CFP Bracketology: What Georgia needs to get back into the 12-team playoff field

It has been a rough last few days for the Georgia Bulldogs. After having been the No. 3 team in the nation and seeded No. 2 overall in the first College Football Playoff rankings, the Dawgs dropped to No. 12 and No. 13 respectively in Tuesday night's rankings after their brutal road loss to Ole Miss. While the Dawgs are still very much alive for the playoff, what if they lose at home to Tennessee?

No. 7 Tennessee at No. 12 Georgia is the greatest college football game of consequence this weekend. The winner of this SEC game in Athens will, for all intents and purposes, punch its ticket into the playoff field. Tennessee may be a game better than Georgia at 8-1, but the Dawgs would own the head-to-head tiebreaker heading into, essentially cupcake week. The loser will be in a rough spot.

So as we unpack what Georgia needs to do to get in, let's start with who the Dawgs have left to play.

For those who missed the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night, this is the latest top 25.

1. Oregon Ducks: (10-0)
2. Ohio State Buckeyes: (8-1)
3. Texas Longhorns: (8-1)
4. Penn State Nittany Lions: (8-1)
5. Indiana Hoosiers: (10-0)
6. BYU Cougars: (9-0)
7. Tennessee Volunteers: (8-1)
8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: (8-1)
9. Miami Hurricanes: (9-1)
10. Alabama Crimson Tide: (7-2)
11. Ole Miss Rebels: (8-2)
12. Georgia Bulldogs: (7-2)
13. Boise State Broncos: (8-1)
14. SMU Mustangs: (8-1)
15. Texas A&M Aggies: (7-2)
16. Kansas State Wildcats: (7-2)
17. Colorado Buffaloes: (7-2)
18. Washington State Cougars: (8-1)
19. Louisville Cardinals: (6-3)
20. Clemson Tigers: (7-2)
21. South Carolina Gamecocks: (6-3)
22. LSU Tigers: (6-3)
23. Missouri Tigers: (7-2)
24. Army Black Knights: (9-0)
25. Tulane Green Wave: (8-2)

Based on Tuesday night's rankings, this would be the 12 teams getting into the playoff as of right now.

1. Oregon Ducks: (10-0) (Projected Big Ten champion)
2. Texas Longhorns: (8-1) (Projected SEC champion)
3. BYU Cougars: (9-0) (Projected Big 12 champion)
4. Miami Hurricanes: (9-1) (Projected ACC champion)
5. Ohio State Buckeyes: (8-1) (Projected Big Ten runner-up)
6. Penn State Nittany Lions: (8-1) (Projected Big Ten at-large)
7. Indiana Hoosiers: (10-0) (Projected Big Ten at-large)
8. Tennessee Volunteers: (8-1) (Projected SEC runner-up)
9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: (8-1) (Projected national independent at-large)
10. Alabama Crimson Tide: (7-2) (Projected SEC at-large)
11. Ole Miss Rebels: (8-2) (Projected SEC at-large)
12. Boise State Broncos: (8-1) (Projected Mountain West/Group of Five champion)

Since we are talking all about Georgia here, these would be the first four teams out ahead of Week 12.

• 13. Georgia Bulldogs: (7-2) (SEC)
• 14. SMU Mustangs: (8-1) (Projected ACC runner-up)
• 15. Texas A&M Aggies: (7-2) (SEC)
• 16. Kansas State Wildcats: (7-2) (Projected Big 12 runner-up)

Now that we have all of this information, here is what must happen for Georgia to make the playoff.

What Georgia Bulldogs need to do to make the College Football Playoff

Given how arduous Georgia's schedule has been, the Dawgs will be comfortably into the playoff field with a 10-2 (6-2) record. They will have had quality wins over presumably Clemson, Texas and Tennessee. Their only two losses would be ones of quality vs. likely playoff teams in Alabama and Ole Miss. This probably will not be enough to get to Atlanta but should push Georgia in as a top-10 seed.

The big questions remaining are if Georgia could get in with a third loss, as well as what teams do the Dawgs need to root for to ensure playoff inclusion. If a third loss is to UMass, Georgia is not getting in because that defeat would be so punitive. If it were to Tennessee, it would be very borderline, but not looking good. If it were to Georgia Tech after Tennessee and UMass wins, that is so incredibly tricky.

As far as teams Georgia should root for, I would say Alabama, Clemson, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas for starters. There may be others, but rooting for them in non-Georgia games would only help amplify the Dawgs' case to get in if it were to come down to the wire. As far as who to root against, it starts with Missouri, South Carolina and Vanderbilt in the SEC and a slew of many others outside of it.

The best things to happen to Georgia outside of the SEC in the Power Four is for Notre Dame to lose, for the ACC and Big 12 to only get one team in apiece, and probably in all honesty, for the Big Ten to only get three teams in. I would say rooting against BYU, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas State, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and SMU probably covers most of your bases.

The last thing Georgia needs is for untested teams ranked above them to stay above them. Notre Dame losing a second game would be so massive, as would be the case for teams like Penn State and SMU. Simply put, if the SEC can get five teams in, then Georgia should be among them. If it is only four, then they need someone like Alabama, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M to lose.

A 10-2 Georgia team makes the playoff, while a 9-3 team is incredibly borderline, but may not get in.