ESPN’s Heather Dinich includes 12 SEC teams in CFP ‘bubble watch’ after Week 4
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The College Football Playoff, for now, still features just 12 teams. That makes it hard for one conference to thoroughly dominate in terms of earning playoff spots. Despite this, the SEC is overwhelmingly in front when it comes to CFP contenders.
In her latest CFP bubble watch, ESPN’s Heather Dinich had 12 SEC teams in contention for the 2026 event. If the season ended today, Dinich believes the conference would snag six bids, courtesy of Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Ole Miss and LSU. Following their triumphant win over the Rebels, Dinich had the Gators in her SEC spotlight:
Saturday’s win against Ole Miss skyrocketed the Gators into playoff contention, as they finished September with the combination of eye test and résumé the committee looks for. According to the Allstate Playoff Predictor, Florida has the 10th-best chance in the country to reach the CFP (48.9%)… even if Florida finishes 10-2… it can still reach the CFP.
Beyond that bunch, Dinich focused on Mississippi State, whom she considers the conference’s “enigma” entering Week 5:
The undefeated Bulldogs rank No. 4 in ESPN’s strength of record metric after wins against Minnesota, South Carolina and Missouri. It has been an impressive start, but Mississippi State is about to begin its season-defining stretch, with games against Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma and Texas… if [they] keep it up… that regular-season in-state rivalry [with Ole Miss] will mean far more than bragging rights.
The Bulldogs were Dinich’s lone SEC team on the “wrong side of the bubble.”
Behind them, she had Tennessee, Auburn, Missouri, Kentucky and Vanderbilt in her “hanging around” category, showing how important every game in conference play will be toward making this year’s CFP.
