It’s all unfolding now, week after week like some sick joke. And there’s not a factor essentially the most highly effective convention in faculty sports activities can do about it.
The SEC is consuming itself on the street to the School Soccer Playoff, a self-destructive stretch that can little doubt end with the worst doable situation.
A tiebreaker deciding who performs within the SEC championship sport, and the School Soccer Playoff choice committee deciding which deserving, two-loss SEC groups keep house from the game’s postseason extravaganza.
“This was complementary soccer at its greatest,” Florida coach Billy Napier mentioned late Saturday afternoon after the Gators formally knocked LSU from the playoff race. “Felt like an NFL sport.”
You wished this NFL Gentle mannequin, you bought it, SEC. And every thing that goes with constructing the proper beast of a convention.
Florida hadn’t gained a big sport in three seasons in Gainesville, however as a result of the expertise is there with the deep NIL budgets of each SEC college, odds are they’d ultimately put all of it collectively. And now LSU is out.
South Carolina, possibly the most popular staff within the convention, formally eradicated Missouri from the SEC/CFP race with a last-minute victory. Hey, everybody, a last-minute victory within the SEC!
Stunning, I inform you.
Lastly we provide you with Georgia, the most important, baddest SEC boogeyman. You didn’t actually suppose the Dawgs have been down for good after dropping by 18 final week at Ole Miss, did you?
Georgia quarterback Carson Beck threw 12 interceptions over the earlier six video games (tied for many within the nation), then performed the very best sport of his profession whereas the Dawgs gave Tennessee its second lack of the season.
STAR TURN: Carson Beck exhibits up when Georgia wants him most
UP AND DOWN: Florida, Colorado lead Week 12 winners and losers
In case you’re scoring at house, that’s two SEC groups with one convention loss (Texas, Texas A&M), and 4 with two losses (Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Ole Miss).
“It’s exhausting to play on the street on this league,” Georgia coach Kirby Sensible mentioned after his staff salvaged its season. “I preserve saying that.”
Possibly somebody on the CFP choice committee will pay attention. Or possibly Indiana, which has performed no sport of significance all season, is within the CFP ― win or lose at Ohio State subsequent week.
Possibly Brigham Younger will win out, after which win or lose within the Huge 12 championship sport, is within the CFP. Possibly the SEC will get 4 groups, or possibly it will get three.
ODD RANKING: Memo to CFP: Ole Miss is every thing Texas is not
Possibly the Huge Ten will get 4, regardless of two of these 4 – Indiana, Penn State – advancing with out a win of significance all season. Simply in case you suppose none of that would actually occur, take a look at final week’s rankings.
Texas and Penn State have performed a mixed 20 video games this season. They’ve crushed one CFP-ranked staff between them (Penn State towards Illinois).
They have been each ranked within the prime 5 final week.
“I don’t know what they search for anymore,” Sensible mentioned.
Right here’s what they need to see: Alabama beat Georgia, which beat Tennessee, which beat Alabama. And Ole Miss beat Georgia.
Later this month, a one-loss SEC staff (Texas or Texas A&M) will beat the opposite.
It’s conceivable – and sure – that 5 of the six groups will end with two convention losses to complete the season. Simply how loopy might this November shakeout get?
The loser of the Texas-Texas A&M sport may very well be out of the CFP. As a result of the loser of that sport gained’t have a resume akin to the opposite two-loss SEC groups.
As damaging: The loser of the SEC championship sport is probably going out of the CFP, too.
“Look, it’s more durable than ever,” Napier mentioned of competing and profitable within the SEC.
That is the beast they constructed. And there is nothing they will do about it now.
Matt Hayes is the senior nationwide faculty soccer author for USA TODAY Sports activities Community. Comply with him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: SEC groups face CFP snubs with everybody knocking one another out
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