The SEC has long been viewed as college football’s premier conference. Three consecutive national championship wins by Big Ten schools have diminished it in the eyes of some fans, but when push comes to shove, no conference has the SEC’s depth.
Heather Dinich’s latest College Football Playoff bubble watch shows it.
Dinich, ESPN’s premier CFP selection committee reporter, has 5 SEC schools in her projected bracket after Week 3. The Big Ten, with three, is the only other conference with multiple teams in her predicted field. Right now, Dinich sees the Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, Alabama Crimson Tide, LSU Tigers and Ole Miss Rebels — the focus of her SEC spotlight — making the CFP.
Here’s an excerpt of Dinich’s analysis on Ole Miss:
Nobody else in the country has two wins against ranked opponents, which is why the Rebels shot up to No. 2 in [my projection],” Dinich said. “The average CFP contender would have just a 34.9% chance of achieving the same 3-0 record as Ole Miss… if Ole Miss is going to stay in the race, a win at Florida on Saturday will be critical.
The Rebels’ tough late-season schedule, with games against Texas and Georgia, is what makes the Gators’ matchup so important. Ole Miss and Florida kick off on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. E.T. (ABC).
