Ranked Texas A&M Back In National Championship Race
So, you’re saying there’s a chance?
Yes, as far-fetched as it sounds. Just follow the math.
The Aggies, who Sunday jumped to No. 21 in the AP Poll, aren’t dead in the SEC title chase just yet, even if they’ve been on life support the last two weeks. Sitting at 1-2 in conference, a path remains to represent the SEC West in Atlanta come Dec. 4.
Texas A&M is going to need a whole lot of help to get there, but the first domino fell Saturday night at Kyle Field by upsetting Alabama. The most certain route to improbable glory is the Aggies running the table to finish 6-2 in the SEC.
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The Crimson Tide (now ranked fifth) would have to lose again for Texas A&M to hold the tiebreaker. The best candidate for the Aggies’ purposes would be Auburn in the Iron Bowl. If A&M and Bama are tied at 6-2, the Aggies get the nod.
Still, that doesn’t account for all tiebreakers. Obviously, Arkansas (1-2) and Mississippi State (1-1) both hold that same tiebreaker edge over A&M. The Razorbacks would be eliminated with one more loss, and have the Tide on the schedule, among others. The Bulldogs, who would need to drop two, have losable games against Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas and Ole Miss still to play.
It helps that every team in the West already has at least one loss. Assuming the Aggies run the table, they would beat Auburn (1-1), Ole Miss (1-1), and LSU (1-2). Auburn and Ole Miss would need a third loss to be safe, and plenty of opportunities remain for that scenario.
SEC West Standings
| Teams | Record<br> | SEC Games Left<br> |
|---|---|---|
Alabama | 2-1 | @MSST, TENN, LSU, ARK, @AUB |
Ole Miss | 1-1 | @TENN, LSU, @AUB, A&M, VAN, @MSST |
Auburn | 1-1 | @ARK, MISS, @A&M, MSST, @SC, ALA, |
Mississippi State | 1-1 | @VAN, UK, @ARK, @AUB, MISS |
Arkansas | 1-2 | AUB, MSST, @LSU, @ALA, MIZZ |
Texas A&M | 1-2 | @MIZZ, SC, AUB, @MISS, @LSU |
LSU | 1-2 | FLA, @MISS, @ALA, ARK, A&M |
That series of events would leave Texas A&M as the West Division winner and 10-2 overall. Should the Aggies win the SEC Championship Game – mostly likely against top-ranked Georgia – a bid to the four-team College Football Playoff should/would follow.
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There is no way an 11-2 SEC champ with victories over two No. 1s – Bama and Georgia – would be left out of the playoffs.
Yes, the odds are stacked mightily against the Aggies and much needs to fall into place. But the same held true Saturday night, and we saw what happened.
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