SEC College Football Playoff Chase: Where League’s Contenders Stand After Week 8

College football's deepest league still has a significant number of teams in the mix to make the 12-team CFP field.

LSU's Brian Kelly and Ole Miss's Lane Kiffin both have their team in the mix to reach the College Football Playoff. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Big Ten has had more national title success over the last few years, but no league can replicate the SEC's depth when it comes to national title contention. Three SEC teams reached the 12-team College Football Playoff field a year ago—Georgia, Tennessee and Texas. All three of those programs are still in the mix to return, but they're far from alone in jockeying for playoff position as we hit the midway point of the season.

Ole Miss and Texas A&M remain undefeated at 6–0, while another seven SEC programs have taken just one loss. While we only have a single year of data to go off of at this point, SEC teams with just one or two losses should all be in pretty good shape to earn an at-large big. Last year, 9–3 SEC teams Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina were three of the first four teams left out of the field.

Fischer: College Football Playoff Bracket Week 8 Live Projections

As we enter Week 8, which SEC teams would be in as of today, which are on the outside looking in and which have a lot of work to do to make the field? Let's take a look.

Editor's Note: Patrick Andres, Tom Dierberger, Dan Lyons and Mike McDaniel contributed to this story.

SEC teams projected to make the College Football Playoff

Mike Elko's Texas A&M program is the highest-ranked SEC team in the AP Top 25 entering Week 8. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

No. 4 Texas A&M Aggies

Week 8 result: 45–42 W at Arkansas

Postgame playoff status: In. Texas A&M avoided the trap game loss, outlasting Bobby Petrino's Razorbacks in Fayetteville. Marcel Reed accounted for 335 total yards and four touchdowns, out-dueling Taylen Green (341 total yards, five touchdowns) in a shootout. The Aggies move to 7–0 and is the only remaining undefeated team in the SEC. -Dan Lyons

Before Texas A&M at Arkansas: In. Texas A&M entered the 2025 season ranked No. 19 in the AP poll, and flew up the rankings after traveling to South Bend and exacting revenge on a Notre Dame team that suffocated the Aggies’ offense in the 2024 opener. Since the thrilling 41–40 victory against the eighth-ranked Irish, the Aggies have extended their win streak to six, and enter Saturday’s contest in Fayetteville against Arkansas undefeated and ranked fourth in the country. Bobby Petrino, the Arkansas interim, has never lost to Texas A&M. Could the Aggies be overlooking an overmatched Razorbacks program? After all, A&M is beginning its toughest stretch of the season after this Week 8 tilt, with road trips to LSU and Mizzou. 

The Aggies have some wiggle room thanks to the early season win against Notre Dame. A 4–2 finish against a schedule with trips to Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, and Texas along with home games against South Carolina and Samford should get A&M to its first College Football Playoff. -Mike McDaniel

No. 5 Ole Miss Rebels

Week 8 result: 43–35 L at No. 9 Georgia

Postgame playoff status: In. Ole Miss suffers their first loss of the season, dropping a shootout to the Bulldogs in Athens. Trinidad Chambliss had some moments of brilliance, but was held to 19-for-36 passing for 263 yards and a score, and while the Rebels ran for four touchdowns, they managed under 3.7 yards per carry on the game. The defense had no answers for Gunner Stockton, who threw for four touchdowns on the day. A tight loss in Athens shouldn't hurt Ole Miss much in the CFP race, but the Rebels need to take advantage of one of the weaker second-half schedules in the SEC.

Before Ole Miss at Georgia: In. The Rebels entered the year expected to take a step back after losing a ton of talent, including quarterback Jaxson Dart, to the NFL. The team suffered an injury to starting quarterback Austin Simmons, leading to former Division II star Trinidad Chambliss stepping in as the trigger man for Lane Kiffin’s offense. And all the Rebels have done in the face of that adversity is go 6–0 to start the year. It hasn’t been perfect—Kentucky, Arkansas and Washington State teams that are nowhere near playoff-caliber all finished within a score of Ole Miss—but the Rebels scored a big win over LSU and only have two huge hurdles remaining with Saturday’s game at Georgia and a Week 9 trip to Oklahoma. The Rebels can afford a loss, although the end of the regular season, which features games against South Carolina, The Citadel, Florida and Mississippi State, doesn’t feature a ton of obvious résumé-builders, so a win over either the Bulldogs or Sooners is important. As of now, though, Ole Miss firmly controls its own destiny. -Dan Lyons

No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide

Week 8 result: 37–20 W vs. No. 11 Tennessee

Postgame playoff status: In. Once again, the Third Saturday in October goes to Alabama. Ty Simpson was rock solid for the Crimson Tide again, throwing for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Tennessee outgained Alabama on the day, but the Crimson Tide defense forced three punts, a turnover on downs and recorded a safety in the game. Alabama has looked like the SEC's best team since their Week 1 loss to Florida State, and keeps rolling towards the 12-team field. -Dan Lyons

