Who are the national title contenders right now?

[CaptainFalcon]

I’m not talking playoff contenders because that’s a big group. I’m talking teams that can win it all.

Ohio State
Oregon
?????

I mean is there anyone in the SEC right now that has looked clearly good enough to do it? The highest ranked SEC team currently is Ole Miss, followed by Oklahoma and Texas A&M… do we feel confident in those three at all? The Bama and Georgia types seem flimsier than usual too.

There are teams that have probably underperformed and are capable of getting it going. But this is such an odd year at the top of the sport.

 

[GloryDawg]

If Vandy beats Bama they have a really good shot.

This is their schedule.
Bama
LSU
Missouri
Texas
Aru burn
Ky
Tenn

 

[patdog]

Right now, in order:
Ohio St.
Oregon
Texas A&M
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Miami

 

[JackShephard]

Right now, in order:
Ohio St.
Oregon
Texas A&M
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Miami

Ole Miss has ZERO shot. They are the "victim" of a junk schedule right now. LSU is not a great team. They were overrated based on beating a bad Clemson team. They've beaten the worst two teams in the SEC (not by much, either), Tulane (G5, decent, but not good), and an overrated LSU team who I think will end up 8-4 or 7-5.

The will make the CFP, for sure. There's nothing left on their schedule that could possibly lead to more than 3 losses. But they won't be able to compete with any of the actual contenders that make the playoff. Could they get through a round 1 game against one of the other bottom 3 playoff teams? Sure. But that's their ceiling.

 

[patdog]

Ole Miss has ZERO shot. They are the "victim" of a junk schedule right now. LSU is not a great team. They were overrated based on beating a bad Clemson team. They've beaten the worst two teams in the SEC (not by much, either), Tulane (G5, decent, but not good), and an overrated LSU team who I think will end up 8-4 or 7-5.

The will make the CFP, for sure. There's nothing left on their schedule that could possibly lead to more than 3 losses. But they won't be able to compete with any of the actual contenders that make the playoff. Could they get through a round 1 game against one of the other bottom 3 playoff teams? Sure. But that's their ceiling.

Let's hope so.

 

[POTUS]

Ole Miss has ZERO shot. They are the "victim" of a junk schedule right now. LSU is not a great team. They were overrated based on beating a bad Clemson team. They've beaten the worst two teams in the SEC (not by much, either), Tulane (G5, decent, but not good), and an overrated LSU team who I think will end up 8-4 or 7-5.

The will make the CFP, for sure. There's nothing left on their schedule that could possibly lead to more than 3 losses. But they won't be able to compete with any of the actual contenders that make the playoff. Could they get through a round 1 game against one of the other bottom 3 playoff teams? Sure. But that's their ceiling.

This sounds like wish casting. The field is weak this year, as evidenced by this thread. It's a perfect time for a not-so-great team to sneak in to a title. Hopefully it's not them, but the opportunity is there.

 

[anon1768925248]

I think you have to throw Alabama back in the mix at this point. Much as I hate it.

 

[Bulldog45]

Penn State took Oregon to 2OT so I’d say they have a shot too

 

[CaptainFalcon]

If you made me bet Ohio State or Oregon vs the field today, I would bet Ohio State or Oregon.

 

[Xenomorph]

MSU fandom is an echo chamber of denial right now.

Of COURSE the bears are good enough to win it all this year. Are they the best team in the nation?.. no, but they don’t have to be. They just need to find a way to beat whoever they play.. and they’re good enough to do that if the breaks go their way.

Hell.. we should have beaten UTK Saturday and they’re better than us at literally every position except maybe RB.

 

[CaptainFalcon]

Penn State took Oregon to 2OT so I’d say they have a shot too

James Franklin’s track record in big games says they’ll be in the playoff but highly unlikely to win it.

 

[CaptainFalcon]

If Vandy beats Bama they have a really good shot.

This is their schedule.
Bama
LSU
Missouri
Texas
Aru burn
Ky
Tenn

Again, they can make the playoff and that would be awesome for Vandy,

I don’t really think they are a threat to win the whole thing though.

 

[CaptainFalcon]

My general takeaway is the era of SEC dominance at the top is pretty much over. Yeah it’s still a really deep league. But the SEC doesn’t have a stranglehold at the top anymore. I mean heck, we haven’t had an SEC team even participate the national title game for two years. And I’m not seeing a ton so far that changes that trend.

I think Ole Miss is a very good team…. They also played one score games against terrible Arkansas and Kentucky teams and I’m not 100% sure how good of a win LSU truly is if the LSU offense continues to suck. LSU was a Top 5 team by virtue of beating Clemson…. Who is currently 1-3 with a home loss to a not particularly good Syracuse.

I’m just not sure what to make of the league in general right now. Seems like there are a ton of good teams but not much great.

 

[anon1768925248]

MSU fandom is an echo chamber of denial right now.

