The Texas Longhorns’ 22–19 overtime loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game on December 7, 2024, has significant implications for their College Football Playoff seeding. The defeat prevents Texas from securing a first-round bye, which is awarded to the top four highest-ranked conference champions.
With this loss, Texas is expected to drop in the CFP rankings, potentially placing them around the No. 5 or No. 6 spots. Teams ranked in these positions do not receive a bye and must compete in the first round of the playoff. The official CFP rankings, which will confirm Texas’s exact seeding and matchup, are scheduled to be released Sunday at 11 AM CT.
USA TODAY Sports has outlined two possible outcomes for Championship Saturday, where the Longhorns came up short in an SEC title game. In both scenarios, Texas ends up as the No. 6 seed, hosting a playoff game. But both were coupled with an Oregon loss.
What this means is Texas will probably end up the No. 5 seed, which is the highest seed for a non conference champion.
In the College Football Playoff system, the top four highest-ranked conference champions receive first-round byes, advancing directly to the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams—comprising the next highest-ranked conference champion and at-large selections—compete in the first round.
This structure emphasizes the importance of conference championships, as only conference champions are eligible for the top four seeds and the accompanying byes. Independent teams, such as Notre Dame, are ineligible for these top four seeds since they are not affiliated with any conference.
The selection committee determines the rankings and seedings based on various criteria, including team performance, strength of schedule, and other relevant factors. The final rankings are released tomorrow.