re: There’s only one scenario where LSU doesn’t make the playoffs

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there are only 3 teams who control their own destiny

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If winning is all LSU needs, wouldn't that mean there are 5 teams that control their own destiny: LSU, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, and TCU? I would argue USC does as well. If they win out, they are likely in because they benefit from two of Georgia/LSU and Ohio State/Michigan definitely losing.

Georgia in no matter what. SOS #4 (Currently) with wins against #5 Tennessee and #8 Oregon. Combined Score 76-16.
Michigan/Ohio State winner in
TCU in if they win out. SOS #10 (Currently) Wins against #15 Kansas State and #22 Oklahoma State.

Tenn with 1 loss to the #3 Team and wins against #6 LSU and #8 Bama. SOS #2 (Currently)

Michigan/OSU with 1 loss to the #2 or #3 team.
Ohio State with wins against #11 Penn State, #18 Notre Dame. SOS #8 (Currently)
Michigan with wins against #11 Penn State. SOS #32 (Currently)

LSU with losses to #5 Tenn and #19 FSU and wins against #1 Georgia, #8 Alabama, and #14 Ole Miss. SOS #5 (Currently)
If they win out they would have wins against 1,8,14.

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Either head to head results matter...or they don't

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They don't.

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Either conference championships matter...or they don't

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They don't.

Does any of that stuff matter when you look into your refrigerator for something to eat? No. What matters is what you want. And if one night you want ice cream, but the next night you want a popsicle, that doesn't make you evil, or a hypocrite, or anything else.

What matters here is whatever the committee thinks - whatever they want to see in the playoffs. And they have lots of balancing factors. They want to seem fair; they want to spread the wealth around the country; and they want the playoffs to make a lot of money.

Those of you who are looking for an algorithm are not going to find one. It's whatever they think - that's the algorithm.

I'm not sure that we are definitely in if we win out, but I think Tennessee is in a real bad place no matter what. If we beat UGA, I can't believe they'd have two SEC teams in when neither won the conference. I think it comes down to us and one of the other teams not named Tennessee. If we lose, UT may get in but they'll still be competing with UGA, OSU, TCU and USC assuming they all win out. My bias is towards UT in that scenario, but who knows what the committee thinks by then.

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Does any of that stuff matter when you look into your refrigerator for something to eat? No. What matters is what you want. And if one night you want ice cream, but the next night you want a popsicle, that doesn't make you evil, or a hypocrite, or anything else.

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The point I am trying to make is for the people stating as a matter of FACT...rather than opinion that if LSU wins the SEC Championship that they are in ahead of 1 loss UGA and 1 loss Tennessee is to be consistent in the argument/analysis. If head to head record matters in one instance, it should always matter. If conf. championship doesn't matter in one instance, it should never matter. All any can ask for from the committee is consistency. Many on here are saying winning the SEC championship automatically puts LSU in. History says that might not be true.

There is already precedence for a team like LSU being left out in favor of a team like Tennessee. In 2016 Penn State went 10-2 and won the Big 10 championship. Included in those 10 wins was a victory over Ohio State. Yet, when the playoff teams were selected, 11-1 OSU was in and Big 10 champ PSU was out. The reason given by the committee was that they felt OSU was subjectively better over the course of the season.

Has Tennessee looked like the subjectively better team than LSU all season? I think many outside of LSU fans would say yes. Tennessee's best win is a home win over Alabama on the last play of the game...which is the exact same for LSU. Tennessee has been pretty dominant in most of their wins this year...including against LSU. LSU has had a couple of convincing wins over Ole Miss and Mississippi St. But they also struggled to beat two .500 (maybe below .500) teams in Auburn and Arkansas.

So ultimately, I do agree the committee will put whoever they want in the CFP and craft reasons on the back end to justify it...even if those reasons may contradict reasons given in prior scenarios.

I want a SEC champion LSU in the playoffs as much as anyone. But LSU fans dismissing an 11-1 Tennessee who kicked LSU's arse head-to-head simply because they wouldn't be the SEC champ seems foolish.

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I'm not sure that we are definitely in if we win out, but I think Tennessee is in a real bad place no matter what. If we beat UGA, I can't believe they'd have two SEC teams in when neither won the conference. I think it comes down to us and one of the other teams not named Tennessee. If we lose, UT may get in but they'll still be competing with UGA, OSU, TCU and USC assuming they all win out. My bias is towards UT in that scenario, but who knows what the committee thinks by then.

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Here's a question. Why is everyone just assuming Georgia would still get in even with a loss to LSU? I'm sure EVERYONE would say it's because Georgia beat Tennessee. That is completely logical. But wouldn't the same logic apply to an argument for Tennessee over LSU?

Also, if you are deciding between Tenn. and UGA with the position that head-to-head doesn't matter, then Tennessee could have a leg up on that argument given they will have played a tougher schedule than UGA

UGA and the OSU/Michigan winner are in regardless. By winning out, we would jump UT, since we would have a division and conference championship as well as a win over UGA, while they would have none of those, all things that the committee values.

Of course with any loss, it's all over.

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LSU doesn't have the brand

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The only bigger winner this century is out of the playoffs… if anyone left has a “brand” it’s LSU

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The committee loves name brands.

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Yes they do. Their favorite one? SEC Champion.

One game at a time. Beat Ga. WEARE ARE IN CASE CLOSED. BOOK IT