SEC Bracketology: How Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Arkansas can make the Big Dance

The Super Bowl is in the rearview, and the month of March is closing in. You know what that means: It's time to talk brackets, baby.

The SEC has been the king of college basketball this season, with a whopping 13 of 17 teams projected to make the field of 68 according to Joe Lunardi's latest bracket projection at ESPN. But while teams like Auburn, Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M are jockeying for top four seeds, plenty of others find themselves squarely on the bubble as we hit the season's stretch run — including John Calipari and newly resurgent Arkansas.

Who will be in, and who will be left out on Selection Sunday? Let's take a look at four of the tightest cases left in the toughest conference in the country.

SEC Bracketology: How Arkansas can make the NCAA Tournament

Lunardi's latest Bracketology update has the Razorbacks on the outside looking in as one of the first teams out of the tourney. But with a 3-2 record in their last five and a game effort against No. 2 Alabama over the weekend, Arkansas is finally playing like a tournament team — and they have a chance to play themselves in thanks to a friendly closing schedule.

What exactly will it require? Right now, anything less than a 5-3 finish over their final eight games probably won't be enough. That has to start on Wednesday against LSU, which would be a blemish this resume couldn't afford. Road trips to top-10 Auburn and Texas A&M follow, but even if you chalk those up as automatic losses, there's a very attainable path here. Sweep three home games against Missouri, Texas and Mississippi State, split road dates with South Carolina and Vanderbilt and you're now at 19-12 overall and 8-10 in what is far and away the toughest conference in America, with Mississippi State and Missouri providing two more Quad 1 wins. It does feel like beating one of those two top-25 teams is a must, though.

SEC Bracketology: How Texas can make the NCAA Tournament

The Longhorns' slide continued on Tuesday, with a home blowout at the hands of Alabama making it four losses in their last five. Lunardi still has them as among the last four byes, but with a 6-9 record against Quads 1 and 2 and a 1-6 record in Quad 1(A) games, they can't afford to slip too much further.

All of which makes Saturday's home showdown with Kentucky crucial; it's Texas' final Quad 1 opportunity at home this season, and if they don't take advantage, suddenly road tilts with Arkansas and Mississippi State become something close to must-wins. Win on Saturday, take care of business at home against Georgia and Oklahoma and avoid a slip-up at South Carolina, and the Horns should be in good shape. Lose to the Cats, and they might not be able to afford another loss given their dreadful non-conference schedule.

SEC Bracketology: How Georgia can make the NCAA Tournament

Mike White's team is beginning to come apart at the seams, with losses in seven of their last nine games after an ugly showing at Texas A&M on Tuesday night. The Dawgs' two wins in that stretch are against bottom-feeders South Carolina and LSU at home, and this resume is relying an awful lot on wins over St. John's and Kentucky earlier in the season — Georgia's only two Quad 1 wins so far.

Georgia is hanging on to a spot in the First Four right now, per Lunardi, but things might get worse before they get better, with home games against Missouri and Florida sandwiching a trip to Auburn coming up next. If the Dawgs don't win at least one of those, you can probably put a fork in them. Beat Missouri, close with three straight wins at Texas and South Carolina and at home against Vanderbilt, and 8-10 in conference might be enough. They'd still only have three Quad 1 wins, though, so they might need to pull a shocking upset against the Gators or Tigers.

SEC Bracketology: How Oklahoma can make the NCAA Tournament

The Sooners rang in the new year at 13-0, ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll and with strong wins over Michigan, Arizona and Louisville in the non-conference. Now, they're getting dangerously close to not even making the tournament at all, with Joe Lunardi having the Sooners among his last four byes in his most recent Bracketology update. They enter Wednesday at just 3-7 in SEC play, and if they don't rack up some more Quad 1 wins down the stretch, things could get dicey.

The good news is that plenty of opportunities remain, starting Wednesday night on the road against Missouri. A must-win home date with LSU is next, followed by a bear of a closing run that includes road trips to Florida, Ole Miss and Texas as well as home games against Mississippi State, Kentucky and Missouri again. The Sooners don't need to win all of those, but with a 4-6 record in Q1 games, they need to at least pick up two or three more to feel good about their chances. Going 4-4, taking care of business at home and finishing at 7-11 in conference with seven Q1 wins should do it. Anything less, though, spells trouble.