The Georgia Bulldogs just punched their ticket to the College Football Playoffs, barring a cataclysmic late season disaster. After beating the 10th ranked Texas Longhorns 35-10 on Saturday night, the Dawgs are looking like a sure-fire lock to punch their ticket to the post season.
“ESPN gives Georgia a 92.3% chance of making the playoff. Georgia’s path to the playoff is simple,” wrote James Morgan of USA Today prior to Georgia’s win over Texas. “As long as the Bulldogs beat Texas and don’t slip up against Charlotte, Georgia would make the 12-team playoff.”
The Bulldogs are now 9-1, with their lone loss being to the 8-2 Alabama Crimson Tide.
This impressive resume likely grants them a get-out-of-jail-free card in the final game of the season against the 16th ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Meaning next week’s game against the 1-9 Charlotte 49ers is for all the marbles.
Bulldogs Path To SEC Championship Game
Georgia might be in the best position in the SEC. Their one loss is to the Crimson Tide, who they notoriously struggle to beat. But the win over the Ole Miss Rebels will surely land them the highest at large bid in the entire 12-team pool.
However, their path to the SEC Championship Game is not very straight forward.
The easiest path is through Alabama losing to the Auburn Tigers in the final week of the year. Bigger upsets have happened in the Iron Bowl, but after a loss to the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday afternoon the Tide are one loss away from giving the Dawgs their spot in the SECCG.
Additionally, the Bulldogs could get in with a Texas A&M loss in Austin. The Aggies looked horrible in the first half of Saturday’s Week 12 game against the South Carolina Gamecocks. Even so, they were able to overcome a 30-3 halftime deficit and hold USC scoreless in the second half. Texas A&M came back to win it 31-30.
Had the Aggies lost, the Bulldogs would have punched their ticket tonight. But now they will be counting on Texas to beat them in the final week of the season.
Should Georgia Even Want An SEC Championship Berth?
This is a grey area for college football these days. One one hand, winning the SEC by all intents and purposes guarantees a first round bye in the College Football Playoffs.
On the other hand, a loss in any conference championship game can be devastating.
Here is a hypothetical. Texas A&M loses in the final week to Texas. Alabama beats Auburn. Georgia and Alabama advance to the SEC Championship Game.
Texas A&M with one loss is the 4th seed. Georgia is the 3rd seed. Alabama is the 6th seed.
Georgia and Alabama are now forced to play an extra game while the Aggies sit out home watching film and getting healthy. For the winner of that game, it’s an automatic bid to the second round of the playoffs. But for the loser, it might mean they earn an at-large bid and are now playing a first round playoff game two weeks later.
We still haven’t seen this iteration of the CFP bracket play out, but if Georgia does end up earning a spot in the SEC Championship Game, a loss could be detrimental to the post season run.
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