The College Football Playoff system is still in its infancy. While some standards have been set, new ones are created every year.

In the first couple seasons of the playoff system, winning a conference title was practically a necessity, but in each of the last two years, a team that didn’t win a division title and failed to appear in its conference championship game made the College Football Playoff. Last season, that was Alabama, who lost to Auburn in the final week of the regular season and didn’t win the SEC West.

There are a lot of games left, but many experts have predicted those two teams could switch roles this November with Auburn vying for the playoff spot despite not playing in the SEC Championship.

Actually, as crazy as it sounds, according to ESPN’s Playoff Predictor, the former is more likely.

Everybody knows the SEC West is tough, but boy, this stat probably does the best to summarize just how difficult a division it really is.

After facing LSU in Week 3, Auburn will still have to face No. 1 Alabama, No. 3 Georgia and No. 16 Mississippi State. All three of those games will be on the road.