Of COURSE the bears are good enough to win it all this year. Are they the best team in the nation?.. no, but they don’t have to be. They just need to find a way to beat whoever they play.. and they’re good enough to do that if the breaks go their way.

Hell.. we should have beaten UTK Saturday and they’re better than us at literally every position except maybe RB.

Ole Miss is 100 % good enough to win the national title this year. This is the most parity the sport has ever seen.

 

[Xenomorph]

My general takeaway is the era of SEC dominance at the top is pretty much over. Yeah it’s still a really deep league. But the SEC doesn’t have a stranglehold at the top anymore. I mean heck, we haven’t had an SEC team even participate the national title game for two years. And I’m not seeing a ton so far that changes that trend.

I think Ole Miss is a very good team…. They also played one score games against terrible Arkansas and Kentucky teams and I’m not 100% sure how good of a win LSU truly is if the LSU offense continues to suck. LSU was a Top 5 team by virtue of beating Clemson…. Who is currently 1-3 with a home loss to a not particularly good Syracuse.

I’m just not sure what to make of the league in general right now. Seems like there are a ton of good teams but not much great.

You’ve about convinced me that there isn’t a truly great team this year…

 

[HailStout]

Beating ole Miss this year would make me very happy

 

[onewoof]

Right now, in order:
Ohio St.
Oregon
Texas A&M
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Miami

Ohio State
Bama
Oregon
Georgia

That's the list

 

[paindonthurt]

If Vandy beats Bama they have a really good shot.

This is their schedule.
Bama
LSU
Missouri
Texas
Aru burn
Ky
Tenn

I’ll give you 25/1 odds on $50 that vandy doesn’t win the national title

 

[paindonthurt]

MSU fandom is an echo chamber of denial right now.

Of COURSE the bears are good enough to win it all this year. Are they the best team in the nation?.. no, but they don’t have to be. They just need to find a way to beat whoever they play.. and they’re good enough to do that if the breaks go their way.

Hell.. we should have beaten UTK Saturday and they’re better than us at literally every position except maybe RB.

10 to 1 odds on $25?

 

[Xenomorph]

10 to 1 odds on $25?

I’m not sure what we’d be betting on..

The bears are good enough to win it all?
The bears will win it all?
We should have beaten UTK last week?

 

[thatsbaseball]

Right now, in order:
Ohio St.
Oregon
Texas A&M
Mississippi
Oklahoma
Miami

Pat, shake yourself. There is a 100% chance the Aggies will 17 this up......100%

 

[CaptainFalcon]

You’ve about convinced me that there isn’t a truly great team this year…

I think the SEC is wide open and it’s very feasible a a team like OM could get to Atlanta and maybe win the SEC title. I don’t have a dang clue how to power rank the SEC right now. That will come into somewhat clearer focus soon, but right now there’s a lot of grey area. Which is great if you’re a non-blue blood having a hot start like OM or Vandy or a few others.

I’m kinda of the opinion the national title is Ohio State’s to lose until someone takes it from them. Oregon poses the biggest threat of the teams I’ve seen so far. Unless one of the big names in the SEC gets their crap together. If that happens, Bama or Texas would be my guess.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I think the SEC is wide open and it’s very feasible a a team like OM could get to Atlanta and maybe win the SEC title. I don’t have a dang clue how to power rank the SEC right now. That will come into somewhat clearer focus soon, but right now there’s a lot of grey area. Which is great if you’re a non-blue blood having a hot start like OM or Vandy or a few others.

I’m kinda of the opinion the national title is Ohio State’s to lose until someone takes it from them. Oregon poses the biggest threat of the teams I’ve seen so far. Unless one of the big names in the SEC gets their crap together. If that happens, Bama or Texas would be my guess.

To me (and I hate to say this) OM is kinda like Tenn during and the year after their Peyton years, They had one of the two or three best College of the best QB's in the country for three years and couldn't get it done......he graduates and they kinda drop off everybody's radar but have a huge year and win it all.

 

[paindonthurt]

I’m not sure what we’d be betting on..

The bears are good enough to win it all?
The bears will win it all?
We should have beaten UTK last week?

that the bears win it all.

 

[MississippiTexan]

Ole Miss can't make the playoffs. They'll lose to Georgia and Oklahoma. We will lose to A&M and Georgia, but we will win out including the Egg Bowl to end 9-3 and move ahead of 9-3 Ole Miss and take their spot in the playoff. It's clear as day, how are y'all not seeing this?

 

[StarkVegas Steve]

Ole Miss can't make the playoffs. They'll lose to Georgia and Oklahoma. We will lose to A&M and Georgia, but we will win out including the Egg Bowl to end 9-3 and move ahead of 9-3 Ole Miss and take their spot in the playoff. It's clear as day, how are y'all not seeing this?

IF, and it's a MASSIVE if, we were able to win this weekend we have a legit shot to run the table and it be 11-0 or 10-1 OM vs 10-1 or 9-2 State as a playoff elimination game.

