What has happened so far in the 2025 college football season will continue to matter. For Playoff contenders, what matters more are the elimination games in Week 11 and beyond. SEC Football already had an elimination game in Week 10. Oklahoma survived with a win. For the Tennessee Vols, the loss in Knoxville knocked them out of contention for a Playoff spot.
For this discussion, let's project five SEC football teams will ultimately make the Playoff's 12-team field. There is a long way to go, and the number will possibly slip to four. Though one current projection includes six SEC teams, that would cause so many heads to explode that it will not happen.
CFB Playoff Nov. 4 Rankings
The Texas A&M Aggies, Alabama Crimson Tide, Georgia Bulldogs, and Ole Miss Rebels are likely to be ranked in the top eight teams, solidly in the Playoff field. Alabama should be ranked no lower than No. 4 or No. 5.
According to the current AP Poll and ESPN FPI rankings (listed, respectively), the Aggies are ranked No. 3 and No. 9. Alabama is ranked No. 4 in both rankings. Georgia is No. 5 and No. 6. Ole Miss is No. 7 and No. 13.
SEC Football Playoff Bubble Teams
The designation of SEC 'bubble teams' is subjective. Technically, there is enough football left for the SEC to have four bubble teams. Missouri is excluded because of the injury to starting quarterback Beau Pribula. Pribula is given only a small chance of playing before the end of the regular season.
A 'bubble' team is one ranked below the top 10 teams, down to the high teens in the rankings. Three SEC football teams should fit that definition: Texas, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt. Being ranked No. 11 or No. 12 offers no protection. The ACC Champion and the top Group of Six team, ranked below the top 12, will take two Playoff slots.
Vandy, AP Poll ranked No. 15, has the best chance to rise above the bubble, with its three remaining regular-season games being Auburn, Kentucky, and at Tennessee. Oklahoma, AP Poll ranked No. 11, has at Alabama, Missouri, and LSU. Texas, AP Poll ranked No. 13, finishes with at Georgia, Arkansas, and at Texas A&M.
ESPN projects the Playoff probability for the seven SEC teams as: Texas A&M (96.6%), Alabama (92.5%), Georgia (85.5%), Ole Miss (77.3%), Texas (55.2%), Oklahoma (34.3%), and Vanderbilt (30.3%).