Before Alabama vs. Tennessee: In. It might be the third-highest ranked SEC team in the AP Poll, but no conference member’s stock is higher than Alabama’s right now. Shaking off a season-opening loss to Florida State, the Crimson Tide have downed three top 20 teams in a row, including Georgia and Missouri on the road. Alabama could probably take a second loss and hear its name called Dec. 7, but it will likely be favored against Tennessee (Saturday), LSU (Nov. 8), and Oklahoma (Nov. 15). Defensive-minded—and offensively challenged—Auburn looms as a potential land mine Nov. 29, but Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson could use that game as an opportunity for a Heisman closing statement. -Patrick Andres

No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs

Week 8 result: 43–35 W vs. No. 5 Ole Miss

Postgame playoff status: In. We don't usually expect to see Georgia winning via shootout, but that is how this year's Dawgs are best equipped to win, evidentally, based on wins vs. Tennessee and now Ole Miss. Gunner Stockton impressed once again, and while Kirby Smart can't love giving up 35 points, Georgia did hold an explosive Ole Miss to 351 yards and made the Rebels work on the ground. After passing the biggest test left on the schedule, Smart's team is in great shape. -Dan Lyons

Before Georgia vs. Ole Miss: In. Georgia hasn’t been spectacular in 2025, but has certainly been solid in Kirby Smart’s 10th season at the helm. The Bulldogs aren’t as elite defensively this season as they’ve been in years past, and the offense has been a work in progress. Even so, Georgia finds itself 5–1 on the season and ranked ninth in the country, with the program’s lone blemish coming in a three-point loss at home to Alabama. Saturday’s home tilt against No. 5 Ole Miss provides the toughest test remaining on the schedule. Their remaining contests are at home against Florida, a Texas team that’s been disappointing relative to expectations, Charlotte and Georgia Tech. Georgia only has one road game remaining, away at Mississippi State on Nov. 8.

The SEC schedule is manageable, and while Georgia Tech has played the Bulldogs tough the last two seasons, Georgia has yet to lose to the Brent Key-led Yellow Jackets. A second regular season loss isn’t elimination-worthy—but a third loss could be—especially against a schedule that hasn’t been as impossible as it looked in the preseason. -Mike McDaniel

SEC teams on the CFP bubble

Diego Pavia has his eyes set on a title run after fueling Vanderbilt's breakout 2024 season. | Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

No. 10 LSU Tigers

Week 8 result: 31–24 L at No. 17 Vanderbilt

Postgame playoff status: At risk of falling off the bubble. Well, they scored more than 20 points, and Garrett Nussmeier played his best game of the season. Unfortunately that wasn't enough to match Diego Pavia, who made magic happen up and down the field on Saturday, helping the Commodores leapfrog the Tigers in the CFP pecking order.

Before LSU at Vanderbilt: Just outside the field. The first order of business for coach Brian Kelly: getting the offense fixed. LSU’s defense has seen a significant turnaround from 2024 to ‘25, but now it is the offense that can’t get unmoored. The Tigers haven’t scored more than 20 points against a Power 4 foe this season, and Nussmeier has been dealing with a torso injury, though he is confident that he is on the other side of it, and looked more comfortable throwing against South Carolina in their win last week. LSU is an underdog at Vanderbilt this weekend, and will likely be one in its following two games as well: at Texas A&M and vs. Alabama. Beat Vanderbilt, split those two games and then hold serve against Arkansas and Western Kentucky, and the season finale against Oklahoma could be a win-and-in contest. -Dan Lyons

No. 11 Tennessee Volunteers

Week 8 result: 37–20 L at No. 6 Alabama

Postgame playoff status: At risk of falling off the bubble. Tennessee suffered its first decisive loss on Saturday, looking overmatched by archrival Alabama. A second loss doesn't eliminate the Vols, but puts their backs against the wall with a very crowded field atop the SEC. The Vols likely need to win out, and games against Oklahoma and Vanderbilt are crucial. -Dan Lyons

Before Tennessee at Alabama: Just outside the field. Tennessee is on the hunt for quality wins, and Saturday's tilt on the road at No. 6 Alabama would be a great place to start. The Volunteers' best win to date is likely its 41-34 road victory in overtime over Mississippi State. Despite a résumé that lacks quality wins, the one loss is certainly not egregious—a 44-41 overtime defeat at home against No. 6 Georgia.

An upset win at No. 6 Alabama this Saturday would go a long way towards strengthening the program's playoff resume. The toughest games that remain after Saturday include a Nov. 1 tilt with Oklahoma and a season finale against Vanderbilt. The other three games? At Kentucky, home against New Mexico State and away at Florida.

