Outside of LSU, is there another SEC team capable of reaching the College Football Playoff this season?

After eight weeks, I’m questioning the league’s chances.

The unbeaten Tigers, ranked fourth in the latest coaches poll, still have to get through Alabama and Ole Miss to win the West, not a walk in the park by any means. A one-loss league champ won’t guarantee the SEC a spot in the final four if you consider other perceived elite programs making a move.

RELATED: Week 9 Coaches Poll | Week 9 AP Top 25

The Big Ten champ (either Ohio State or Michigan State) will be undefeated and a lock for the selection committee. Florida State and Utah’s losses likely eliminates those two teams, but Clemson’s blowout of Miami means the ACC has a legitimate contender who could run the table and seize a bid.

That leaves two spots, one for the Baylor-TCU winner and the final berth for LSU, a one-loss Alabama or Florida or a one-loss at-large from elsewhere. An unbeaten champ from the American Athletic Conference (likely Houston or Memphis) isn’t going to have an attractive enough season-long resume based on strength of schedule.

Following Week 8’s results, I’ve got Mizzou ‘out’ and Arkansas ‘in’ for bowl eligibility. The Tigers’ loss at Vanderbilt means this team is 4-4 with four games left as a possible underdog in every contest. The Razorbacks outlasted Auburn in four overtimes to win their third game in seven tries.

Projecting five weeks out, Mizzou’s trip to Fayetteville for the regular-season finale will pit two 5-6 teams with a bowl berth on the line.

2015 SEC BOWL PROJECTIONS AFTER WEEK 8 (11 invites)

  • College Football Playoff Semifinal (Cotton Bowl): LSU vs. Baylor
  • New Year’s Six Sugar: Alabama vs. Michigan State
  • New Year’s Six Peach: Florida vs. Memphis
  • Citrus: Ole Miss vs. Michigan
  • Outback: Texas A&M vs. Iowa
  • Music City: Tennessee vs. North Carolina
  • Belk: Mississippi State vs. N.C. State
  • Liberty: Kentucky vs. Texas
  • TaxSlayer: Georgia vs. Penn State
  • Texas: Auburn vs. West Virginia
  • Birmingham: Arkansas vs. Houston

On the outside looking in: Mizzou, South Carolina, Vanderbilt