Ranking SEC football Week 7 matchups by their CFB Playoff chaos potential

This time of the year is usually SEC elimination games for the College Football Playoff. These games usually decide what criteria the CFP selection committee will have when they make their evaluations. This week in particular, well these games are weighted the same. Though Texas needs a bounce-back win, that game against Florida isn’t the same magnitude as two CFP bubble teams playing each other for the head-to-head advantage. 

That’s why this week’s SEC slate could be chaotic when it comes to the CFP selection committee’s decision in a few weeks. Here are the six SEC games, ranked, that have the potential to throw a wrench in an already muddied CFP picture.

6. Auburn Tigers at No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs

Could Auburn pull off the upset? Sure. But it ain’t likely, not as good as Georgia has been playing this season. The win over Alabama pretty much solidified this team as the top team in the country. Auburn has had a lot of turnover and has a new head coach, so this season was always going to be a struggle.

They aren’t going to pull off the upset bid here and shake up the College Football Playoff’s projected No. 1 team. Gunner Stockton is doing exactly what he needs to do on offense and this Georgia defense is once again a problem for offenses.

5. Florida Gators at No. 7 Texas Longhorns

This game has the potential to cause a lot of chaos, but Florida’s miserable loss to Missouri showed us this offense is one-dimensional and the defense isn’t that great. Texas is going to feast on Florida’s defense. Even though Arch Manning is inconsistent, this is a game the Longhorns need to win and dominate if they want to convince the CFP selection committee they’re legit this season.

Florida has a lot to play for, as their season isn’t really over, but it’s a really long shot for them to get back into CFP contention. This one might be close early, but Texas is the better team and will prove that. 

4. No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats at Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma stunned Texas in the Red River Rivalry last week, could the Sooners save their season with a marquee win over Kentucky this week? It’s very possible. This doesn’t have as many CFP implications for now. Kentucky still has a lot to prove and Oklahoma isn’t even ranked. That said, the best way to save your season is to beat consecutive ranked opponents. Imagine how much more complicated the CFP selection committee’s job gets if the Sooners win? It’s easy to eliminate Kentucky, but what do you do about Oklahoma? 

3. No. 16 Mississippi State Bulldogs at No. 22 LSU Tigers

This game is where things get interesting in the SEC. LSU is on the verge of not being ranked and Mississippi State needs a good win to add to the long line of SEC teams in contention for the College Football Playoff. The problem is, regardless of who wins this game, it’s not really going to be considered a good win.

LSU might not finish the season ranked at this point and Mississippi State has a brutal second-half schedule. This is a game that doesn’t have much value, but essentially tanks the team that loses. 

2. No. 6 Alabama Crimson at No. 14 Tennessee Volunteers

This is the second most important SEC game this week. Alabama stayed put at No. 6 after losing to Georgia at home, which is essentially saying the Crimson Tide are still really good. Tennessee played Texas close but unfortunately lost. The Volunteers are right on the cusp of being in the College Football Playoff. A win over Bama not only gives the CFP selection committee the ammo to put them in, but it also proves Bama may once again be a step behind where they should be.

The Crimson Tide can’t afford a loss here. In fact, a loss in this game would absolutely create chaos. The CFP selection committee will have to decide if a two-loss Bama team is really as good as they think they are. 

1. No. 13 Missouri Tigers at No. 9 Ole Miss Rebels

This game should shatter the College Football Playoff seeds for a couple of reasons. The head-to-head matchup probably won’t come into play until after things get sorted out between common opponents. Both teams play Georgia and Texas. If both teams lose, the winner of this game has the advantage over the other. If both teams win, the winner of this game has the advantage as well.

Missouri still needs that marquee win while Ole Miss can’t avoid being a two-loss team. This game is arguably more important to Ole Miss than Missouri. That said, this game will be a massive talking point when the CFP rankings are released.

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