11-1 Tennessee is a lock for the playoff. A 10-2 Vols team could still make the bracket, but it will likely come down to who the second loss was against and whether or not the program has quality wins strong enough to make up for a second defeat. -Mike McDaniel

No. 14 Oklahoma Sooners

Week 8 result: 26–7 W at South Carolina

Postgame playoff status: Movin' on up. John Mateer looked closer to 100% after a tough loss to Texas last week, but not much was asked of the Oklahoma offense, as Brent Venables's rugged defense held LaNorris Sellers & Co. to just 224 yards and seven points. -Dan Lyons

Before Oklahoma at South Carolina: Just outside the field. Despite its 5-1 record, Oklahoma is facing a slew of headwinds. Quarterback John Mateer looked alternately lost and unhealthy in the Sooners’ 23–6 loss to Texas, and the program’s best wins (Michigan and Auburn) are both actively depreciating. And then there’s that schedule: five straight current top-20 teams to end the regular season, including both Tennessee and Alabama on the road. Oklahoma might need a 4-1 closing stretch to make the field; any performance worse than that and the Sooners will need help from ACC and Big 12 bottom feeders to hollow out the field of middle-class contenders. -Patrick Andres

No. 16 Missouri Tigers

Week 8 result: 23–17 W at Auburn (2OT)

Postgame playoff status: Holding steady. It was ugly, but Eli Drinkwitz's team survived a trip to Jordan-Hare Stadium, edging the Tigers in double-overtime. Neither team could get much going on offense, but star running back Ahmad Hardy scored twice, helping Mizzou overcome a pair of interceptions by Beau Pribula. -Dan Lyons

Before Missouri at Auburn: On the bubble. Missouri held up well—as anticipated—against a soft first half of the 2025 schedule. A 5-0 start to the year culminated with the program's first loss of the season at home by three to Alabama in Week 7. The Tigers travel to The Plains to take on a desperate Auburn team in Week 8. It's a must-win for Missouri considering three remaining ranked matchups on the schedule (at Vanderbilt, home against Texas A&M, at Oklahoma). It's a backloaded schedule for Mizzou, and as such, they'll have a strong case to make the CFP with a 10-2 record against a tough conference slate. -Mike McDaniel

No. 17 Vanderbilt Commodores

Week 8 result: 31–24 W vs. No. 10 LSU

Postgame playoff status: Right side of the bubble. Vanderbilt picked up one of the biggest wins in program history, knocking off a top 10 LSU team at home to move to 6–1, and brush aside the disappointment of the Alabama loss. Diego Pavia continues to build his legend. And right now, it would be hard to argue against the Commodores as deserving playoff participants. -Dan Lyons

Before Vanderbilt vs. LSU: Outside looking in. Vanderbilt’s 5–0 start to the season was a remarkable feat given the history of the program, though it hasn’t aged all that well from a playoff résumé perspective. South Carolina, which Vandy beat 31–7, lost quarterback LaNorris Sellers during the game and the Gamecocks have been relatively disappointing overall this season, while Virginia Tech has had such a poor first half that coach Brent Pry was fired after three games. The Commodores were more competitive against Alabama than the 30–14 final score indicates, but they’ll need to start winning games like that to contend for the CFP.

Saturday’s game against LSU—the first game against a ranked opponent that Vanderbilt has been favored in since 1978—is a great place to start, while Missouri and Texas lie ahead with Tennessee to end the season. For most SEC teams, 10–2 is the floor and for the Dores to get there, they’ll have at least two good wins against other teams in the playoff mix, putting them firmly in the conversation. -Dan Lyons

SEC teams with a lot of work to do

Arch Manning and Texas has gotten off to a slow start, but the Longhorns still have the ability to make a run at the playoff. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

No. 21 Texas Longhorns

Week 8 result: 16–13 W at. Kentucky (OT)

Postgame playoff status: Hanging on by a thread. Texas outlasted Kentucky in one of the ugliest games of the day. The Wildcats have made sport of dragging better teams into the Kroger Field mud like this in recent years, but that certainly doesn't make it look any better for a Longhorns team that has struggled offensively for most of the season. Arch Manning was just 12-of-27 for 132 yards and the Longhorns managed just 47 yards on the ground. Kentucky more than doubled Texas's offensive output. The win keeps the Longhorns alive, but they are back moving in the wrong direction. -Dan Lyons

Before Texas at Kentucky: Arch Manning and the Longhorns got their season back on track last weekend with a dominant 23–6 win over Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. One big win down, plenty to go. Texas has three games against ranked opponents remaining on its schedule against No. 4 Texas A&M, No. 9 Georgia and No. 17 Vanderbilt. Win those, and that ugly 29–21 loss to Florida will be forgiven. -Tom Dierberger

Run the table and they can still make it

Mississippi State Bulldogs

Week 8 result: 23–21 L at Florida

Postgame playoff status: Bubble goes pop. It was a longshot, but Mississippi State almost certainly needed to finish 10–2 to make the field, and a loss to Florida eliminates that hope. If it is any consolation, Florida fans seem to feel just as bad about the result as the Bulldogs faithful do.

Before Mississippi State at Florida: Alive, barely. The Bulldogs’ 4–2 start is already a tremendous achievement for a team that went just 2–10 and didn’t win an SEC game in Jeff Lebby’s first season in 2024. Lebby is still searching for his first SEC win, and while Week 6’s 31–9 drubbing at Texas A&M doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence that the cowbells will be ringing deep into December, there is a pathway for Mississippi State to pull off a miracle. The Bulldogs have a brutal end of year run that features games against Texas, Georgia, Missouri and Ole Miss. With those probable losses come great opportunities. ESPN’s FPI puts the Bulldogs’ odds of making the CFP at 0.4%, so yes, it’s saying there’s a chance. -Dan Lyons

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