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LSU joined rival Alabama standing on the cliff of broken dreams, unfilled expectations and squandered opportunity. With one more step, either team will spiral into the abyss of also-ran bowls.
One of the two will take that plunge Nov. 9, when these rivals will meet in Baton Rouge in what amounts to a battle for fifth place in the SEC – and a College Football Playoff eliminator for the loser.
“We’ve lost our margin for error,” LSU’s Brian Kelly said after his team suffered its second defeat by squandering a second-half lead in a 38-23 loss to Texas A&M that left the Aggies as the SEC’s only team without a conference loss.
The crowd of playoff contenders remains rows deep. Nowhere is the competition thicker than in the mercurial, messy and murky SEC.
Two SEC teams tumbled off the ledge Saturday.
Offseason darling Missouri never looked the part of playoff contender, and the Tigers made their bust official by getting plastered, 34-0, by Alabama.
In-season darling Vanderbilt persists as a tricky opponent, a team that started Alabama down its sad path toward the broken-hearts club, but the Commodores won’t be a playoff qualifier, not after losing to Texas.
SAY WHAT?! Mike Elko lays waste to Jimbo Fisher after Texas A&M football whacks LSU
CFP PROJECTION: Georgia remains top dog, while Texas A&M moves into the field
That leaves the SEC with seven playoff contenders, and although no rule prevents that many from qualifying for the 12-team playoff, those based in the land of the rationale see that there probably won’t be room for more than four SEC playoff qualifiers to emerge from a crowded bubble.
Here’s how I assess the seven SEC contenders’ playoff chances, from best to worst:
1. Georgia (6-1): The Bulldogs reclaimed their perch of power by mangling Texas a week ago. Games against fellow contenders Tennessee and Ole…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sec-football-playoff-bubble-texas-202051394.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-10-27 20:20:51
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