would be in a prime position to secure at least three playoff spots, and potentially four. Georgia and Texas, as 11-win teams, would be highly ranked, while the loser of the SEC Championship Game would likely finish 10-3 with a strong resume. Although a multi-loss team has never made the College Football Playoff, that could change in the first year of expansion.

According to the SEC tiebreaker rules announced in August, here is how the scenario would play out:

1. Face-to-face confrontations: Georgia beat Texas, Texas A&M beat LSU and Texas would have a win over Texas A&M. However, key matchups like LSU vs. Texas and Georgia vs. LSU do not exist this season, and Georgia will not face Texas A&M.

2. Record against common opponents: Florida is the only common opponent between these teams, and each would get a victory against the Gators.

3. Record against highest placed common opponent: Once again, Florida is the only common opponent, so this tiebreaker remains a wash.

4. Cumulative conference winning percentage of opponents: This is where the tiebreaker falls. Texas A&M and LSU would qualify for the SEC Championship due to their conference opponents’ combined winning percentage exceeding that of Texas and Georgia, highlighting the Longhorns’ relatively easier early SEC schedule.

This tiebreaker scenario was first reported by a Reddit user and detailed by a unique SEC championship calculator developed by Mred.

However, that scenario falls apart if Texas A&M slides against South Carolina or if Florida pulls off an upset against Georgia this weekend. With plenty of football remaining, the path to Atlanta remains unpredictable.