There is still over half a season to go, but if Kiffin stays on trend, this will be the 3rd year in a row where, in a 12 team playoff format, we might actually have been in the discussion into November.
In 2021, we would’ve made the playoff. We were 8th in the final CFP poll. We would’ve hosted Oklahoma State in Oxford in the first round.
In 2022, we were 11th in the CFP when we played Bama on November 12. Even after that loss, we were 14th when we played Arkansas on the 19th. In a 12 team playoff, that may have changed the mindset of last year’s team for those final 2 games, but regardless, we wouldn’t have been “eliminated” until that loss on November 19.
This year, if we win these next 3 where we will be favored, we would likely be Top 12 heading into the November 4 game with A&M, and we would likely know we would just need to split A&M and UGA to get a shot at a bid.
I know that’s getting ahead of things for this year, but if we do get to that A&M game at 7-1, you’d be in a 3rd straight season where we would be in the discussion for the playoff into November.
Just putting that into perspective. I know we have said that the 12 team playoff will be huge for us, but especially with where our program has been operating lately, we would be in a spot where we are in the discussion every season just about.
In 2021, we would’ve made the playoff. We were 8th in the final CFP poll. We would’ve hosted Oklahoma State in Oxford in the first round.
In 2022, we were 11th in the CFP when we played Bama on November 12. Even after that loss, we were 14th when we played Arkansas on the 19th. In a 12 team playoff, that may have changed the mindset of last year’s team for those final 2 games, but regardless, we wouldn’t have been “eliminated” until that loss on November 19.
This year, if we win these next 3 where we will be favored, we would likely be Top 12 heading into the November 4 game with A&M, and we would likely know we would just need to split A&M and UGA to get a shot at a bid.
I know that’s getting ahead of things for this year, but if we do get to that A&M game at 7-1, you’d be in a 3rd straight season where we would be in the discussion for the playoff into November.
Just putting that into perspective. I know we have said that the 12 team playoff will be huge for us, but especially with where our program has been operating lately, we would be in a spot where we are in the discussion every season just about.