 

[RocketDawg]

OM's better than most here care to admit. Plus, their schedule for the rest of the year is about as easy as it gets in the SEC. They should make the playoffs, and maybe win a game or two. It would be nice if we could burst their bubble at the end, and it might happen.

Oregon and Ohio State are the dominants in the country though. One of them should be the national champions. Both Georgia and Alabama are mediocre compared to what they usually are.

 

[Xenomorph]

that the bears win it all.

Oh… tell you what.. make it $10K and I’ll consider it.

 

[JackShephard]

OM's better than most here care to admit. Plus, their schedule for the rest of the year is about as easy as it gets in the SEC. They should make the playoffs, and maybe win a game or two. It would be nice if we could burst their bubble at the end, and it might happen.

Oregon and Ohio State are the dominants in the country though. One of them should be the national champions. Both Georgia and Alabama are mediocre compared to what they usually are.

They're not bad, by any stretch. I'll respond to you, and the "wishcasting" and "MSU echo chamber" (eyeroll at both) comments. They have one good win. That's LSU, and LSU has a bottom 3 in the SEC offense. Their defense is a little overrated too, because Ole Miss is the best offense they've played. There's little meaningful data on LSU and Ole Miss at this point. The more data we get, the more my assertions will be borne out.

 

[anon1768925248]

They're not bad, by any stretch. I'll respond to you, and the "wishcasting" and "MSU echo chamber" (eyeroll at both) comments. They have one good win. That's LSU, and LSU has a bottom 3 in the SEC offense. Their defense is a little overrated too, because Ole Miss is the best offense they've played. There's little meaningful data on LSU and Ole Miss at this point. The more data we get, the more my assertions will be borne out.

The problem is they were gifted the easiest SEC schedule humanly possible and one of the 2 really good teams they play may not even have their quarterback when they play them. Their schedule compared to ours makes me legit angry. It’s ridiculous how unbalanced it is. We won’t really know what they have until the playoffs, possibly.

 

[DAWGSANDSAINTS]

Again, they can make the playoff and that would be awesome for Vandy,

I don’t really think they are a threat to win the whole thing though.

They won’t get out of TTown Saturday without losing by double digits.
There are easily 10 teams that would beat Vandy. They MAY make the playoffs, doubt it, but they have zero chance of winning even one unless they somehow were to get matched up against a Memphis or USF type team.

 

[CaptainFalcon]

There’s no doubt that OM has a high floor this year. And that may entail making the playoff with the schedule they have left.

Championship ceiling? Less sold on that so far.

 

[DoggieDaddy13]

TAMU will be out after we take them out.

OM is going to end up in one of the top 4 playoff spots, (they may lose to UGA, but they won't lose to OU) -- unless we can figure out a way to beat them, then they would likely slide in at 10-2.

Would love to see us put a 3rd loss on them.

 

[GloryDawg]

I’ll give you 25/1 odds on $50 that vandy doesn’t win the national title

I am not talking NC. I am talking playoff. They are just as much in it as Ole Miss or anyone else in the SEC. They beat Bama it is on. They have a shot to make it to the playoff. If they lose then not. I am not calling it. I am just saying they look as good as anyone else in the SEC. The conference is wide open. No clear favorite. We will know more this weekend after going into Bama.

 

[olblue]

Ole Miss is 100 % good enough to win the national title this year. This is the most parity the sport has ever seen

Until a team other than Georgia, Texas, Alabama or LSU emerges in the SEC title game, you might want to pump the breaks on the parity plea.

 

[olblue]

I’m not sure what we’d be betting on..

The bears are good enough to win it all?
The bears will win it all?
We should have beaten UTK last week?

No one is surprised that paindonthurt didn’t think something all the way through.

 

[anon1768925248]

Until a team other than Georgia, Texas, Alabama or LSU emerges in the SEC title game, you might want to pump the breaks on the parity plea.

I mean they all still have more front line talent than everyone else but it is pretty obvious that they are not boat racing everyone like they used to because of a lack of depth.

 

[olblue]

Oh… tell you what.. make it $10K and I’ll consider it.

I see what you did there.

3,2,1… before the…beep, beep, beep

 

[olblue]

I am not talking NC. I am talking playoff. They are just as much in it as Ole Miss or anyone else in the SEC. They beat Bama it is on. They have a shot to make it to the playoff. If they lose then not. I am not calling it. I am just saying they look as good as anyone else in the SEC. The conference is wide open. No clear favorite. We will know more this weekend after going into Bama.

No they don’t and no it isn’t

 

[The Cooterpoot]

OM went from losing to both KY and AR, the bottom feeders, to getting lucky in both games. Then they beat an LSU team that has looked bad all season. OM is the fraud of the bunch. Oregon and OSU look good. I'd say Miami probably. I don't think A&M is great. TN, AL, TX could make a run. GA & A&M after that probably.