The SEC could get two teams in the College Football Playoff.

It’s the recurring, indulgent fantasy of every SEC fan since Jameis Winston and Florida State sent the BCS to its grave by ending the conference’s seven-year national championship streak. And it’s looking more realistic every week.

There are three possible scenarios that result in two SEC teams making the national semifinals this year. Let’s go through each of them, starting with the most likely, then look at the outside factors that will have an influence.

1. ONE FOR YOU AND ONE FOR YOU

The SEC nearly has pared down to the Mississippi schools vs. the Alabama schools.

That pesky Georgia is keeping the SEC East relevant, at least for now. But Alabama or Auburn have played in the last four national championship games, winning three. Ole Miss and Mississippi State claim wins against the Tide and Tigers, respectively.

Will the Yellowhammer State get revenge when the Rebels host the Tigers and the Bulldogs travel East? We’ll find out in November. It seems more likely that Ole Miss or Mississippi State suffers a loss before the Egg Bowl than it does for the Magnolia State teams to remain undefeated.

If Alabama, Auburn or both enters the Iron Bowl with one loss, the winner of that game has an excellent chance to make the College Football Playoff. In that scenario, an unbeaten or one-loss Egg Bowl winner would have a great chance to make the Playoff as well.

Happens If: Alabama or Auburn beats a Mississippi school, then wins the Iron Bowl. This also assumes zero upsets otherwise, an SEC championship win by the SEC West and continued turmoil in other conferences.

2. EGG BOWL JUST A FORMALITY

The state of Alabama may melt if Ole Miss and Mississippi State finish a combined 4-0 against those teams. But it’s a definite possibility. (Cue Mississippi patrol officers lining the state border with traffic checkpoints intended to locate Harvey Updike.)

If that happens, the Rebels and Bulldogs will enter the Egg Bowl unbeaten. The Notre Dame-Florida State winner and Baylor have a chance to finish the year undefeated as well, but there are no undefeated teams in the Big Ten or Pac-12.

To put it simply, there will be at least one, one-loss team in the College Football Playoff. That’s a fact.

It would be hard to justify excluding the loser of the Egg Bowl in favor of any other one-loss team. They’d have lost to the No. 1-ranked team in the country and beaten Alabama, Auburn and every other SEC West team.

Can you imagine an Egg Bowl rematch for the national championship?

Happens If: Mississippi State and Ole Miss beat Alabama and Auburn. This also assumes zero upsets otherwise and an SEC championship win by the Egg Bowl champion.

3. THE GEORGIA MIRACLE

With or without Todd Gurley, UGA beats Auburn, makes it to Atlanta with one loss and beats the SEC West winner.

I know, it doesn’t sound likely. But stranger things have happened.

If a one-loss Georgia beats an unbeaten Ole Miss or Mississippi State in the championship, both teams would have an excellent chance at getting into the playoff.

Auburn and Alabama don’t make sense in this scenario. UGA would have to hand Auburn a second loss to remain a viable College Football Playoff contender. Alabama would have to beat Mississippi State to make it to the SEC championship, and losing to Georgia there would give the Tide two losses.

But a Mississippi school with its lone loss coming in the SEC championship would get consideration above the Egg Bowl loser, courtesy of a head-to-head win.

Happens If: UGA wins out, including an SEC title, and one of the Mississippi schools gets to the SEC title game unbeaten.

OTHER FACTORS

The last spot for the College Football Playoff figures to be contentious.

1. The SEC champion will be an automatic berth, assuming one or fewer losses.

2. The Big 12 champion will get in as well, assuming one or fewer losses.

3. The Florida State-Notre Dame winner will get a spot if it finishes the season undefeated.

If all three of those hold, leaving one spot, it could be a free-for-all to claim it. A one-loss Oregon, as the Pac-12 champion, would present a strong argument. The same for a one-loss Michigan State team as the Big Ten champion. A one-loss Baylor would be in the discussion. Even a one-loss Notre Dame would have some clout.

Things get much easier if, say, Florida State finishes with one loss and Notre Dame finishes with two. That leaves two spots as a free-for-all.

If the College Football Playoff committee values conference championships as much as some postulate it will, Oregon and Michigan State are in great position — if they can win the rest of their games.

But if the current level of attrition in college football continues, and if the four SEC West juggernauts can avoid a major upset, there’s a strong chance we could see two SEC teams in the playoff.

PREDICTION

Mississippi State, Florida State, Oklahoma and Oregon will make the playoff.

I go back and forth on which Mississippi team is better head to head, but the Rebels have the tougher remaining schedule. No matter, I don’t foresee an unbeaten SEC champion. The Bulldogs finish 12-1 with a win against Georgia in the SEC title game, while Alabama, Auburn and Ole Miss each lose two regular-season games.

Florida State is hitting its stride at the right time, while Notre Dame is a house of cards. The Seminoles take that game at home Saturday and use an explosive offense to coast the rest of the year, even against Louisville’s stingy defense. (The Cardinals may have a better chance than the Fighting Irish. Would that be the ultimate insult to Florida Gators fans if a defense Charlie Strong built knocked out the Seminoles?)

Oregon looks much stronger with improving health on the offensive line. I think Marcus Mariota and the Ducks finally get past Stanford and the anemic Cardinal quarterback Kevin Hogan and win the Pac-12.

Oklahoma gets Baylor at home on Nov. 8. A road loss to TCU isn’t enough to keep them out, especially considering the Big 12 will finish the season as the second-toughest conference.

I’d give the SEC about a 35 percent chance of getting two teams into the playoff. Additional losses by Oregon, Michigan State, Florida State and Notre Dame (two) help.

It should be a wild month and a half.