If Georgia loses, Matt Stinchcomb thinks Utah should make College Football Playoff

Matt Stinchcomb thinks if the Georgia Bulldogs lose in the SEC Championship the fourth team that should make the College Football Playoff is the Utah Utes.

There are only seven teams still alive for the College Football Playoff. While the SEC could end up getting two teams in should the Georgia Bulldogs upset the LSU Tigers on Saturday, nobody outside of Dawg Nation wants to see that happen. If they do lose, then either the Baylor Bears, the Oklahoma Sooners or the Utah Utes are getting with that coveted No. 4 spot.

ESPN’s Matt Stinchcomb spoke with FanSided on behalf of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team ahead of the 2019 SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. While the College Football Hall of Famer believes his alma mater is poised to upset LSU, he thinks that if Georgia isn’t the fourth team in, relatively speaking, that it should be Utah out of the Pac-12.

“I think it would be either Oklahoma or Utah and that’s a function of the outcome with the Big 12 Championship game,” said Stinchcomb on who gets in if Georgia loses. “It should be Utah, in my mind, but I think there’s a very good chance it’s Oklahoma. Part of that is a function of brand equity, for a lack of better phrasing.”

“I think Utah is certainly playing better football at this point in time. And I think they have the better of the two losses, although I hate that as a justification.” Stinchcomb likes Utah’s upward trajectory and thinks” the only thing at this point that is keeping Oklahoma relevant in that conversation is the fact that they’re Oklahoma.”

Oklahoma is a college football blue-blood and the program that has dominated the Big 12 throughout the College Football Playoff era. However, the Sooners have never won a national semifinal game in their three trips to date to the Playoff. “Why not tip the scales in favor of a team that is playing better football this late in the season?”

“I don’t think you do it for the sake of doing it,” said Stinchcomb. “I’m not a fan of that. The best four should get in. And I think at this instance because they’re so close, you have to take it into consideration, not that they’re in an underrepresented conference, but a team that’s not a high-profile or a household name per se.”

“I think they’re the better team and because they’re so close, why wouldn’t you? Why not?”

Stinchcomb has certainly made his case for the Utes over the Big 12 winner, whether that be Oklahoma or even Baylor. However, this is all hinges on the Utes getting it done against the Oregon Ducks in the Pac-12 Championship. After that, then Utah needs Georgia to lose and then let the College Football Selection Committee decide their fate.

Matt Stinchcomb spoke with FanSided on behalf of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Stinchcomb, Tim Tebow and more joined Allstate volunteers for a special community service project at East Atlanta Kids Club ahead of the 2019 SEC Championship.

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