Two loss teams that still have a path to the College Football Playoff
They’ve already lost two games, but the respect of winning out against a tough final schedule might be enough to get it done. There are just two of them, and they’re only here because they play in the SEC.
20. Texas A&M Aggies (5-2)
Texas A&M is in the College Football Playoff if … it rolls through the rest of the schedule and Alabama loses once more. There are just enough landmines that an unfocused Tide team could trip on to make this all possible.
First, though, A&M has to take care of home by beating South Carolina, Auburn, at Ole Miss, and at LSU. Do that – and survive the showdown against Prairie View A&M – get one more Bama loss, go to the SEC Championship, beat Georgia, and A&M should be in.
It’s all going to go wrong against … at Ole Miss. If it’s not there, then it could come in what might be the last game of the Ed Orgeron era at LSU, or against Auburn. But on the plus side, it’s a good enough remaining slate that …
Will Texas A&M get into the College Football Playoff? No, but …
Arkansas and Mississippi State beat A&M, but they each have three losses.
If A&M could somehow win its remaining games, and Alabama really does lose once more, it’s off to the SEC Championship. Win that, too, go 11-2, and dare the College Football Playoff committee to keep out the team that beat both Alabama and – most likely – Georgia.
But the Bama loss is a must, and that means A&M needs help, unlike …
Ranking the teams alive for the College Football Playoff
UTSA | San Diego State | Coastal Carolina
SMU | Texas A&M | Auburn | Ole Miss
Notre Dame | Kentucky | Cincinnati
Baylor | Pitt | NC State | Wake Forest
Ohio State | Oregon | Penn State | Iowa
Michigan State | Oklahoma St | Michigan
Alabama | Oklahoma | Georgia
Bowl Projections | CFN Rankings