Paul Finebaum, Heather Dinich weigh whether the SEC can send five teams to CFP

Paul Finebaum and Heather Dinich joined Get Up Wednesday morning, unpacking the fallout from Tuesday’s release of the first College Football Playoff rankings. One of the big questions regarding the release was whether the SEC’s strength could lead to an unprecedented five teams in the Top 12.

The initial rankings featured Texas A&M (No. 3), Alabama (No. 4), Georgia (No. 5), Ole Miss (No. 6) in the dance. Texas (No. 11) and Oklahoma (No. 12) were right outside of the selections, but Finebaum said the league’s upcoming matchups make a five-team scenario from the SEC more realistic than some might think.

“I think they have a legitimate shot at five,” Finebaum said. “Heather alluded to it, because think about Texas and Oklahoma. Now, Texas beat Oklahoma, but if Texas were to win at Georgia next week, and then they have Texas A&M later, they could beat two top-five teams.

“Now, Oklahoma has another opportunity. They have Missouri later in the year, but they also have a game at Alabama next week. They could grab a major win. I think one of those two have a legitimate shot at getting in, especially since they play each other the final week of the season.”

Alas, the SEC’s expansion has transformed its playoff dynamic, as Finebaum emphasized how much overlap exists between the conference’s contenders. Wins over top-five opponents will hold extra weight down the stretch, giving both Texas and Oklahoma legitimate paths to the twelve-team field.

Responding, Dinich agreed that chaos could shake up the current order but reminded viewers not to overlook the rest of the national picture: “I think you can also include USC and Michigan in the conversation, and other teams that have chances to win their leagues,” she said.

“If USC goes on the road and beats Oregon? They have a win against Michigan. This is a team that lost to Notre Dame and Illinois by 12 points. So, a lot can and probably will change.”

All told, the first CFP rankings of the season saw the Big Ten reign supreme, with Ohio State debuting at No. 1, followed by Indiana at No. 2 and the aforementioned Aggies and Crimson Tide afterwards. However, Finebaum and Dinich both noted, November is rarely about where teams start, it’s about who can finish.

With so many SEC powers set to clash in the weeks ahead, the playoff may end up running straight through the South. We’ll see if it comes to fruition.