Unlike at least one other institute of higher learning in this state, the University of Georgia doesn’t require every undergrad to take calculus. That’s OK. In this case, basic math will suffice. Week 3 of the College Football Playoff rankings saw the Bulldogs plunge from No. 1 to No. 7, which isn’t as far as it sounds. Indeed, the numbers still work.
There are six teams ahead of Georgia. No. 1 Alabama will play No. 6 Auburn in the Iron Bowl. Georgia will then play the Alabama/Auburn winner in the SEC Championship game. No. 2 Clemson will face No. 3 Miami in the ACC Championship game. Should the Bulldogs win out, three of the teams ranked ahead of them will have lost. That’s how you go from No. 7 to no worse than No. 4, which is all you need to be for tournament inclusion.
There’s an easier way of saying this. (Heck, we’ve been saying it for weeks.) A one-loss SEC champ, which is what Georgia will be if it wins the title game, will absolutely make the field of four. (I’m sorry, but I still don’t see Tech beating the Bulldogs. More fun with numbers: Both Tech and Georgia scored 41 points against Tennessee; trouble is, Tech lost.)
There aren’t enough other Power 5 teams that can finish with one loss (or fewer) to bump a 12-1 Georgia from the final top four. Oklahoma probably will win out, so that’s one. Clemson will probably beat Miami, so that’s two. Should Miami win the ACC and go 13-0, Clemson would have two losses and the Hurricanes would take the Tigers’ place. Should Wisconsin finish unbeaten – it won’t, but let’s play along – that would be a third qualifier. For Georgia to win the SEC means that Alabama will have suffered a loss.
To reiterate: All that happened at Auburn – well, other than the part about Georgia getting annihilated – was that the Bulldogs’ chance of making the playoff as an SEC runner-up was dashed. It will be intriguing to see if Bama, should it beat Auburn and lose to Georgia, would make it. It would be even more fascinating should Alabama lose to Auburn: Could it gain admission at 11-1 as a non-SEC champ?
We’ll let the folks in Tuscaloosa worry about that. For today, all we on this side of the state border need concern ourselves with is this: Georgia still has a clear path to the semifinals. The numbers still work.
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