Will 9-3 be good enough to get into playoffs?

Uh..... Hell no.

Had to edit.... A 3 loss team is possible, but improbable. Maybe it has to be a 3 loss team if there aren't enough one and two loss teams.

10-2 definitely

Depends on the season. In 2018 we played in the Fiesta Bowl at 9-3 and ranked #11. Last year we were 9-3 and ranked #13 at the end of the regular season. If you want to make the playoff your best bet is to not do what we did Sunday and win the winnable games on your schedule.

9-3 is going to be the very unlikely but possible record in a 12-team format. Probably 9 teams out of 10 with 9-3 records will be left out, but there wil be that 10% exisiting where maybe 1 9-3 team makes it every other year or so.

I would hate to get to the end of the season and 2 9-3 teams are us and USC, because you know what will happen in that instance if they can only take 1.

If we have 2 more heartbreaking losses I can see a path but we’d need a ton to break our way

Unlikely, but there is really no precedence

We know 4 conference champions are in regardless of record, as well as the highest ranked team from outside the 4 power conferences. That leaves 7 "at large" spots. Last year 9-3 LSU (at the end of the regular season) would not have made it. But it will be interesting to see if the committee looks at SOS like the basketball committee does.

I think for years the committee didn't really care all that much who was ranked beyond 5 or 6. So they just ranked teams 7-13 (or so) like the lazy pollster do...better record = higher ranking...regardless of strength of victory or strength of schedule. In the basketball tournament it is not uncommon, at all, to see teams with worse overall records get in and be seeded higher than teams with better overall records. The reason is because those teams played tougher schedules and beat better opponents.

For example. Let's say Missouri goes 10-2 with losses @ A&M and @ Alabama. Wins vs. Vandy, Auburn, OU, @ S. Carolina, @ Miss. St, Arkansas

Let's say LSU goes 9-3 with losses to USC (N), @ A&M, @ Arkansas, with wins over Ole Miss, Alabama, OU

Missouri would have less losses, but they would have really no notable wins. LSU would have more losses, but notable wins vs. Ole Miss and Alabama. Plus, a (likely) stronger SOS.

In basketball LSU likely gets in ahead of Missouri, despite the worse record, because LSU would have more "good" wins. We'll see if the committee takes into account

Depends on the level of parity among the top 15-20 programs. If there is more parity than normal 9-3 gets in 100%

If USC wins out and the other 2 losses are BAMA and OLE MISS, maybe.

quote:

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Go look what the top 12 rankings have been the last few years at the end of the regular season. That should tell you the chances.

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Every year since 2013 (minus the bs covid year) there has been at least 1 team in the top 12 with 3 losses in week 15 (rankings after conference championships)

If it is one of those weak sauce conference ins at #12, maybe. Otherwise 10 and 2 at best.

10 pts a half won't cut it.

and with Ole Miss and AL and maybe a toe stubber/trap from an SEC red team TBD (Ark or OU or A&M, pick only one) and we're 8-4 going to the late December mid-bowl.